Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1848-07-28
From the n. Y. Evening Post.

~. l.. "
The Journal of Commerce expresses
regret that Mr.. Calhoun is not in favor
the proposition offered by Mr.. Bright {
compromise the question of the extcnsio
of slavery by a partition of the territory
i California and New Mexico, assigning
free laborers that part of it which lies mort
of a certain latitude. We entertain no sue
regret, and should be glad if the rest of tn
southern members would follow his exam
| pie. Our reasons are these:
First, that the terms offered by Nj
Bright will never be received by the fire.
states as compromise. They will onI,
eXasperatc the feeling of discomfort which
now prevails. 1t is important. as Mr.. Cal
| houn well saws. that the question be settled
but it is moi To be settled in this manner
The people of the free states have not for
gotten the case Of Texas, and the strugg lie:
that were vainly made 10 secure to fire,
labOrers coming from the states, portion
of its yet unsettled country, in which slave
ry should be allowed to exist by law. Tex
as is more valuable tract than both Cali
lornia and New Mexico put together, We
the slave power has claimedand made goot
its claim to the whole of it, and over every
inch Ofsoil within It's bound rics, the pro
perry of the master in his bondmcn is rec
ognzied by the law and rivetted by the con
stitution of the state. Having secured the
whole of that acquisition, the next proceed
ing OF the slave power was to claim also the
whole of California and New Mexico
Finding it impossible 10 enforce a preten'
sion SO monstrous, it now offers to divide
this second prize with the free states. The
offer is an insult, grosser. if possible, then
the claim TO the whole of the two PROVING
cs, for while it comedies the principle OF
prohibition it withholds its fruits. Let the
aristocracy of slave owners be content with
the immense addition made to their domain
by the acquisition of Texas, for which we
have already paid so dearly in the blood
shed for its defence for which we have yet
10 pay so dearly in taxation.
Secondly, it is better for the interest of
the free laborer, that if the introduction OF
slavery be egalized al all in the new terri
tory, it should be legalized over the whole
of It's extent Let slave labor try its luck
side by side with free labor-let the two
discordant elem Cnts meet and iermcnt
whenever chance may throw them in the
territory, rather than slavery should have
its peculiar district assigned 10 il, where 1t
may strengthen and eGtrench itself. without
fear of competition. Let the collision come
between the shareholders and their herds Of
human cattle, on the one side, and the emf
grants from Europe and the free states on
the other--we will not say that it Will al
WAYS be peaceful, we will not say that it
will always be safe for the owner of the
black workmen in these hinly inhabited re-
gions-but it will be collision which will
command the attention of the nation. and
the progress and issue of which will be
highly instructive. Great as we should de-
precatc any further ''postponemcnt of the
prohibition of slavery, and dangerous as we
believe that pos poncmcntt to the interests of
freedom, we yet hold that the partition of
the territory, if accepted and acqulcsccd in
by the free states, would be attended with
st greater mischief.
But although MIR. Calhoun may not vote
for the Bright Compromise, ii is nearly GER
tam lildl Tie OlilcE Oh tIlC ESCIldlB
from the several states will support it. lie
may stand alool, i'll sullen impracticabii-
ty, or regard for consistency, but they have
no such scruplcs, the compromise is a
southern devise, and they will drive it
through.
But will il pass the House of Represent
atves, where the south is not so strong in
the proportion of its members? Will the
Grien Is of General Taylor supper ii! Is it
polite for them, that they should let it be
understood, by co operating in such mea-
sure, that they are ready to barter away the
rights of free laborers! Have they forgotten
the public Odium that overlook and dismiss
ed to private life and political death all the
politicians of the north who were concern
ed in the Missouri compromise! The fac
Of those men is recorded as a warning. A
second experiment will meet with even
worse success as regards its supporters in
Congress, and cannot fail to react upon their
candidate for the Presidency.