Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-06-16

llsnmenl or continuance OF slave markets in this
District and city, if they could satisfy the people
of other sections that this was proper, he would
treat their petitions with respect. He was
willing that each party should be fully heard
and that each should have The privilege Of
spreading their views before the people gene.
rally.
MIR. WISE said: When memorials of the
character of this now asked 10 be printed arc
presented, it is respectful enough 1 should
think to the memorialsts 10 receive them: il
printed, they will be circulated throughout the
country, to fan the flames Of The zealots on one
side, and to serve as food for the disorganizers
on the other. We who would be safe and Sc.
cure in the blessings we now enjoy, will
therefore smother these memorials on their
first presentation. | am willing, Sir, TO treat
all memorials, no matter how extravagant or
preposterous, or of what charac er, with 70.
spect, provided they are from respectable body
of citizens, decorous and not dangerous in their
tendencies. But, Sir, / cannot tolerate, much
less give consequence and eclat to memorials
and petitions which strike at the very founda-
tions Of the social compnt. and our civil insti.
tutions. l will not hear them; l desire not to
see them; and would reject them at once With
what sort of respect, l put it to the gentleman
from the Western part of New York, mir. Fill.
more,) could he treat an incendiary who should
respectfully ask him to permit him to apply a
torch TO his dwelling' Would he regard hlm as
sober minded neighbor or mailman, as fiend
or friend' Sir, was sorry to hear some of the
remarks of the gentleman from New York
He says that the people Of the North are con.
tinually shocked by advertisements of slave
dealers in the papers of this District. am sor-
ry, Sir, that their nerves are so delicate, when
their fathers did more than any other people of
the colonies to establish slavery amongst US.
The gentleman says he will ever respect the
property of the States; but he claims to legis
late away the property Of this District Sir, a
slave is as much property here as in Virginia;
property by the law and the constitution. And
in addition 10 the remark Of the gentleman from
Alabama, (Mr. McKnley,) that you will not
surely take private property without just com
pensaton, and that you cannot compensate
without taking in part Of the taxes Of The
South to pay for slaves, | will repeat the idea
that, although you have exclusive jurisdiction
over this "ten miles square," yett is comm,n
ground, for the good OF the whole, and for the
usei Of the whole people of every State int,e
Union. And | would ask of the gentleman if
TIC eau SoinO uPOu 6iouHu
and horses, why cannot come with my slaves,
to remain here, to live here as long as plea,e'
Sir, l say it not in passion, but calmly and dis
passionately, that Congress has no right to
abolish slavery even here, against the consent Of
the shareholders, who are not represented; and
warn gentlemen that the SOUTH speakfor
all as strongly as one man can speak for many,
for millions the South will fight TO the
hilt against the abolition of slavery in this Dis
lrict, unless the inhabitants owning slaves them.
selves petition for it, as they would against any
interference with the right of slave property in
Virginia.
The gentleman calls this great "naticnal
question" protest, Sir, against its being so
considered. The nation has nothing to do with
slave property. 1t is simply delicate question
of private, individual right, wholly and solely
under the control of the States where slavery
exists 1t is a reserved State right, with
which the General Government has no right Of
interference even, and from intermeddlins with
which the Free States and their inhabitants
should scruPulousy abstain. The pseudo phi
lanthropisls Of the North do but defeat heir
own objects, when they rudely atcmp. to
touch or handle subject which does not imme.
diately concern them; and true Christians and
Philanthropists will always ind their PrineiPo.,
and the cause of humanity, best subserved by
being the friends Of slave holders, instead OF
being the friends of slaves, and by cooperating
with intelligent, humane, enlightened and pa
triotic slave owners of the South, by ways and
means which the lights Of the age have already
shown. IL violence or intrusion upon our
rights be persisted in and pursued, gentsmen
will find Union men and Nullifers Of the South
n IT, -
luton, if the worst must come TO The wort.
| hope, Sir, that this House will not shock
the South more by the printing of this memo
rial than the constituents Of the gentleman from
New Yor! were ever shocked BY slave ADVERTISE
ments; and that it, and all others like it will
now and for all time to come, be smotherel and
suppressed.
NOT SO.
The Wing papers abound in misreprsenta-
tons OF Gov. Cass' opinions. We shall lereat-
Ter notice the most important OF them-int We
cannot longer delay to correct misreproenla-
lion, which the Wing has repeated mou than
once. That paper says positively that Co... Cass
spoke and voted for the Wilmot Proyiso. This
charge is without any evidence that We have
seen and contrary 10 The facts as they appar on
"record." We therefore feel authorized l. state
unhesi,atingly, that Gov. Cass never at AM time'
sustained or voted for The Wilmot Proyisoilself,
or The principles involved. We have examined
The files OF The Union in March, lS47, AM had
designed stating the facts Of the case. Bat The
following article in the Mobile Register presents
the case so strongly and accurately, ht we
adop,it as our own:
"The Wilmo Proviso was first offered st the
first session Of The last Congress in the House
oil Representatives and carried there. Wien II
reached The Senate, il was not taken up unll SO
nearly The end OF the session, That John DAVIS OF
Massachusetts talked in lavor of the Provis' IN
order TO defeat The three million bill, until the
session expired. No vote was taken, and NJ de-
bale had. General Cas- did moi speak at all.
"Tne ncxl session the Provso was moved IN
the Senate originally, as an amendment lt Inc
same bill, by Mr.. Upham, The Wing Senator
from Vermont. AGAINST this motion General Cas-
bott spoke and Uotsd The Proyiso amendment
was deiea'ed-ayes 81, nays 3l-rnajnily
agains. il 10. The 81 nays consisted of Do Sc
majors from Slave holding States. and from nom
slave-holding States viz: Bfigh, and flanagan
oil Indiana, Breese of Illinois, Dickinson OF New
York, and Cas- of Michigan.
Seen. Cass made speech on that occasion,
and therein his opponents have said that he re-
cognized the principle of the proviso while vot.
ing against it, This is not true. The whole
aim Of the speech was 10 establish the position,
tina. the agitation and discussion Of The beet,
pro or con, and, a tortiOri the adoption Ct the
proviso, was on, Of time, out OF pace-n all
respects xpedient, and would he OF Infinite EN-.
barrassmenl in the prosecution OF The war, then
existing lin the acquisition OF lerritory] and IN
the conclusion OF peace.
"In pursuance OF that view, ne did not discuss
the principle or policy of the proviso, as per.
manen, measure. much less intimate GOMEZ;
dence of opinions with its movers. tie Simply
voted 10 reject it, and ii ,oas rejected"
WIG RATIFICATION MEETING IN
WASHINGTON CITY.
On Monday night the Wings of the melrop0.
lis held grand ratification meeting in front OF
the City Hall in Washington. Thousands were
in attendance. Bands OF music, bonfires, and
the big.sun orators OF The party, enlivened The