Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1848-12-27

obtain; each, in the true spirit Of our ins
situations, should concede somethnv /.
the other.
Our gallant forces in the Mexican war.
o,y whose patriotism and unparalleled
deeds Of arms, We obtained these posses.
slons as an indemnify for our Just demands
against Mexico, were composed Of citi.
gems who belonged to no State or section
OF our Union; they were men from slave
holding and non-slaveholding STATES, from
the north and from the south. from the
east and from the west. They were CO..
panions m arms, and fellow citixens 81 10
same common country, engaged In The same
common cause. When prosecuting that
war, they were brethren and friends. and
shared alike with each ether common Tolls.
dangers and sufferings. Now when their
work IS ended--when peace Is restored.
and they return again to their homes-nrt
on the habiliments Of war, take their MA
ces in society and resume their pursuits
IN civil life, surely spirit of harmony and
concession, and Of equal regard for the
rights of all and Of all sections Of the Union.
ought to prevail in providing Governments
for the acquired Charlottesville fruit. Of
their common service. The whole peo-
Pile of the United States, and Of everv
State, contributed TO pay the expenses cf
that war !; and it would not be just for any
one section to exclude another from ali
participation in the acquired territory.
This would not be in accordance with the
just system of Government which the fra
mers of our Constitution adopted.
The question is believed TO be rather
abstract than practical, whether slavery
ever can or would exist in any portion Of
the acquired territory, even if it were left
to the option of the slaveholding States
themselves. From the nature of the cli-
mate and productions Of the country, in
much the larger portion Of it, it is certain
it could never exist; and, in the remainder.
would not.
But, however this may be, the question,
involving as it does, a principle Of equali-
ty OF rights Of the separate and several
States, as equal copartners in the confed-
eracy, should not be, disregarded.
In organizing Governments over their
territories, no duties Imposed on Congress
by the constitution require that they should
ieglslate on the subject of slavery, while
their power to do SO is not only seriously
questioned, but denied, by many of the
soundest expounders of that instrument.
Whether Congress shall legislats or not,
tie people Of the acquired territories, when
assembled in convention, will possess the
whole and exclusive power to determine
whether slavery shall, or shall not, exist
within their limits. II Congress shall alb
stain from interfering in the question, the
people OF these territories will be left free
to adjust it as they may think proper, when
they apply for admission as States into the
Union No enactment of Congress could
restrain the people of any of the sovereign
States Of the Union, old or new, slave
holding or MISUNDERSTANDING from deter
mining the apprehensions which were err
tertained by some of our statesmen in the
earlier period of our government-that our
system was incapable of operating with
sufficient energy and success over largely
extended territorial limits. Those who
maintained that this system was adopted, It
would fall to pieces by its own weakness,
have been disappointed by our experience.
BY the division of power between the
States and the Federal Government. the
latter is found to operate with as much
energy at the extremes as in the centre.
1t is as sufficient in the rcmotest of the
thirty States which now compose the
Union, as it was in the thirteen States
which formed our confederacy. Indeed,
it may be doubted, whether, if our pre-
sent population had been confined within
the limits Of the thirteen original States,
the tendency to concentration would not
have been such as to have encroached up
on the essential reserved rights of the
States and thus make the Federal Govern
ment widely different one, practically,
from what it is in theory, and was intend
ed to be by its trainers. So far from en-
PERTAINING approximations of the safery Of
our system by the extension of our terri
tory, the belief is confidently entertained,
that each new State gives strength and ad-
ditional guarantees for the preservation Of
the Union itself.
LII pursuance vi Ho PioSlS'oHs VI sio
18th Article of the treaty of peace, friend
ship, limits, and settlement with the Re-
public of Mexico, and of the Act Of Ju-
" 29th, 1e4S, claims of our oitizens
which had been already liquidated, and,
decided against the Mexican Republic,
amounting with the interest thereon, 10
two millions twenty-three thousand eight
hundred and thirty-two dollars 6fty-one
cents, have been liquidated and paid
There remains to be paid 81 these claims,
$74,l92 10,
Congress, at its last session, having
made no provision for executing the 18th
Article Of the treaty, by which the United
States assumed to make satisfaction for
The "unliquidat d claims" Of our citizens
against Mexico, an amount exceeding 3d.
100000, the subject is again recommend
ed to your favorable consideration.
The exchange OF ratification in the treas
t. with Mexico, took place on the 30th
of May, lS4s. Within one year after
that time, the Commissioner and Surveyor
which each government stipulated to APP
point, are required to meet sat the port ?t
San Diego and proceed 10, run and pc
A. IL / ,,,.,,l, ID, s., its W hale =~ah