The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-08-03

!heir views of HE subjeet and Mr.. Atherton of New
President was selected TO offer the resolutions containing
them Those resolutions are in the following words
. hesofced, That this government s government OF
limited powers and that, by the constitution of the United
States Congress has jurisdiction wha'eve the sub
2 Resoued That petitions for the abolition Of slavery in
the District of Columbia and The Territories of the United
Saf and against the removal of slaves from State
anoher are part OF plan OF operations set foot 10 at
feet the institution of slavery in The several States and thus
Indirectly destroy that Institution within their limits
- Rtsnred That Congress has no ght TO do that ind
recy, which IL cannot do directly and that the agitation
Of the subject OF slavery in the District OF Columbia, the
Territories as means and with the view OF disturbing or
overthrowng that institution in the several States against
The true spirit and meaning OF the constitution an infringe
met OF the rights oil the States Affected and breach OF
the public faith upon which they entered into the conede
"a Resofred, That the constitution rests on the broad
principles of equality among the members OF this confed-
ecy and that Congress, in the exercise OF its ackuowl
edged powers has right 10 discriminate between the
institutions Of portion of the States and another with
view OF ebolishng the one and promoting the other
IS Rssotred, herefor That all attempts on The part of
Congress to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia
me IerytTies 10 prohibit the removal of slaves from
State State to discriminate between the institutions OF
one portion Of The conledeacy and another, with the views
aore said violation of the constitution, destructive of
The fundamental principle on which the Union of these
States and beyond the jurisdiction of Congress- and
that every pettio, memorial resolution proportion,
paper touching relating in way to any extent
whatever 10 slavery as aforesaid or the abolition thereof
shall the presentation thereof without any further
ton be laid upon the table, without being debated
printed, or referred"
That these resolutions received the appreciation and
sanction OF Mr. Van Buren, and his particular friends,
Guiding Mr. Wright, is well known to the country
Among the recorded in favor of their passage
those OF c. c. Cambreleng, Gouverneur kemble. Ar
phaXad LOOMS, and others
Ii during the winter that series OF resou-
tons similar to the Atherton resolutions passed by
the Senate of the United States, and the names OF Sas
Wright and John M. Niles may be found recorded in
their favor
On the l2th day of June, in this same memorable year
1885, the principle OF interference again recog
nISo md raH h,rM MIR Non Rnra to hIC
language, lii a solemn FORM by giving the Executive APP
pro required by the constitution to the bill for the
ganlzaiion of the Territorial government of lowa;
which, as have already shown, contained no provision
or 'prohlbltion'' in regard to slavery.
Again, at the convention which nominated Mr.. Van
Buren, Tor election IN 1910, platform Tor the demo-
cratic party this vexed and disturbing question
carefully prepared by Mr. Wright, under his direction
and was unanimously adopted by that convention.
As the democratic party has continued to adhere to the
same opinions down TO the present moment, readopting
the same platform at the convention which nominated
Mr. Polk and again adopting it at the late national
vention which ominated Cass and Butler will take
the liberty 10 read H. IL is contained in the 18th subdvi
sion OF the % resolution, and reads as follows:
~. That Congress has power under the constitution
interfere with control the domestic institutions of the
several States and that such States the sole and proper
Judges of everything appertaDing TO their AFFAIRS
prohibited by the constitutions that all efforts of the abo
onsis others made induce Congress to interfere with
questions OF slavery TO take ncpent steps in relation
thsreto, calculated lead the alarming and
dangerous consequences that all such efforts have
inevitable tendency 10 diminish the happiness OF the peo
pie, and endanger the stability and permaency of the
Union, and ought be countenanced by any friend
our political institutions.
In the winter OF 1s4l, resolution in precisely the
language adopted by the House of Representa-
names recorded in the affirmative find John p. Hale
Preston King, George Rathbun, Joseph H. Anderson
Charles s. Benton, Lemue Stetson, Horace Wheaton,
and others. blouse Journal PIP 479, 4So) These gen.
temen, then, upon their oahs of office, declared that
all attempts 10 induce Congress to interfere with ques
tons OF slavery or to take ncpient steps in relation
loohf f.ln
dangerous consequences and that all such efforts have
inevitable tendency to diminish the happiness of the
people, and endanger the stability and permanency of
the Union, and ought not TO be countenanced by any
friend OF our political institutions"
Again during the same session, but before the meeting
OF the h Baltimore convention h N May ISL will be
ence separated them from the democratic party be-
cause it refused TO adopt the Wmot proviso the
OF ITS faith and an lnsepaable article OF its
creed, themselves voted 10 lay upon the table, without
reference, petition couche1 in respectful Ian
guage coming from citizens of New York. praying Con-
gress to ertend the ordinance of 1857 our fritory
lying tce Of the Mississippi, rperin effect asking Con-
gress to erfeHd by iaU oper that territory this same Va
mot Prou'so,
Laying petitions upon the table without reference is
the most emphatic not to say contemptuous, mode of
pudiating and rejecting the prayer OF the petitioners
known in parliamentary proceedings.
II was LAID upon the table by vote OF lis ayes TO 81
Among the recorded in favor Of laying the petit
ton on the table, find John P Hale, Preston King,
tIeOTge hdt1Dun, CnareS ,. BenlOn Joseph III. Ander
son, Lemue Stetson, and others blouse Journal, PIP
@l, 3i2)
Such, sir was the position of Mr.. Van Buren, and his
friends par eIcee5lce, until the spring of 1874 Did
democrat, however humble falter in sustaining these
views TO the most extreme point, he was at once de-
nounced, by these now protested "ee so patriots,
faltering in the support OF democratic doctrines well
remember the cry raised by these free so preenlers
who then now, surrounded and formed the body guard
of Mr. Van Buren,, against the Hon. Samuel Beardsley,
of New York, because, when member OF this House,
be resisted and voted against the adoption Of the twenty
first rule, which prohibited the reception OF abolition pc
ttons-Mr B. contending that the best mode to quiet all
excitement TO receive the petitions and report strong
" against them And for this he assaed in the
bitteres terms OF lnvectve, by those who make
slavery agitation the stone OF their faith Down
the assembling of the Baltimore convention in 1914,
'no exact than they in the observance of
the compromises of the constitution Abolition petl-
TONS abolition movements, abolition agitations, and
all the varied forms of combination, affinity, and al
lance between aboliionism and the wings federal
its secuted, condemned denounced, voted against
and defeated in every aspect IN which they presented
themselves The invaders of the constitutional rights
of the south the objects of marked and high toned
less than to embo1y with mad ncendiarism, sectional
and geographical divisions; to ALLEVIATE one portion OF
the States from the other upon ground declared against
by the Father of his Country; and, finally to rend the
Union asunder."
With the results of the Baltimore convention of 1884,
however, ga change DER the spirit OF their dream
Being disappointed in their candidate, their resentments
have proved stronger than their principles.
Had Mr.. Van Buren, been nominated and elected IN
a. does any one believe he would have listened for
moment 10 proposition incorporating the Wmot Provl-
so upon the democratic creed or that the free soil
Of regarded beyond the agitation OF the fanaic He
would have spurned with Indignation assault upon