Democratic banner., 1848-08-28
Of Cengress..
last MessaHe.

at IL O'CLOCK, according to their joint or.
der. The members have gone to theil
constituency to give an account of theil
stewardship. We wish the wings a safe
deliverence from the fearful responsibility
(which they have encountered. The session
lhas been long and protracted; but not SC
long as the I'd session of the 9th Congress,
(which did not adjourn before the 3lst Of
august. The work which has been eAe-
cuted is far from corresponding to the time
consumed. The opposition have wasted q
large portion of the session in collecting
materials, and making capital for the en-
suing presidential election. They have
scattered speeches and provoked replies
from the republican members. They at
tackled the war for weeks and months, in
stead of making vigorous efforts to ;ermin-
ate it. 1t was the very nischievous clam.
or on the past of the wings, and their want
Of energy in raising the supplies, which
cheered the enemy, and delayed the ter
minstion of hostilities. When peace finally
came, the wings turned their batteries B.
gainst the origin and prosecution of the
war, and then arose the question of the dis
of the territories we have &C.
quired. Speech after speech, and day az
ter day, was exhausted upon the attempt to
the question. s.,
Much credit as we are willing to give
MIR. Clayton and some of his collesguesiD
this matter, yet we hold the Wings partic-
ularly responsible for the defeat of the COM
Four southern Wing senators
first broke the line of the South, instead
Of presenting all her force together
Then the eight southern Wings il the
House defeated the first compromise, and
paralyzed the spirit of the northern Demo-
Gratis in regard to the adjustment. Ste
phens Of Georgia made the motion to lay
the bill on the table, which the Senate had
been for some time discussing and prepar-
ing. He was followed by seven other south
ern wings in the attempt to smother the
bill, and prevent it from assuming any
form Of compromise. The first fail .
lre shed its disastrous eclipse over the Sec
,nd compromise bill from the Senate
The southern Wings attempted to backwa-
too late. They had killed the first bill,
md encouraged the northern Democrats to
the second, until every attempt to
the question was unavailing.
One bill only has passed in relation toI
territory. It is the bill which vent
rom the House for organizing q govern
Oregon. It recognized the provis-
ons Of the ordinance Of 1887. The SEM
tie made an attempt to amend it, and settle
he question upon the basis of the Missouri
but the amendment was re-
ected by the House; and on Sunday NOR
after Q laborous session through the
night, the Senate receded FROM,
amendment, and the bill was passed
, the shape in which it had gone up from
be House. Ii
The question was then snxiously made, l.
'hich course would the President pursue n,
Would he veto the bill? or would he sign[.
!? The answer was at hand. II
Yesterday morning, the bill was sent ups
him, and be returned it to the House ofIc
representatives, about II o'clock, with his
ignature. But the President vent further.
was not content to sign the bill; but he
'as determined to assign bis reasons for the 9
ct, and at the same time to lay down the
rilciples which should guide his course \
uring the rest of his administration. HELD
as met the duty as became him. THERE =
no case in the whole course of his mostI.o
honorable administrstion-full as it is off
reat trials, and illustrated BY great tri. q
mPhs of moral force and enlightened poll. ID
J which can compare with the present oneI .
point Of Importance, both in its origin, Il
its character, and in its consequences.-N
here 10 no act of his administration which .
superior to it in the wisdom with which,
Q has selected his course, and in the firm-Ii i.
ess with which he has pursued it. Manyltl
the citizens Of the south wished him to l
eto the bill. Most Of the northern citi-
hoped that he would consent to extend o
Re restriction of this bill to the whole ex-
mt Of our newly scqnired territories oflo
'alifornia and New Mexico. The Presi.tb
ent has done neither; but he has Marked.
Ut . course, which is recommended byi
70 highest wisdom and the deepest fseardo
the best interests Of our common coun. b
=. He has signed this bill reluctantly, d,
ON . stern sense Of duty towards OreQon,I
ID from q respect to the principle Of the.
Iissouri Compromise; but he has not stop-
here. Knowing and feeling that this
lestion Of slavery Is by fsr fhs most i'm. b.
A. ma III 81 a.. -