Washington, March 24, 1850.
My Dear Sumner:
I thank you for your letter. It is not my purpose to go at all fully into the
various questions presented by Mr. Clay's resolution now before the Senate. I
limit myself to three propositions, mainly; 1. That the original policy of the
Government was that of slavery restriction. 2. That under the Constitution
Congress cannot establish or maintain slavery in territories. 3. That the original
policy of the Government has been subverted and the Constitution violated for
the extension of slavery, and the establishment of the political supremacy of
the Slave Power. Having discussed these points I shall have no time to go into
a full examination of the proposition in detail now before the Senate.
How I wish that someone occupied my place more able to
satisfy the expectations of the Friends of Freedom, and the obligation of the
Crisis! Never in my life did I so painfully feel my incompetency as now. May
God help me.
I thank you for your suggestion, and promised documents. They
have not yet come to hand.
Very faithfully
yours,
[SALMON P. CHASE.]
SOURCE: Diary and correspondence of Salmon P. Chase, Annual
Report of the American Historical Association for the Year 1902, Vol.
2, p. 205-6
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