Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1847-05-29
The WiImot Proviso.


Of tho wlmoi Proviso such territory may be acquired
by the United States from Mexico the termination OF the
present He assumes settled point that territory
be acquired Mexico being unable by other means
indemnity for the past for the expenses
and he dwes upon the advantages and benefits be
derived from this Of boundaries IN language
dssmilsr 10 that by which raorty OF the people
OF the United States tempted with such unnecessary
precipitation. to the annexation the Union
Of the beautiful aud unfortunate" Teass or the purpose
OF rounding of frontier" which STILL however, seem.
10 be 80 sadly deficient in symmetry that geographical
Indications plainly indicate. considerable slice of Mex
territory Is indispensable to il. perfection.
The question OF the extension OF the area OF freedom
however, TO the Southern people least very diff
iorent aspect now, from that Ia which presented TO
them in sii Thea far from idea being held ont
that slavery be inIerdcied the new State the
fends of the the South chiefly relied upon the
additional strength Its acquisition would give the slave
hcldng States, In the national councils to justify
dSte" action upon the subject the hazard OF in
volSng the nation in war with Mexico, which was urg
3D. by Mr. Benton and Others might be avoided procras
mating the until the pear should oe ripe and fall
into our lap necessary Notr however we have
received fair notice from those who have the por,r TO effect
Their avowed design. that II this policy OF annexation is
To 1t must be with the express understanding on
both SIDES that the North having the control Of the SUBJECT
az it TO be again done by JOINT resolution especiay
the institution Of slavery shall be expressly interdered
rs fundamental Condition OF its acquisition Such with
almost entire unanimiiy the emphatic declaration Of
the members OF the last Congress from the non
ing States, without distinction 81 party And that they
not IN advance of public sentiment at home has been
satisfactorily shown by every expression Of public opinion
that has since reached from that portion OF the Union
Among those indeia Of popular feeling the North none
entitled to weight than the late Message Of Cover.
nor Dana OF Maine State in which Locoiocosm has for
many years had uninterrupted sway and where If IN ANY
portion Of the non-savehoding section OF the Union we
might reasonably have looked for some sotennr Of tone on
The part OF ihe natural allies Of the South Gov Dana
says;
The territory which may acquire as indemnity for
claims upon Mexico Is Tree; shall be made slave ierory
The sentiment Of the free States profound sincere .ad
almost universal that the influence Of slavery pop pB
nVe energy u like the blight Of mildew-thai j. moral
and social evI-thai il does violence 10 the rgbt. of man
As thinking reasoning and p5n,be being-b, 10.
existence IN this territory will shut out free labor bre,Bse
the freeman will submit himself 10 she which
attaches 20 labor, wherever slavery exist Influenced b
such combinations the Tree will oppose the intro.
PneOn Of slavery into the territory which may be sequir
ed"
Alter this emphatic deelsration-which Gov Dana fol-
iowsu up by along dissertation upon the evils Of an nst
luton OF which might be supposed we Of the South are
much more competent TO Judge than himself-we ask
Southern men they willing to lavish ,heir money and
sequred they unless they their right to carry
their property With them, be excluded by Iaw7 Are
they prepared 10 insist upon such acquisition as sin, g
non OF peace with Mexico when they thus foIewarned
that the tei5ry be acquired shall be divided into
sloveholdng State, and Of augment their already
pfePondeTEIng influence the federal councis-an in
hnener which, even by the natural increase Of population
within the limits Of the Union exists if the result,
OF the last hiy be aken any ies OF the m
aeeu ~,
mentsd IN such unequaly progressive rate that IN
very short time he Of the South already almost neu
alzed will be scarcely heard or felt in the deliberations
OF the General Government
Yet there Southern who insist that no peace
be concluded with Mexico which does not eede 10 the II
states very large portion OF the territory that Reput
he But they have remedy, Of course for the Wilmot
provs' to which they profess be even more hostile than
Ourselves And that remedy % A PLEDGE not to supper,
for the Presidency any individual who may not be ho,,
TO the offensive principle embodied IN It. Why what is
such pledge, such subject, wouh7 IL il snppos.d
we presume that may purchase few Northern asprauts
for Presidential Vice Presidential honors-But when
was ever known that vena Ambition courted the woske,
party, by assuming position AvOwng an opinion unac-
oeptSble TO the srJhger7 What Northern man noNeys,
deeply Imbued with Southern feelings Is as enough 4, r
Peel TO CRAFTY his ASPIRATIONS, by uniting himself with
Southern minority and orieung thereby the support Of the
Northern majority
The great mass Of the population Of the North Of ghose
sentiments the author and supporters Of tho Wmot prgv
80 are unquesuonaJly lair oHp,nonts vail laugh such
pledge - scorn; because they know az those Southern
men who administer and take it ought &, know that they
hold IA their hands e pOweT render It nu.lity Hsyifg
majority OF the Electoral votes they " 10 meet TIM. doe
on the part of the Southern people o. they have already
told us, by COUNTER PLEDGE, which will no much
more Poenbecluss they have, what have not the m, ans
Of making opefatye. II declare our solemn pupose t
support fOr the Presidency or the Vice Presidency
who s In favor Of the principle 81 the Wino proyiso and
thereby make that the tho election DO which
all other questions to be merged ,y on the other hand
with no lees Immunity, will affirm their determination IL,
support no nhn for those Offices who opposed 90 ~ and
the 'HerHdbs yesu Of coure must be me election of
Wino rTOpfo oaHdidaes by tho very means adopted by
these sagaoious pedge-eI ocng gentlemen 10 uysrt 49,,
There may BE- wisdom IN such course but II there be-
we have ystlo learn wherein 1t consists. To our minds
appchIs the very climax Of absufdity
Tho only mode Of avertng tho peril which threatens NJ
nneo the rights OF the South and safety Of tho Union
from this source, BE- The adoption Of to csuso recommend
I'd by Senator Befen. Of Georgia last wiGter-and tina,
~ 10 avow distinctly purpose the Republic oi
MEXICO. ~ the close Of the var found II A. the be
ginning add thereby keep from out the wall. Of our
Troy THE wooden-hOias Which, Of It once find entrance
will endaueer he existence Of the Union 1t promises TO sg-
grandizo. Loitbc nndestood fsf We d, not want Ner
can territory. and tsi WI. have o. and the Iyan-
tsgcous consequencts " surh u1d,ftsadny Will bs At
once let in iwo-fod po,nt OF vice. IuI dsstao Mo-,
herself. whose Ob,tinae dssruIHtf9r t rr,set ,i
proceeds from the p'fsla..1l g1 her ss,t dat p,
peace can be concluded Which 4I r9i s.smsrb., ,,,
Republic, BY topping o lore, snd t, tsf ysast. t,to,.
ct her Territory and peace Lauag b.fa fss,ofs8 Do will
prevent NE introduction into COUNCILS or clement a
sRi'suon end suie converting into mere J,ats,a fsi
feHa harmless abstraoton-h rendering iu advocate,
a. poweuess o. Atchim,des With ms lever bat ,ifsy,
spot upon which TO ret d.
TINS 10 our Judgment. the only mode In which b,
agitation Of This question be- prevented end ,,. an
fofcemcn OF The principle Of ,he wHmot p,oy,,o J,,J
IL vii be- said indeed that ,he South will ns,s, s,
great On outrage. But what th,nl The only ,i,,,.
i've 20 submission b DsuHioH-and II that b. 10 h. ,i
catastrophe N the bloody usgcdy it niue, O.. ,f ,t a.
determine whether Mexico of the Unrsd s,.,, -
have besn the eIeaior sufferer by the M ofnonsd wa
tavsFed aud Remembered the one and DESTROYED tb In
~ Gen Pillow and It, Col Anderson the latter Of II
Tennessee Regiment. reached Nashville on the 22d nt
The beet Huved near midngh ncveubeloss some II d