The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1848-08-04
ltaIIbMM OmCass.

o"SreoJ J'VW SpePCh Of me lion. Gc0.
Rathbun. Deiiuerpa at Tie Democratic
ConCentiOn, held at Utica ". Y, on
tie I'M february, lS4s.
Mr. President, the venerable Senator
from Michigan, once an ardent advocate
of the Jefersonian Ordinance of 1857,
has discovered some new light, and un-
derstaDd has written a letter TO Teunes-
see in which be avOws himself the adyo-
cate of Slavery extension. This is a sud
den aad radical change in The views Of
that distinguishedSenaloro on tbatquesion
and | propose to inquire briefly into the
reasons Of that change. Mr.. President
know very well the views and feelings
otthat Senator in the month of August.
1916. learned them from his own lips
On the day that Congress adjourned, and
at the time that Senator Davis, Of Massa-
chuseils. spoke, up to the adjournment
of the Senate. Of the Wilmot Proyiso,
met the Senator at the railroad depot in
Washington, and rode near 10 him, and
conversed freely with him between that
place and Baltimore. The Senator ap-
peared somewhat excited, spoke freely
and with good deal of energy upon the
subject Of The Proviso. He stated Ia me
that every northern democratic Senator
had agree to vote for it. and but for Mr.
Davis speech he would have voted for it.
He said repeatedly that he regretted very
hal hac 10, L l L..
vote for it, before the adjournment. |
expressed as much regret as he did, but
not precisely for the same reason. de,
sired the recOrd-he the popular ap.
plause. He said he never regretted any
thing more than the failure 10 record The
votes Of Senators. Indeed, sir, this was
the pricipal topic of conversation to Bal
timore. This. Mr.. President. continued
to be his language all the way to Michi-
gan, as | understand When we met
again at the Capital, thought discov-
cred some symptoms Of that change in
the Senator's views, on the subject Of the
subject of the Proyiso, which lie has
since, by his vote and letter. so clearly
demonstrated. Mr. Brinkerhof. of Ohio
one of the abIest and frmest of the sup
porters ofthe Prnviso, an honest and SIN
cere Democrat, know was warm
friend ofthe Michigan Senator, and pre-
ferred him TO all others as the candidate
for the Presidency in 1913. mentioned
to him my suspicious. told him the
Senator was in the chrysuIs state, and
that in my opinion he was preparing to
desert, 10 turn traitor to the North, to
freedom, aud TO become II soldier under
the black banner of ofaggressive slavery
Mr.. Blinkerhoff denied, disbelieved and
thought ! was doing injustice to the Sena
ator, invited me to 90 with him and cal
on the Senator, and would satisfy ME
was mistaken. | expressed my willing.
ness to go with him at any time, aud as
sured him ofthe great pleasure it wonld
afford me to fnd myself mistaken on this
point:
Mr.. President, at the suggestion of Mr.
B. we proceeded at once to the room o
the Senator. We found him somewha
bustIing and busy in his preparation tC
90 out. Mr.. b. led off in snme casua
remarks about the Proviso and its pros
pects-ihe hustle increased little. Th'
Senator "lhought it premature-bette
give it the go,by this session-nothing tc
be gained by pressing it now-suficien
for the day is the evil thereof" | was
anxious to bring the thing to some point
and for that purpose remarked to the
Senator that there were important rea
sons for pressing that question to vote ii
both branches, which probably had no
occurred 10 him, and they were these
That the South had usually carried thei
points against the North upon all ques
tions; that when necessary they had al
ways found dishonest men enough in bot
Houses of Congress, who would sell ou
and enable them to succeed; that thu
same state of things still existed-iha
there were men enough in the market Il
defea; the Proviso, aud that ii would bt
defeated; that we should be betrayed a
we always had been, but that the defea
would be Notwithstanding would b.
settled by 1.-THE question would re
main open, and the people who had dis
honest representatives there, whose ght
we're to be bartered and betrayed, woulc
have time to get rid of the traitors, ant
send honest men in their places, before
the final settlement of the question, ant
thus we we're to be saved. The Senate
replied, 20! if it comes to the vote, All
with you, you know" "Of course yo'
are, was the reply, and thus we separa
ted. This conversation was some thre'
weeks previous to the vote taken On thu
Pruviso.
But, Mr.. President, this is not all | hav,
to say of the Senator from Michigan, au'
his marvellous change. About two week
previous to the vote which was taken o
the Proviso i met inthe streets ofWashine
ton a gentleman of distinction from ou
Of the slave States, now senator in Con
gress, who inquired of me what | though
of General Cassl My reply was, yer,
little. "Will he do as he agrecs!" he
asked. l answered him. that that dc
pended, in my opinion, altogether upo'
the consideration. "WelI,' said he, 81
he should promise to vote against the
Proviso, upon the ground that The South
are to support him for the Presidency
do Won believe he would do sol" | tolt
him there was no doubt about il; upor
that consideration he was assure as death
and thought he might, if he wished