The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-12-09

I
| We seize the opportunity of laying the following COM
municaton before readers during the present week
We wish TO clear the decks far possible for
columns after this week will probably be appropriated
principally to the proceedings of Congress.
These views are presented with much force and in
genuiy by an able and distinguished member of Con
gress; but confess they have not changed the
victions which had previously and deliberately form
ed upon this subject We wish the new territories which
have acquired be organized into regular
by act of Congress We wish to see country freed
from the excitement that threatens disturb it, long
the agatng question which is involved the discus
sion hangs public councils To obtain such
blessing, we would freely dssmbarrass General Taylor
and his friends from all the responsibility, and the trou
Bile, and The distraction which is calculated produce
But why expatiate this theme' The question is in
the hands of his friends in Congress. They have the
power in the House of Representatives. They may
settle it during the present session, they may pro-
craslnae 1t. Wherever the power is there, too, is
the responsibility. Will they postpone it. when they
see the consequences of delay! The author of the
following communication has strongly and justly depict.
ed the extraordinary which they pursued during the
campaign, and the various phases which they exhibited
in different sections of the Union They cannot post
pone the adjustment of this exciting controversy,
without throwing heavy responsibility upon the
next administration. No sagacious observer see
what passing this moment in South Carolina, North
Carolina, and Virginia, without seeing that delay
only increase the difficulty of its adjustment
THE EDITOR THE UNION.
The organisation of Territorial governments in New
MeIco and California.
SIR: have recently read several articles in your paper
upon the subject of the immediate organization Of civil
governments in the newy acquired territories: Without
attempting designing to conrovert any of the views
expressed by you this subject, will merely state
briefly possible why il is to my mind neither practicable
expedent at this time to attempt an extension OF our
laws those territories, settlement OF the e. eat
and exciting question slavery growing out OF it, The
first thing in connexion with this subject which would
naturally suggest itself to ones mind is that new admin
straton shortly coming into power the head OF which
has been chosen expressly with reference to his
views bearing upon that question than any other His
declaration that the will of Congress upon all domestic
questions ought TO govern has been the theme of uni
versal appreciation by hs friends IN the North, as fur
nshng platform upon which this veyed question could
be settled and to which republican ought TO object
His residence in the South his identity of interest with
that portion Of the Unionhis being the owner OF large
plantation of negroes and southern man by birth, were
the evidences trumphanty introduced in the savehod
ing States to prove the soundness of his views upon all
questions touching the institution OF slavery and the
guarantee of safety to the South in condng to his hands
their delicate and peculiar interests. This difficult ques
ton therefore, 10 have been fully anticipated and
amply provided for by the friends OF General Taylor in
every section of the Union in the canvass which result
ed in his election If when they shall come together
and compare notes. sha turn out that they nave shaped
the opinions OF their candidate to suit particular localities
it will be result from the consequences OF which they
must themselves find remedy.
| 1t is part of my purpose to point out one. II
there other reason, then, for the postpone
men of this question, due respect i seems to me, to
the incoming administration would dictate the propri-
ETY. of leaving to them clear field and ample oppor
tunty to put forever to rest as they have protested to
h b s e as d" ss VIII hsS
have assumed the responsibility oil settling 1t let them
have it, There is another reason for the posponement
of this question. The organization il completed during
the ensuing session of Congress- would be by the selection
of democrats to fill the various offices there Mr. Polk
would not be likely to appoint whiss and If he should
their selection by him weuld render them as obnoxious
to their party as even democrats would be- This would
impose upon President Tay or the necessity OF applying
TO them the rod of prescriptions and upon the government
the expense Of their recall and the substitution OF others
in their place. the continuation OF democrats IN the
Territorial Offices during General Taylors term, which
am quite sure will not be submitted to BY the hungry ex
But there is somewhat different view of this matter
which has pressed itself upon my mind II cannot be
denied that the supporters OF General layorl mean
that portion of them who compose the late whs party
did ecfupe TO abandon all principle IN the late con-
est but they have also resoed to the most baTeaced
deception and Misrepresentation of the views and opn-
ions of their candidate for the sole purpose OF obtaining
power without any definite idea how they TO use it.
or what was to be the fate OF the country III their
hands They have catered to the fanaticisn of the South
as well the North The ultra STAKEHOLDER and the ia.
nacal opponent OF slavery in every shape have voted
the ticket: not upon grounds OF concession and
compromise, but for directly opposite reasons the one
to protect slavery and the other to PROSTATE the democ
racy for the alleged that they were too friendly to
that institution. The Quaker and the Alabama cotton
planter on the same day. voted for the same man the
one to protect, the other to cripple slavery.
Louisiana and Massachusetts have joined hands. One
urged that safety the South demanded the election OF
Gen Taylor; while the other with equal vehemence, de-
cared that protection to the North from the encroach-
ments of the slave power imperously required the same
result very great fraud has unquestonaby been per-
petrated by the friends of Gen. Taylor either in the
section of the Union or the other Somebody has been
cheated and COSBY deceived great moral as well as
political crime has been committed Now the question Is
in moral as well as political sense, it not the duty
of every good citizen TO aid in bringing to light those
frauds and in consgnng to appropriate punishment their
guilty perpetrators For my own part should feel al
most justabe in aiding the acqultal OF criminal by
preventing the attendance of witness whose testimony
would convict him Of crime as should in stepping Tor
ward settle the slave question in the Territories
and thus release the party Just coming into from the
odum of their position, and the just condemnation which
awaits them at the hands OF those they have deceived
To release them from the responsibility OF the position they
voluntarily assumed, would be to acqnt them OF the crime
for which they already stand indicted before the enlght
ened tribunal of public opinion and thus allow asehood to
20 unrehuked and crime unpunlshed: Parties, as well
individuals should be held 10 rigid accountability tor
political well moral delinquences. A blow is IN
fcted upon the body polite by the acqual, matter
by what effected of every guilty offender against
the law. Those whose offences against the morals
or the virtue OF the community IN which they hve though
not provided for by statutory law meet with etecua
and saluary condemnation and punishment, as though
the law had laid its heavy hand upon them AS the one
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