The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1848-12-13

fleunk1 Nos nhcn thesr Mnfk = efu-l
"a, whrn pFsre i rrssorrd. and they re-
INN sgain II Ihsis homes. pus % lie ha-
hilimrnls Of wsr. Jake ahsF plzr-s il FO-
eiesy. and Frsnme their parsaiss IN ristl
! lie. surely spirit Of hsrlnony and ron
CESSNA. and &C equal regard &C. ihs RIGHTS
Of ~ aid &C 81 seriions q The Union.
ought 10 prevail in providing governments
F.. inT the seqniTed rniioFies-lhe fruits at
their common seEsirp. The whole pro-
pie of the United STATES and 81 every
Slzls contributed 10 driray the expenses
&C that war; and II would not be jasI inr
any one serlion 10 exclude annlhrf nom
an participation in the acquired tertiary.
! This would not be in eansOnanre with The
/. Just system Of government which the ira
I ners of llse constitution adopted.
The question j. believed 10 be rather
abstract Than practical. whether slavery
ever can or would exist in any portion ol
/ the acquired territory. even Il il were left
10 the option &C The slayeh.lding States
themselves. From ihe nature Of The rli-
mate and productions, in murh The larger
portion 0f II. IL is certain il could never
exist: and in the remainder. The prnhabi-
lilies are IL wuuld not. But however This
max be. the question involving. ~ il does.
a principle Of equality of rights Of ihe Sc
parsie aud several states. as squsl ea.Pari-
ners in the ronlsleIacy. should not be dis
j regarded.
In organizing governments over these
Territories. no duty Imposed on congress
nv the constitution requires lhai they
should legislsls on The subject Of slavery,
while their power In da 50 Is not only Sc
riously questioned. but denied BY many
Of the sountIesl expousiers Of thai insiru-
meni. Whether Congress shall lrgisla,e
/. ar not. he people Of The acquired Terri
. turtles, when assembled in convention To
form State constitutions. will p0ssess the
sole and exclusive power TO determine fnr
themselves whether slavsry shall or shall
not exist within their limits. lfCongress
shall abstain from interfering with the
/ question. ,hs psopls of these Terrisories
will be lefi free 10 adjust 10 as they may
think proper when they apply for sd'nis-
sion as States into the tlnion. No enact
rnens If Congress could restrain The peo-
ple of any Of The sovereign S1sies of The
Union. old or new, north or south. slave
holding or non-slaveholding. from defer
mining the character Of their own dones
nc Institutions a. they NAV deem wise
aud proper. Any and all The states pos
sess this right, and Congress cannoi de-
prize them Of il. The people Of Georgia
ri might, if they chose. 50 alrer their consli.
,u,ion as TO abolish slavery within its
) Limits; and the people Of Vernon. rnigh'
J 50 alter their constitution as 20 admit
| slavery within is limits. Both States
would possess the right; though. az all
know, il is not probable that either would
II exert il. -= ss saT.H ese.s
!, /. is fortunate for The peace and harmo.
nv of The Union that this question is in is
before California and New Mexico NAV
J be admitted as States into the Onion.
From the tide Of population now flowing
into them. il is highly probable sha, this
|. will soon occur. a&aa s#rE@=@
4 Considering the several States and the
! citizens Of the several States as equals,
. snd entitled Ia equal rights nnder The con-
siiiution. If his were an original question.
il might well be insisted on that The princi.
I pie Of non.inlerference is the irie dor
time. and thai Congress could not in the
absence of any express grant of power,
I interfere with their relative rights. Upon
great emergency, however. and under
mensring dangers 10 the Union. the Mis-
sour compromise line in respect TO Stare.
~ was adopted. The same line was sx-
tended further west IN the acquisition Of
/, Texas. Alter an acquisscenco of nearly
thirty years in the principle Of compro-
mise recognized and established by these
acts, and to avoid the danger TO The Union
which might follow If IL were now tlisre-
esrtled. ! have heretofore expressed the
j opinion that that line ofcompromise should
he extended on The parallel Of shiriy-six
degrees thirty minutes from the western
/ boundary OF Texas. where it now ierrni-
mates. 20 the Pacific ocean. This 10 the
middle ground Of compromise. upon which
the diiieren! sections Of The Union may
meet. as they hare heretofore met. If
I this he done, it is confidently beloved a
large maturity Of the people Of every Sec
! ,ion of the country. however widely their
ahstrac. opinions on The Nibjectof slavery
may differ, would cheerfully and patriot.
caily acqulesce in il. and peare and har-
nnny would again ill our borders. -s...s:.
The restriction north Of tho line was
only yielded to in The case Of Missouri
and Texss upon a principle Of compro-
mise. made necessary for the sake of pre-
serving the harmony. aud possibly The ex-
istence Of the Union. a~.s .@@# 11 -.sa-.
/ II was upon these considerations that
at the cloee Of your last session. gave
my sanction to the principle Of The Mis-
souri, compromise line. by approving aud
signing the bill 10 establish /. the Terri