Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-12-29

lltical power, was, perhaps, a debateable
question. For himself, he had thought a
good WINE, that these gentlemen, both at the
South and the North, who had made so much
noise ahont the slavery question, cared very
little about lt-ihat they only used it as a
political trap 10 catch votes. So far as he
was concerned, he would not stand by and
encourage Them in that game. He had used
all his reason and all his influence in keep.
ing this question out Of these Halls; and in
so doing he had been actuated by no other
motive man that OF comfy, friendship. and
good neighborhood but if they of the South
were determined they should legislate upon
II, he said to them
LAY on Macdufr!"
He had stated (while he impuVned no
mans motlves) that The action of these gen.
tlemen en- its face seemed TO indicate that
they cared nothing about this question of
slavery. except for the purpose of making
political capital. They could not let Con-
gress settle the question al the last session ;
they seemed determined it should not be set
lied then; but they appeared now, or the in
dlcalions seemed 10 point in that direction, 10
be quite willing that the present Congress
should step in and settle it before their can
didate came into power. Why was it tina,
when the honorable gentleman from Ohio,
(Mr. koot,) the other day moved his %resolu-
zion, instructing the Territorial Committee
to bring IN a bill 10 organize a government
for these Territories, excluding slavery, that
such a mttering had showed itself upon thai
side OF the House among the Northern
Wings !! Everywhere, in all the elections
which had taken place since that question
had come up, they had made the exclusion
OF slavery from the newly-acquired territories
the sine qua non. Yet, when the gentleman
from Ohio had moved his resolution, they
had seen the honorable chairman of the Com,
mittee of Ways and Means (Mr. Vinton) rist
in his place, and appeal to his friends to vot,
dow the previous question. Let gentleman
examine the yeas and nays, and they woult
find the names Of those who heretofore hat
been distinguished and loud in favor of tn
Wilmol Pfoviso, voting TO lay this resolu
ton on the table; nay more, they would fin
one or two of these gentlemen recorded i
the negative on the direct vote upon the re
solution. Why was this2 Were we t
witness again, as we had witnessed at Phi
ladelphis, another slaughtering Of principles
He said TO his fellow citizens Of the fire.
States. BEWARE ! Look TO THIS CoNeREss
Were. these timid Wing gentlemen waitin
for a hlsSyhich had made its appearance
the other end of the Capitol, and hoping tn,
1t would come in, and they would step il
and save eihem from the responsibility ar
exposure If they were, he hoped and b
lieved they would find that they were mi
taken.
! Some, perhaps, might think he was arg
Ing this question from partisan views a
j ~ 1 p r.Ar.1u NJ,
: ton which rose higher than party, and hie
er than the giving 10 these Territories a
\ vernment. 1t went to the vitality of our
stituiions ihemselves-to the question of
i right and power of this people 10 gov,
- themselves; for il, as in the late canvass,
T, candidate for the Presidency was TO be p
mitted 10 withhold his opinions upon a or
. subject like this, and to allow himself to
: represented by his friends, in one section
J the Union, as a friend and supporter of sla'
. ry, and as certain 10 veto the WiImot Pro
so if passed, and to be advocated in oil
j portions on the ground that he held opinio
Numerically opposite, our system Of cove
ment was a failure the people did not @
vern themselves. He repeated, that ii
question rose higher and far above the mi
ter Of giving these Territories a government
and from reasons Of this character, the settI
} ment of this matter should be permitted
20 to the next Administration, that the d
ception and fraud which had been practis
; upon the people might be exposed. y =
He had said he was willing to leave Il
question where the Constitution had left
, He was no longer permitted TO occupy Il
} ground he was compelled to legisiate.
He repeated, being SO compelled, he won
: lpUlSIatp hut Ona Nvau-that wac fNr tba
: %clusion of slavery. He had voted at /
: last session against the insertion of the W
mot Proviso in the Oregon bill, and he wor
have voted to strike it out of a bill organ
ing governments for New Mexico and Ca
9 %fornla; but he would not now vote to stri
= it out. He had seen no necessity for it
u the Oregon bill, as the people Of Oregon b
already decided The question. 10 their Fl
damerial law, in the constitution Of III
y PROVISIONAL government. they had adopted
- very language of the ordinance of 1887 a
= the hill reported by the chairman of
Committee on Territories (Mr. Smith,
: lndiana,) proposed to affirm that fundam
4 tai law. The people Of the Territory |
1 leglsla'ed Tor themselves; and he had Il
seen no necessity for having another Will
" Provlso. lie knew it would make misch
. anu hO'Hlhp elsS ana IL Olu well mgr
= (egted The bill. Hereafter he should give
such vote. He would at any time vote
u organizing these Territories with the Will
~ Proviso extended over them. He had
> posed legislating on The subject but his
~ %jections were defeated and cancelled ;
70 70 South themselves had brought the quest
~ here (; they must now abide its settlem
= by Congress.
nc He would add, he thought, and he had
~ ways thought, his southern friends had d
o. wrong in asking any Legislation of Cong
- to extend slavery. Why, what was the
an tory of our country Since the Governm
was organized, we had obtained Louisa
70 Florida and Texas-all slave Territories
io The last acquisition was the only free &C,
~ sition we had made. Was it right, II
seeing that their acquisitions were as Il
TO one, for the South to COM forward
ask Congress TO extend slavery over this
o' ritoryl He thought not. We had il