State journal & flag. [volume] (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) 1843-1846, 1846-10-16
NUMBER IS
Public Meeting i'm RusseIviIIe, Ala.

adopted in reference TO the extension Of
slavery 10 the South and West-whch We
heartily approve, and endorse. AT the
close of the late session of Congress, the
House of Representatives passed, as our
readers will recolect, a bill appropriaing
S2,OO0,o00 TO be used by the President iR
negotiating treaty ofpeace with Mexico
but It was SO amended, on motion OF Mr..
Wllmont, OF Pa, as to shut out "sayery,
sr involuntary sersitude" from any terrific.
ry, that might De acquired from Mexico,
in adjusting the terms Of treaty. The
bill was Immediately sent to the Sen ate, and
John Davis OF Massac husetts, Obtained tho
floor, and spoke, (refusing to yield it 10 Mr.
Lewis who proposed 10 strike out the
amendment of Mr.. Wisnaon,,) ayowedly
with the intention Of preventing any
amendment, until the President announced
that the hour Of adjournment, sine die, had
arrived. This question has been adjourn.
ed, with the appreciation of Che opponents
of slavery, to the people; and we find lha,
influential newspapers in the North, and
West, are advocating limit to the exen.
sion Of slavery. They propose, in the event
of the acquisition of California, that slavery
shall not extend to that ,ersitory and fos
the first time we have seen the opinion ex.
pressed, that this was one of the reasons
10 the West, for The extreme claim to Or.
egon set up by portion of the western
people. II is urged that slavery shuts GU,
from country where it exists, the labor of
the small farmers Of the West. But tn, 50
who urge this reason forget, skos If slavery
be prescribed in any country that may bo
acquired, particularly is it rs south west of
us--that y like injury, but Of greater degree,
is done 10 the slave owner. He is shut out,
and from a territsry, too, peculiarly adapted
TO the species of labor Of which he is the
possessov. Bat We do not recognize the
right Of the General Government to inter-
tere in this matter. 81 the question mus,
be decKse@, let the people Of California de.
eide j. for themselves. We sNhnia tAe res.
olutions Of the Ru>selvile ssccting. Hon.
D. Hubbard addressed the seeting, in be.
half of the resolutions. The Denocrat
says Tile handled the subject with deci-
ded ability and dwelt upon the injustice
oil taxing the slave Slalesr 10 purchase ter
ritory, and then prohibit lSe ciiizrns there
of from carrying their properly into the
newly acquired country. Efe said the
principle was unjust, and deserved public
condemnation
PREAMBLE.
Whereas, ut the late session of Congress,
the House OF Representatives passed an
amendment 10 the 'iwo million appropriation
Bill" prohibiting slavery In al! the country
which might be obtained by said arpropria.
ton when in all probability the territory
thus contemplated would extend south 10 the
Guftf Mexico.
We hold this principFe TO be unjust, and
upon it set our mark of Misrepresentation. Wa
maintain that The territory when acquired
should be open to the settlement of MI cit.
Zens without restrictions and assert that il
is unjust 10 INK the slave S4ates no paw for
the country, and 10 sun tnoa them to tho
battlefield TO maintain our nations rights,
and our nations honor and when the war.
-Worn soldier returns 30 his home, with VIC
tory on his standard, is he 10 be told that
he cannot carry hsproperty to the country
won by his blood, or purchased by his mon.
ey? As portion OF the citizens Of Ala
bama, we enter our protest against such a
principle. Our vested rights in our soulh-
ern institutions, VIC intend 10 maintain.
Therefore,
lst RESOLVED, That in the acquisition Of
Territory TO the United States, either in tho
South or West. purchased by funds froan the
public treasury. no distraction should DO
mad", in the rights OF citizens, whether they
hold property in the North OF South.
2ud. Resolved. That we regard all al
tempts at such distinctions, whether by Con-
gress or otherwise, as direct usurpaion OF
the rights Of all the slavc-h holding Slater,
and citizens thereof.
Sd. RESOLVED, That it is the opinion Of
this meeting, that the South should speak
out on this question of usurpa,ion, that tho
people should require pledges from all seek
ing their votes, for high Offices, that our
rights in the Southern States should be pro.
tected and that we should not vote for any
man, as President who would withhold such
pledges
4th. Resolred. further, That this meeting
particularly disapprove the amendment pro-
posed TO the TWO Millions Appropriation
Bill, passed by the House of Represents
lives at its late session Of Congress-, which
prohibited slavery in any territory acquired
by virtue ofour negotiations for peace with
Mexico.
9Th. Resolved Tha, we invite our brelh.
rem generally in the save-hoding States 10
meet. express and publish their opinions up.
on the subject Of the foregoing resolutions.
The resolutions were read, and on mo.
ton of l.. P. Walker, esq. offered separate.
ly and unanimously adopted.
On motion of VIM. Cooper, esq, the edi-
tors Of papers in the South. are invited to
publish the foregoing preamble and resolu.
tions.
| GEO. w. LANE, Chm.
| s. K. CoCKRILL. Sec'y