The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-01-24
INTELLIGENCE BY Tpg MARS

WAsuIyeToN, Jan. n 1914

The Merit Presidency-Ine Slavery Question
There IS great diversity Of opinion whether
or not General Taylor will, after all, be the can.
dldate of the wings. There is no certainty
about it, nor any thing even approaching to Ger.
talnty. The future is all overcast with doubt
S'Sneral Taylors friends believe him to be ia IA
vor OF putting an immediate stop to the war, and
VIII doubtless run him on that policy; but he
will scarcely go as far as Mr. Clay. Willis, the
democratic party are hesitating az to the policy
| 10 be sustained on the slavery question the Tsy
lor men are determined to adopt that policy
winch must preyah eventually that is, the ex
tension OF the Missouri. eomurcmise line Tho
tact is, the southern States hsv. had On ,r.nv
bids tor their most SWEEP voices from northsrn
candidates, that II Is absolutely ilnnossible for
1 me, 10 determine TO whon to yetheir support.
They were abundantly CO ont with the Nj
sour compromise line, ~ III Mr. Dallas made .
much larger offer In his Pittsburgh speech RI,
Mr.. Cass was determined not to be outdone hv
Mr. Dallas IN generosity to the south and as #
TO make the amplest reparation for his former
support of the Wllmot proviso he declares for
giving the south not only all it requires. bur
what 1t never dreamed of ask ing The simple
explanation OF this, OF course is that Mr. G. go
reads the constitution by clearer light than he
did year ago. May it not be, however, with
him as 1t was with Prince Ahmed in the fairy
tale, that he has shot his arrow 30 far out
OF view, that the judges, not being able TO fndit
may award the prize to some one OF ms COM
pettors
But the south, Notwithstanding the very bril-
llaut oilers OF Mr.; Dallas and Mr.. Cass, is still
content to extend the line of the Missouri com
promise to all territory We may hereafter acquire
10 this the north must come; nor Will it require
much persuasion. Already some of the most
influential advocates OF the provso doctrine do
clare that they will not any longer oppose the
Missouri compromise line, and will acquiesce in
it if adopted. They now see the utter iuthty of
pressing upon the country the adoption OF the ex-
tra,,, xr,nxnr, aE fhn
content ii the whole south would agree to de-
clare, by some vote or resolution, that slavery
does not now exist in Mexico. and that it can
never exist there except by act of Congress, or
by the express will of the people of such portions
OF Mexican territory as may hereafter be admit
ted into the Union AS sovereign States (TRrs
is no question on any side OF the right of the
people of any State admitted into the Union on
equal terms with the others, to choose their own
institutions, provided such institutions be not
adverse to the spirit OF the ConstItution) II
these two propositions were admitted, the north
would be willing to let this question of slavery
remain open. But 1t Is vain to expect the south
to subscribe to either OF these positions. Some
southern men regard slavery as already existing
in Mexico, under the laws of that republic, (ai-
though the contrary is demonstrated) others
that it can exist in Mexican territory by the sx-
tension over it of the Constitution OF the United
States This is Mr.. Calhoun's view. In a former
letter on this subject did not state his argument
with sufficient ceaIness. This ia his main DO
sition; he regards the United States so many
States united under a constitution which forms
their bond of union. Territory acquired by the
United States belongs to no Individual State or
section, but to all the States collectively What
ever is property, then, IN any one State, must be
property in territory acquired by the United
States. Take California AS an example. In that
territory after its acquisition, Mr.. Calhoun con-
tend, South Carolina ought to enjoy equal
rights with Massachusetts; what Is held az
property in South Carolina, should be held az
property in California, Just as much as should
that which is held as property IN Massachusetts;
as each State should be on political equality in
territory to which each has as strong claim as
the other. This equality would be destroyed by
admitting, into California, everything which is
property IN Massachusetts, and excluding from
il anything which 10 property III South Carroll
This argument is unanswerable, and the
north must have recourse to precedent to show,
that this view'has not prevailed IN the settle
ment of the question in the past history of the
government ~
Should It be left open It will be one for Judi
cial decision, not for Legislative action. As soon
rs slaves shall be brought into California, writ
of habeas corpus will be employed to set them
free. The question Will then be carried up from
the petty courts of the territory, to the Supreme
Court of the United States, and be there adjudl-
Gated.
Should the candidate of the democratic party
not be able to unite the democracy OF New York
on this question, there is not the smallest posi-
blity of his success. Should General Taylor
declare in favor OF the compromise, and the de-
mocratic candidate be against it, there is no
New York AS the States are now balanced, the
democra cannot do without New York, and no
man who enterans extreme views on either
side OF the slavery question, can be acceptable 10
the body of the democracy oil that State
General Taylor cannot well spare the strength
that Mr.. Clay is taking from him day by day.
Should the latter desire the whig nomination, he
will receive it; but he will scarcely venture to
be candidate, if the chances be strongly against
his success.
On the whole, it is impossible to predict who
will receive the wing or the democratic nomina-
tion. Mr.. Cass's nomination by the Ohio and
Indiana conventions, are no indication OF his
success in the national convention. Ohio is the
strongest wing State in the Union, and is of lit
tie account III computing the democratic strength.
ladiana IS stronger Cass State than Michigan
Great efforts are being made by the friends OF
Mr.. Cass, to secure Illinois, and there is little
doubt they will succeed MIR. Cass expected
Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Indiana, Hi
nois, Ohio and Michigan. Tennessee is not
pledged, NJ isslssippi will scarcely vote for him,
Arkansas will not, Michigan viii, for obvious
H., ,t.,l