Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-08-05

| Mr. KAUFMAN lwho had been temporarily absent ror
the hall when ausion made the vote OF Texas bu
had since returned) said
voted for the restriction Of slavery in Oregon because
Of Oregon lies north If 36A deg, north latitude, what
commonly known the Missouri compromise line vote
for it because, in the resolutions OF annexation admitting
Texas the Missouri compromise line inserted and appe
to Texas, and forms part of her constitution. But
now state to the gentleman from Indiana and this House tina
only gave vote prohibit slavery in Oregon, and tina
given before the Wimol provso moved in th
House. No had heard Of the Wilmot proviso when
that voe have voted against slavery in Oregon
since the Wmot provso introduced into and passet
by this House. never will vote to exclude slavery from
Oregon any other Territory of the United States long
the North determined force down upon the South the
Wimo proviso have idea of the South observing the
Missouri compromise while the North repudiates it. And
should have given the dd could have oreseeI
the introduction and passage Of the Wmo provso by this
House But will again vote for restricting slavery in Ore
gon IT the North will agree to extend the Missouri compro
mise line to apply to the Territories of California and
New Mexico. And this understand to be the universal
sentiment of the South.
Mr.. SMITH asked Mr.. KAUFMAN whether he had moi
voted for the bill afterwards
Mr.. KAUFMAN said he had not and he never would as
long the North should resist the Missouri compromise.
Mr.. SMITH said he did not undertake to say how the
gentleman would settle the question with his constituents
that his affair but the gentleman had at that time
held very different opinions from what he appeared do
But Mr. s. trusted that this bill would be considered and
acted upon its own merits without connecting with New
Mexico or California Mr. s. was however for excluding
slavery from all the Territories.
Ever since the foundation Of this Government policy
had been to restrict slavery wherever it could be done The
Missouri compromise act restricting the extent OF sa
very but this Government had passed any act at any
time TO advance the extent Of slavery one foot
Mr. COBB here inquired whether the extension OF slavery
had been contemplated in the formation Of the consu-
on manifested by admitting the importation Of slaves
late as 1908
Mr. SMITH insisted that the extension of slavery had
been contemplated but the And this very clause
about the importation Of slaves till 1908 itself Of resc
tive character and showed that the trainers OF the constitution
looked forward to the ultimate extinction Of slavery through
out the Union.
Mr. McLANE put inquiry 10 Mr.. SMITH, which
not heard by the reporter but understood to be
substance whether provision divide slave Stale into
provision that looked the extension Of slavery
Mr. SMITH said it did not. The division of State into
two States neither increased diminished the number Of
slaves it contained, and did not extend slavery foot.
The South had been extremely sensitive she
was now. Whence the ordinance of 81 Was that
the work of Northern abolonss Was contrvance of
fanatics who had but idea Every body knew that it
bad proceeded from the hands of Southern The
mee consisting of Southern gentlemen, unanimous in
the policy Of prohibiting slavery throughout the whole exten
ve territory ceded by Virginia to the United States They
reported the ordinance, and the Confederation concured in
their report without dissenting voice. Did any body
plain that the North invading the rights of the Southern
States Not at ALL And how had been at the time of the
acquisition of Louisiana II then agreed that slavery
should exist there TO the North Of 36o 30 Did the
South regard the constitution violated by this Was any
cry raised here against the fanatics What did they
tend for in the North For the abolition of slavery within
any of the Satesr the least interference with the rights
OF stakeholder Not all all. All they asked was
that territory free be suffered to remain ee Was this
interfering with the South Far from it, Mr. s. would be
far any that floor om doing any thing that mill
taed against the harmony all the States but when he found
in possession territory which had acquired free
rtoy, he for keeping ee This territory had brought
upon only the evils predicted by the opponents of the
These the bitter fruits Of the unauthorized of
this Administration All this had been oretod in warning
LnIk
of things would come upon the country The Wings, the op
ponents of the war; had found here. He called all
witness that they had done all in their power keep this ter
rto out Of the Union. He gored in The stand they had
taken against it, and in the powerful aid they had received
from their Southern friends but all bad been in vain They
found it here, and they il like and like
statesmen Mr. s. would 10 extend slavery by
any of his There opposed TO the who
had not predicted what The Wings did not
take their opponents by surprise and they could avoid
the agitation which this creating all the
try in any other way he would the whole territory from
burden and IL merely bone OF conen-
ton. He afraid Of the responsibility. This hated
acquisition had hundred millions of dollars and
thirty thousand human lives and after all il
than worthless 1t would be found in the end the dearest
QUESTION which this country had made. 1t continue
TO hold this territory, settle form Of government
for it, Gentlemen referred TO the Of the acquisition of
Louisiana and the annexation Of Texas but these
Of the extension Of slavery Not all they Of
its restriction He would ask Of the gentleman from Texas
(M KAuFMAS) how the restriction in the annexation esou-
TONS which prohibited the extension Of slavery north Of 36o
30, had been observed in practice
Mr. KAUFMAN said il had been carried out to the letter.
The annexation resolutions did that slavery should not
exist north Of 36 30 but that the States which should be
formed Of the Texan territory should permit it to
tend north Of that line.
Mr. SMITH asked if the constitution Of Texas did
tabsh the existence of slavery throughout the whole extent
Of the State and whether did forbid the Texan Legs-
latuIe to pass any act for the abolition of il :
Mr. KAUFMAN replied that the prohibition not against
the abolition Of slavery, but the abolition Of il without the
Of the of the slaves The annexation resolutions
incorporated into the constitution of Texas and formed
part Of it,
Mr. vINTON asked whether the Legislature Of Texas had
passed sny law prohibiting the carrying Of slaves beyond the
line Of 36o 3Vl
Mr. KAUFMAN replied that the resolutions Of annexa.
ton did require that should. No gentleman could fairly
charge Texas with bad faith when she had made the very
words Of the resolutions part and parcel Of her
constitution.
Mr. SMITH (resuming) said that gentlemen might plead
they would but they well knew that the word Of promise
might have been kept to the but broken the
All he knew about il was that the compromise under
stood by be that there should slavery exist north
36o 3O II Texas observe and carry that
promise in good faith, ought she have passed law
rendering impossible that slavery should have any existence
north Of that line Yet did exist there. Slaves
this hour held in Texas north Of that line and they would
continue be held there m doomsday for Texas declared
that slavery should be inerered with either north south
OF the line.
Mr. STEPHENS said that the resolutions Of annexation
had been incorporated into the constitution Of Texas and form
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