Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-03-31

been fully discussed on principle alone. That amend.
ment was offered to the amendment proposed by Mr..
Taylor of New York the Missouri Bill, then before
the House of Representatives, and reads-"all mat
part of the present Territory of Missouri lying north OF
line TO be run due west from the mouth OF the river
De MONIES, to the territorial boundary OF inc " S''
shall form part of the Territory OF Michigan; and the
laws in force said Territory well as the ordi-
nances of Congress- prohibiting slavery OF involuntary
seryitude in the said Territory of Michigan shall be in
force in that part of the Missouri, lying north Of said
east and west line.
This amendment conceded the whole question Of con-
stitutional power Mr. Philip P. Barbour opposed this
amendment of General Harrison, and argued against
ali amendments Of similar character, as partial mex
pedent and unconstitutional that if the prncPe was
wrong IN ITSELF it ought not to be withheld from one
part of the Territory and applied to anoher aila ,a'
If the rule wrong at the tirty-h degree VI -
tude, it was equally so at the iortieth.
General Harrison preamble and resolutions offered
in the Senate of Ohio the Sd January, ioso, snow
the extent to which he would have USED the power Oh
the Government through his Senators and Represen-
tatves in Congress- repress he styled it, "a great
moral and political evil, which suilied our national
character and materially affected our national happi-
ness" He asserted, 'sthat the admission OF slavery IN
the new State Of Missouri fraught with the most
fearful consequences to the permanency and durability
of our Republican institutions, and invoked 'the ut
most exertions and the of every means to avert
it..
The wild and furious tornado which this question
State where in obedience to the public will, the most
eminent forced to give 1t smoothness, rather
than open opposition.
Still the debates in the New York Assembly will
show that the Administration party then endeayored to
avoid that portentous storm which, for political effect
was fed and nvigorated by the Federal party During
that protracted excitement Mr. Van Buren,, then IN the
Senate Of his native State, gave silent vote Tor te
Missouri resolution which passed that body on the sS
Of January, 1920 In doing this cannot doubt that
AL LODI and arnl >yIlI nj
people whose representative he was. If any evidence
exists that he supported the with activity,
has never been produced to the public in any shape
His support of Tie election Of Rufus King TO the
Senate has been often referred to- and relied by his
enemies to prove that Mr.. Van Buren, was Missouri
resrconist Of the most decided and dangerous cha
racter.
But his support Of Mr. King had no connexon with
the question Of slavery. 1t wen from necessity,
approved by the Administration party, whose leading
organ in Washington advised it, and was intended TO
defeat the election of j. d. Spencer who had been the
Speaker of the Assembly, and was the candidate OF the
Clintonan party.
Let the New York resolution OF the goth January,
1920, for which Mr.. Van Buren, silently voted be com
pared with the one which, the Sd day of the same
month and year, General Harrison penned and offered
to the Senate of Ohio and supported with all his ener-
ges let the conduct of these two public characters IN
relation TO slavery, be weighed in impartial scales, and
the award Of truth and justice be fairly made.
The Abotionists and their CONDUCTORS oppose the
President, because they neither seduce nor drive
him into their Wild unhaowed schemes against the
peace of the Union He has declared it to be hs clear
and settled opinion that is the sacred duty OF those
who int.usted with the action of the General Co.
vernment their constitutional powers to prevent
any interference by Congress with the exciting relations
of master and slave. No language can be more exp
cit than his He stands pledged as the inFeridte, un
compromising opponent of any attempt on the part OF
Congress to abolish slavery He denies that Congress
has the shadow of such power the State and SC
solemn is his conviction of duty SO deep his sense Of
the injustice that would be done TO the slavehodng
States SO fully satisfied is he that st would inevitably
occasion the dissolution of our happy Union, that he
declares the exercise Of such power in the DIS
tr;c of Columbia, forbidden by COLLECTIONS imperative
in their nature and obligations any which the Con
stitution contains. None doubt then, that It is the
fixed deliberate purpose of the President to use the
constitutional powers Of his high Office to discourage
the slightest action of Congress this delicate subject
and il the occasion should arise, to put his veto upon
it,
IF in the public service Gen Harrison sacrificed his
personal and political interests, there is an obligation
on the country to remunerae him. But Presidential
honos would under any circumstances be beyond ms
deserts Let, however, recorded and unquestioned
facts settle his prctensons to the gratitude OF hs coun
trymen for his alleged of those principles which
protect the South i'll the enjoyment OF her constitution
al rights.
have stated the agency he had and the part that ne
acted in Congress and in the Senate of Ohio He ex
changed service in the Federal, tor one IN the STATE
Legislature and from the latter he went again INTO tht
former, after the Missouri excitement haa suosioea h
der the Compromise Act
On the great question of Slavery which has agitatet
the Southern mind the sentiments Of Ohio were almos
unanimous. And her final vote in Congress, on the
Missouri Bill, marked with unanimlty.
When General Harrison became candidate lo
Congress, and was defeated by Mr. Galley, new cues
tons vexed the public mind. The Legislature Of
Tennessee had nominated the Hero of New Orcan:
Sor the Presidency General Harrison warmly opposed
tina. nomination, and Mr.. Galley warmly supported
it, And Them now the Presidential question absorb
ed all minor ones. -
That the Presidential contest defeated General Har
rison and not pretended sacrifice OF hmselto South
ern rights is manifested by the fact that he retained
his popularity, and speedily returned to the senate
the u States where, by his open action and RECORDED
votes he steadily invaded all Southern rights, until 1t
voluntarily quilted the Senate in 1885, for the lucrative
mission TO Bogota, which he received from Presden
j. O. Adams his generous, political, and private rend
In 1900, the elder Adams appointed Gen Harrison, TO
vernon of Indiana.
The coalition has been solemnly formed agans
Southern rights. And General Harrison IS selected
as the fttest Chief lead the embattled hosts Nc
candid, wellinfomed person can deny that - 'h'
settled expectation and desire of the General to attac
20 his political support the fanatics and AboltionIss
And he practices the cunning diplomacy OF hls sup
porters; aud relies the dubious character OF ms
former opinions to obtain their aid without offence
Why the studied reserve that governs the Genera
now:-this unwoned, premeditated concealment OF hl'
present opinions question of such vital importance
70 the national repose: Is the fear Of offence to the
Abolitioniss who surround him, and who now openly
oppose the Administration party: am constrained tc
believe that it is.
The fate Of his unsuccessful rival Mr. Clay, plainly
informed the General that majority of those who OPP
pose the Administration will support for the
Presidency who discountenances the designs of the
Abotonists.
No sooner had Mr.. Clay, in the winter of 1880, de.
vered in the Senate his speech against that hnatica
clique than this ominous revelation waapromugated
to the world "The efforts of Mr. Van Buren, to concil-
ate by bowling to the spirit of Slavery the vote Of the
South, has been met by the speech of Mr. Clay, deli.
yered in the u States Senate since the presentation Of
the Abolition report In this speech, MIR Clay de-
nounces the Abotonists in severe terms; brings for
ward in his peculiar and forcbe language, the sereo
typed objections against the Anti Slavery movement
lays down the monstrous principle, that THAT IS pro-
nerty which the law makes property; and, upon the
ronnd nc necessity the tyrants plea defends the eer