Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-01-16

been agreed on They had themselves introduced the sub
iect MrG reoced that they had done and he intended
the one hand in no spirit OF angry excitement and on the
other spirit Of fear, but calmly and reasonably
to enter on its discussion He wished, in the OF the
examination to go along with his Southern friends over the
ground and where they agreed and where they Offered
for in regard many of the positions taken by Southern
emen there not particle OF difference between them
in regard to others, there certainly was.
But before he did this he wished to say word in relation
to the time at which this topic of slavery territory
had been introduced. From quarters OF the House
very had been cast upon his colleague M
KINo who had introduced his bill well as on another col
league Of his (Mr GonDos, because ne had INDUCED IN
some remarks upon it. In all that had been said by this gem
eman Mr.. G. fully and heartily concured, save in what
he had said in regard the time of the introduction OF the
subject His colleague had expressed the opinion that the
time at which what was familiarly known as Wimo, pro
viso had been brought forward he would have had de-
erred Such not Mr.. G.'s conviction he had adj
vised the offering Of that provso he had supported wnen
moved supported now, and should support ct all umes
What had been the circumstances under which II was NOV
ed The House had before it bill to appropriate two mil
lions for the purpose Of eifecing peace with Mexico All
DESTROYS of peace the desire prevailed Morrill, South
East, and West there difference Of feeling on ha
subject If millions should Be appropriated. il
very clear they would be given by the House with the e
of acquiring by negotiation certain amount of territory from
Mexico. When then Mr. g. asked. Ought the House to
express its opinion whether in the territory to lie acquired
slavery might might not be allowed to exist Certainly,
very earliest opportunity when the subject presented
to for action. That the time for that House, repre-
enng the reemen of these States take its stand and
maintain unhnchingly Then it was for them say whe
her under the sanction Of egisat authority territory free
ITSELF where slavery existed by no law, should be convert
ed into slave territory Mr. g. had been prepared then, was
prepared now, to declare that it should not
There another reason why the provlso should have
been introduced at that time 1t had been published through
all the North that the result; Of this Mexican war would be
the Of the of slavery The charge had BEEN
teraed and reiterated through all that REGION that this was
Of the Administration, got up by the SCUM Tor the very
purpose ofexendng slavery that IN Mexico would
.Lol ItfIap VIII N
not then exist Mr. G. did not believe this he could not,
he would believe it, He could not bring himself to be-
eve that there single Representative on that hoor who
could for cherish the purpose OF using the power
Of this Contederacy to convert territory, till then Free into
slave territory But he wanted public legs atve decia
ration in order satisfy the Northern mind The people OF
the North felt in doubt whether they should support the war
for though they thought just in ITSELF yet they Were not
willing engage just war; 1t was TO be made the
instrument for extending the institution of slavery. The
Northern mind required he thought, to be dlsabued he
therefore said his friends give decaratory resolution
that you have no such design object in view and that
shall not be DONE And what had been the result ne
South said that make such declaration was giving ad 70
the enemy, and embarrassing the war But ne appealed 70
the great Northern heaha heart that throooed Ia the
all the people of that portion OF the Unlon 10 say
whether such charge was just They were Wiling 70 MAKE
bare their in the of their country they ready
furnish both and fight her battles but they
could engage cordially, they could not go into the con-
with all their SOUL if consequences were TO attach 10 VIC
tory which they deplored. Mr. u sought the ProVso
His colleague (Mr KIse had been willing to give the
millions asked for to get peace but he wanted TO satisfy
the North that there design in its application to e1
tend the limits Of slavery.
Mr. BOYD, of Kentucky, here rose and asked permission
TO put the Een.cnnu f, Ne~ York inerrngaiory,
i Mr. GROVER assenting- u....
Mr. BOYD wished to know whether that gentleman
to say and the declaration, that he would not give
men and for this unless the restriction should be
| adopted prohibiting slavery in the new territory
Mr. GROVER replied that he had neither said so, nor did
he design to He would give his views very frankly
on that question to him immateual what the South
might do the North prepared TO support and they
would support this war; without the adoption OF that
restriction He thought Inappropriate TO make the con-
don Of bill TO raise troops but in bill OF the character
Of that which had introduced by his colleague (Mr
kISs) it was eminenty proper The gentlemen oil the
South and the whole country should understand that there
existed throughout the entire North but feeling and that
was submit the introduction of slavery by
act of this Congress where bad previously had exist
He believed every Northern gentleman here with
the exception of understood by the Reporter to refer to
Mr.. DouG A was agreed on that point.
Mr.. McCLERNAND inquired whether the gentleman,
when he spoke catera for the entire North" meal,
to embrace the West also
Mr.. GROVER replied he meant to include all north
Mason and Dxon's line
Many voices Eyes; all the free States."l
Mr. McCLERNAND then said, if the gentleman meant
speak for all the free States he must protest against his speak
ing for him.
Mr. G. ]. INGERsOLL here rose (as did several other
genemen) and inquired Do you speak cathedrG
for Pennsylvania
Mr. said he speak catheda for nobody;
he had expressed his hopes prepared speak with
entire certainty but he hoped that this point the whole
North would be united. He did seek thrust himself
between any Representative and his constituents but he
would say that the which prevailed universally
where he resided criterion from which to judge,
he believed that the Representatives who did up
with him and his associates this great and vital question
would have account to settle when they got home.
The Committee had been told that this question OF
importance, and that the povso should be
ed and adopted would dissolve the Union Was that so
On what did gentlemen plant themselves in making such an
assertion Did the North, in making such declaration
this, interfere with the institutions OF the South They left
slavery where They fully admitted that Congress had
authority to egsse about it within the States All the
North admitted readily and most explicitly, that they had no
right TO interfere with the institutions established in the Sou~
States; but they united in the determination that
by the joint action OF this united Government slavery should
not he made To exist where it not before.
Was there, in this any hostility 10 the South Most
clearly Was for the sake Of advantage they wish
cd for the North Not at ALL He left the interest
OF the North and the Of the South alike out of the
question TO what ought this House direct its attention
TO the interest Of either Not ALL We found California
wilderness almost empty of inhabtants-at all events
with extremely sparse population possessing in many por
tons Of il fertile SOIL open to settlement: we had seized
upon il by arms and held under military control
To what he asked should the attention Of Congress be d.
rected in framing laws for this territory To the inter
csts of shareholders to the interests OF the North No. II
should look above and beyond all such considerations 1t
should look to the permanent interest of the territory 10 the
future happiness of the people for whom it called to s