Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-12-29
COngreSS---The New Territories.

The House, having a short time previous
ly adopted the following resolution:
Resolved, That the Committee on Terrific
ries be instructed TO report TO this House,
with as little delay as practicable, a bill or
bills providing a territorial government for
each of the Territories of New Mexico and
California, and excluding slavery lherefrom,
RoBlNsoN, of Indiana, on the 18th inst,
moved to reconsider the vote by which it was
adopted.
He said that when he had made the mo-
ton to reconsider the vote by which the
House had adopted the resolution of the gen.
tleman from Ohio lMr. Root it was only
for the purpose of making explanatory re-
marks in relation TO his own views. He
thought that the vote ought to be reconsider
ed, with a view TO allow gentlemen on both
sides to do this. The practice which pre-
vailed here to a considerable extent, of offer
ing resolutions and compelling gentlemen 10
vote upon them, under the pressure of the
previous question, often subjected them to
much misrepresentation and TO many unjust
imputations before their constituents and the
country especially when, as in this case, the
resolution was a compound one, embracing
TWO OlSllUSl DIOpOSltlOho, upOuh NV "Sh
bers differed widely as to which was the ma
ior and which the minor.
The resolution proposed TO instruct the
Committee on the Territories to report a bill
organizing territorial governments in New
Mexico and California, and excluding slave
nv therefrom. There were members on this
floor who considered the question of organi
zinu a territorial government there as OF NOR
importance than anything else whilst there
were others who considered the question q
slavery, as connected with them, as para.
mount to every other consideration. Yet
according to the decision made by the Speak
er. the question was indivisible. The House
must take all or none.
Again there were other gentlemen who
thought it inexpedient to attempt any legis
lation during the present session OF Congress
upon the subject of these territories. For hi
W part, he admitted that he was one OF tn
last class. These territories had been &C
quircd not only since the present Admins
tration came into power, but they had beef
acquired since the present Congress had bee
elected. If, therefore, the question was sci
tied during the present winter, the constl
tuents of gentlemen here would have had NJ
opportunity to act directly upon the questio
through their representatives elected with re
lation to it, or to a President elected after tn
question had been mooted. An effort wa
made to l~egislate upon it during the last Sc:
sion, and it failed. 1t was not unTeasonabI
to suppose that any attempt to legislate upo
it during the present session would terminal
in a similar way.
Since the question, however, had come Il
before the country, a Presidential electio
had been decided. Since an attempt ha
been made here to take action upon the So
ject, this election had taken place and upo
the result of that election, this question,
bove and beyond all others, had a most cor
trolling and all-pervading influence.
1t would not be denied by any one, com
from what section Of the country he nigh
that the question Of slavery, as c%onnecit
with these Territories, absorbed every oIhe
The old domestic question Of bank, larii
distribution, and so forth, sank into insign
fcance beside it, and were rarely ever refe
red to, especially by the opponents OF GeI
eral Cass. The result disclosed the extrao
dinary fact, that the two extremes OF the u
ion, upon this question Of slavery, had MI
and united upon the same Presidential ticke
and, as such, pIofessed to believe that the
would subserve directly antagonistic and a
verse purposes. But however widely Il
friends of General Taylor might have dlfte
ed upon the question OF slavery, The NOR
and The South, the East and the West, a
seemed 10 think that he could settle the que
ton, and had more confidence in him ihi
in.either Of the two other candidates who we
before the country.