Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1848-08-23
Messa;g:;,er. ;:;,r. of the President.

Message addressed ny ffesiuent Ok
the House of Representatives on Monday
morning, on siguine the Oregon TerrIloria
Bill. The Message, i, will he recollected
was no, read in either liouse.
WASHINGTON. Aug. Ia.
To The House Of Representatives,
ofthe United STATES:
tWben the President has given his offlcIa
sanction 10 bill which has passed Con
gress, usage requires rha, he ehal notify
the House IN which it originated OF 'ha'
fact. The mode Of giving this notification
has been by an oral message, delivered py
his private Secretary.
Having This day approved and signed
an act entitled "An act 10 establish the
Territorial government of Oregon"
deem it proper, under The existing cIrcum.
stances, to communicate the fact in more
solemn form. The deepl y Interesting and
pro,racted discussions which have taken
place in both houses Of Congress, and The
absorbing interes, which the subject h S
excited throughout the country. justify, in
nv judgment, this departure from the
form Of notice observed i'll other cases. In
this communication with CO ordinate
branch ofthe Government, made proper
BY the consideration referred to. ! shall
frankly aud without reserve express the
reasons which have constrained Inc not 10
withhold my signature from The bill to es-
tabisb government over Oregon, even
though The Two territories Of New Mexico
and California are 10 be left f"r The pre-.
sent without governments. | have made
repeated recommendations TO Congress
TO This effect. The petitions OF the
people of tha, distant region have been
presented 10 the Government, aud ought
no, 10 be disregarjed. To give 10 them
regularly organized government and the
protection Of our laws, which as citizens
of the United States they claim. is high
duty on our part, ard one which we are
bound to perform unless there be controls
ling reasons 10 brevent it.
In the progress Of all governments. ques.
tious ofsuch transcendan, importance oc.
casionally arise as 10 cas-, in The shade all
those OF a mere party character. But Que
such question can now be asila,ed in this
country; and this may en'langer our slo-
rious Union, the source Of our greatness
and all our political blessings. This ques-
tion is sslavery. With The slaveholding
States this does not embrace merely tie
rights of holding property, however vslua-
Bile, but it ascends far higher, and involves
the peace and security Of evety family.
The {faihers of tho lcons!ilution--lhe
wise end patriotic lnen who laid the foun-
da;ions of our MISUNDERSTANDING the
danger from this quarter. ac'ed in q spirit
of compromise and mutual concession on
this dangerous and delicate subject, and
their.wisdom ought 10. be the guide Of their
successors.,,aW Whilst they left to the. States
exclusively the question of domestic slav-
cry within their respective limits, they
provided that slaves who might escape in>
20 other States no, recognizing tho insti
ruIion Of slavery, shall "bc delivered up
on the claim Of The party 10 whom suca
ssrsice oflabo.; may he due"
III December, BIZ. application was
made to Congress by the. people ofSdbe
Territory for admission into the Union as
a Stale. The discussion upon the subjec,
to Congress involved the question of slav-
cry. and was prosecuted with such viu-
lent excitement alarming to every pa'ri-
OF iu The Union. But the good genius of
Cancellation which presided a, The birth Of
our Institutions finally prevailed, and The
Missouri compromise was adopted. The
eighth section of The act of Congress Of .he
Goth March, 1920, "to authorize the peo
pie Of the Missouri Territory to form a
constitution and State Government" &c.
provides, II .s''
THAT, in all that territory ceded by
France 10 the United States, under the
name Of Louisiana, which lies north Of
thirty six degrees and thirty minutes north
latitude, pot including within the limits OF
the State contemplated by This act, slaves
ry sud involuntary servilude, Otherwise
than in punishment Of crimes, whereof the
parties shall have beeu duly convicted,
shall be aud is hereby duly Convicted
provided always, that any person escaping
into rhe same from whom labor or service
is lawfully claimed in any State or Ter
ritoly of the United States, such fugitive
may Le lawfully reclaimed aud conveyed
TO ice person claiming his or her labor or
service as aforesaid"
The compromise had the effec, q! calm
ing the troubled waves anil restoring good
will and peace throughout the States CT
the Union.
The Missouri question had excited iu-
tense agitation OF the public mind. and
threatened 10 divide the country into ge-
ographical parties, alternating .the feelings
of attachment which each portion of our
Union should bear to every other. The
compromise alayed the excitement, tran
quilted the popular mind, and restored
confidence aud lralernal feelings. It's au.
lhors has hccn hailed as public bcuelactnrs.
/ do not doubt that similar adi diustInenl
of,he questions which now agiate the
public mind would produce the same hap
pv results. If the legislation of Congress
on the subject Of the other territories shall
not be adopted 10 spirit Of concilialion
and compromise, it is impossible that the
country can be, satisfied, or that the most
disasierous consequences shall fail to en-
sue.
When Texas was admitted into the Union
the same spirit of compromise which gui.