The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1848-08-02

lais irrsly with Mssiea; 10 MI, New
Menir0 and califon,ia. The people b
The Nonh very generally assert the poueI
nf Congress under The constitution 10 sp
! ply 10 those territories The ordinance 81
1857, nov commonly called The WilmnI
prosiso.l applied 10 The territory northwest
of The Ohm. In vii: ..Thhi ihrIe shall be
neither slavery nor involuntary seIrilude
in either Of The said Territories. for STATES,
when they shall heroine snrh., otherwise
than in punishment Of crime. whereof lie
pariyshall have been convicted"
The Sonif. on lie contrary. very gen.
orally assert filsi Congress has no power
10 leglslaie touching the Territories. The
common property Of 81 The people OF all
The STAIR, in such manner y IN exrlude
citizens ohfilieen states or the Union
The slavehnlding siaies-from emigraiing
10 lhese Territories with their slave pro-
perry. The South. il is believed. il not
unanimous m The denial-of The power II
Congress. but approximate nnanimily 10
the assertion thai such legislation. against
the viii and wiIhau. The assent Of the
South, would be hagranlly unjust or emf
nen,ly intxpedienl: fnr. say they, terrific
~ acquired hy a common sacrifice Of
blood and treasure. and held IS The pro-
perry Of al, should nni be so governed Us
10 exclude The citizens of one half the
states Of The Union, unless ilIey sacrifice
their property in their slaves. -.m...
This. then, j. the real issue. No one
afiirms The proposition Thai Congress can
interfere il any way with slavery in ihoss
states where il now exists; nor do any
dispute The power of sovereign stale TO
introduce and establish slavery within her
limits, If il be her sovereign win and plea
sure 10 do 50. I he real question is there
fore confined TO the Territories. The
question IecuTs. what are Gen. Cass's
views on this subject! As far as have
been able 10 trace the history Of his opin.
ions, find that some two years ago he
was openly, avowedly, and zealously a
Wilmct proyiso man. His declarations
were strong aud unreserved in this cham
Der. not in speeches, but in conversations
publicly held with gentlemen of MI shades
&c party politics. The declarations of the
Senator from New Jersey, (Mr. Miller,)
made Ibis day. are full and conclusive TO
that point. They are hut the repetition
nf declarations made in the presence OF
General Cass on former occasion in this
and in public debate. empha,i-
cally invoking his attention, and meeting
neither denial, explanation. nor apology.
That they are accurately stated is strong.
" confirmed by The admission of General
Cass. in his 4" Nicholson letter" ihal "he
was strongly impressed with the opinion
thai grea, change had been going OH in
the public mind upon this subject, in his
own as well as others"
The next historical trace that find is
in Gen. Cass's vote upon the three mil
lion bill in The winter Of 1917. lie voted
against the proriso; and find tina, his bi.
ographer, in "a sketch Of his life and pub
lie services" printed in June, 1878, treats
the subject so as TO leave room for fair
inference that he voted against it, not be-
cause he was opposed to the principle, but
because il was out Of place in that bull.
The biographer SAYS:
"The Wilmot proviso was introduced into the
Senate as an amendment to the three million bill
by a Federal Senator from New England. The
l. a. nf,a
bill to which it was TO be attached and to emhar-
rass the administration in Misrepresentation Of the
war. Gen. Cass voted against the proviso for
reasons given in his speech on the occasion"
Ihave not found any published speech
on that occasion. He. however. had evil
,lenlly somewhat cooled down his fiery
zeal. if he had not TO some extent ,nodi.
fled his earlier opinion. The next and Fl. |
nal trace of Gen. Cass's views is 10 be
found in the " Nicholson letter" and what
is that! a ..ao~ $780,
LIST. That Congress cannot touch the
subject Of slavery in the states. Messrs.
Giddngs, Hale, and all agree with him in
that. -=" F.s
I'd. In respect 10 The lerritorles, Tic
says: ,f. ..-..-..-
Briefly, then, am opposed to the exercise of
jurisdiction by Congress over this matter, and II
am in favor of leaving to the people of any terri
tory which may be hereafter acquired the right
to regulate it for themselves, under the general
principles of the constitution; because do not
see in the constitution any grant of the requisite
power to Congress" ..s. .... -
Upon a hasty or careless reading Of
the foregoing. General Cass would seem
to stand side by side with Southern men
and 10 have adopted the prevailing opin-
ion of the South. But il is not so. It's
manifest evasion; and why! Because.
under our system and unvarying practice.
territorial council or legislature eau be
created only by act Of Congress in the
form Of an organic law. The territorial
government can do nothing unless by the
assent of Congress previously or subse-
quen,lv given. Yet Gen. Cass is Sin "a.
vor If leaving to the people Of any terri
tory" This great question. He cannot
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