The Slavery Question: Speech of George W. Julian, May 14, 1850

What it is

This is a printed speech by George W. Julian of Indiana, delivered in the House of Representatives on May 14, 1850. It was given in the Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union, on the President's message transmitting the Constitution of California. Julian speaks for an antislavery district and attacks what he calls the arguments of Southern gentlemen. The archive holds a scanned copy from the Internet Archive.

Why it matters

The speech comes from the debates of 1850 over whether slavery would expand into the new western territories. Its catalogue subject heading links it to the Fillmore presidency, which began in July 1850. Julian's words show how the slavery question was argued in Congress, and the speech is not by Fillmore himself. It helps students see the pressures Fillmore faced when he took office.

Look closer

• Who does Julian say he speaks for, and how does that shape his argument?
• Which Southern arguments does Julian quote or describe, and how does he answer them?
• What does this single speech leave out about the views of congressmen who supported slavery?