Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1848-09-15
From the Niagara Cataract.
HAS MR.. CASS CHANGED?

MESSRS. EDlTORS.-p that the
Niagara Democrat and few OF its readers
still insist that Mr.. Cass has not changed
his mind in regard to the Wilmot Provso,
| propose, with your permission. TO under
take to prove that Mr.. Cass' mind has I'M
dergone great change" and 10 show
some of the attending circumstances.
/. His position in August, 1916, was an
unqualified Wilmot Proviso man. We
have the undsputed word of Mr.. Rathbun,
when a member of Congress from this
state, that Mr.. Cass was, at this time, a
vehement, unqualified, Wilmot Provso
man.
The following is an extract from his
speech in the Utica Convention on that
point:
Il know very we'll the views and feel
ings of the Senator, (Mr. Cass) in the
month of August, 1916. learned them
from his own lips. On the day that Con-
gress adjourned, when Senator Davis spoke
up TO the hour of ad journn.ent on the Will
mot Provso, and thus prevented action
thereon, | met Mr.. Cass al the railroad de-
pot in Washington, and rode near him, and
ly and with good deal of energy about the
Wilmot Proviso. He said that every nor
thern Democratic Senator had agreed tc
vote for il, and but for Mr.. Davis speech
would have voted for it. lie said repeat
etly, that he regretted very much that he
could not have recorded his vote for it be-
fore the adjournment"
,l,, al hnol olc ho
conclusive evidence on this point, in the re-
marks of Senator Miller in the presence of
Mr.. Cass.
2. Change commenced, March, 1S47.
The Wilmot Proviso being before the Sc
nate, Mr.. Cass made Il speech, the sub
stance of which was,-thdt the UiinOt
ProUiso acaS then inerpedient, as IL WOuld
embarass the acar Till TO ashich ii ards at
tached, and it arouid be more proper achen
we acquired the territory to achich ii acas
TO apply. Senator Miller perceiving that
Mr.. Cass was changing" his position on
This important measure, instantly replied rs
follows;
His only object in rsng,was to express
his surprise and regret, in which he bellev-
ed the country would partake, at the opIn-
ions and views which had just been advan-
ced by the Senator from Michigan. At
the last session, when bill, similar to the
one under consideration was before the Sc
nate, it was generally understood here that
the Senator was in favor of retaining in that
bill the Wilmot Proviso. 1t is true that for
want of time the Senator had not an oppor-
tunity to give his vote, yet his opinions
were undisguised, and he openly avowed
his anxiety to vote for the Provlso. The
position of the Senator on this great
question was not only understood here, but
his friends throughout the North held him
up as one of the great champions of human
liberty--as the uncompromlslng opponent
10 slavery extension. " But, SIR,
the Senator has disappointed MS all. He
neither agrees with his own Democratic le-
gislature nor with himself"
Mr.. Miller closed by saying, we wait the
reply of the Senator from Michigan"
But Mr.. Cass made no reply. His ST.
lence was virtual acknowledgment that
what Senator Miller said was true. He
had indeed changed; though still in chry-
sails state. The warm southern breeze
soon matched The egg, and made
The Change complete, Dec. l847.
In letter to Mr.. Nicholson of Tennes>
see, at this date, Mr.. Cass says:
The WiImot Proviso has been before
the country some time. | am strongly i'm.
pressed with the opinion that q great change
has been going on IN the public mint up
on This Subject-IN MY OWN AS WELL AS
OTHERS; and that doubts are resolving
themselves into convictions that the prnci-
pies it involves, should be kept out of the
national Legislature, and left TO the people
of the confederacy in their respective local
governments"
am aware that the Niagara Democrat
claims that the last part of the above quotas
ton qualities or nullfies the first part, that
ii does not, taken togsther,amount to con
fcssion of change. But will do their
common sense the justice TO believe that
their blindness in this case is assumed; but
the difficulty of their position and their own
change on the same point is poor excuse
for 80 weak prevarcatiOn.
Mr.. Cass does indeed insinuate Though
not ASSERT that this change was from a
doubt to a conricfiOn yet he characters
es 1t himseIfas great change, and we
leave him at issue with the Niagara Demo-
crat, which loudly asserts, he has not
changed at all. When man rides back
wards, he may persuade himself that
he and his car are at rest, and that
it is the waving gain on the right and
left that is running the race so the Demo
crat, having seated itself on the shoulders of
Mr.. Cass at the beginning, with their back
to the future, and struggling TO hold on;
going with him through all his gyrations,
antics, and somersets, now open their eyes,
and finding themselves and their former
friends separated, shout Justify, Hhat makes
you bolt ? think the following positions
are now established.
/. In August, 1916, Mr.. Cass was an
unqualified Wilmot Proviso man.
.. In March, ls47, he had so far chang
ed his position as to think ii inexpedient.
g. In December, lS47, his change was
complete, being now unqualiiedly opposed
TO the Wilmot Proviso, and thought Con-
gress did not possess the power to pass 1t.
Mr.. Cass eoniesses, (what indeed could
not be successfully denied that his mind