" "With respect to
foreign Nations," said he, "the language of the United States ought
to be, that it concerns the peace of our own political family, and
therefore we cannot permit it to be touched; and in respect to the
slave-holding States, the only safe and constitutional ground on
which they can stand, is, that they will not permit it to be brought
into question either by their sister States, or by the Federal
Government." [Footnote: Register of Debates, 19 Cong., 1 Sess., II.,
pt. i., 165.] "The peace of eleven States in this Union," said
Benton, "will not permit the fruits of a successful Negro
insurrection to be exhibited among them." [Footnote: Register of
Debates, 19 Cong., 1 Sess., II., pt. i., 330.]
This southern resentment against the submission of the question of
our connection with slavery and with the insurrectionary Negro
republics to the discussion of a foreign tribunal, was combined with
the opposition of northern men like Van Buren to engaging the United
States in a system for the control of American affairs by a
congress.
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