The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1849-07-25

eHOTtS 10 ueiedt u anu i"hSeS ""'
by it your weak and most exposed flank was
lprotected against danger from without, and the
Vaccinations of aboIiionists and their abettors
at home. twas great victory, both for your
cause and the country, and was felt TO be so al
the time. That it was due to the selection
made, have the highest authority. Mr.. Dom
aldson, in his letter 10 me, after annexation was
achieved, said that any other course but that
pursued would have defealedit
But Col. Benton now objects that the House
resolution contained a provision to extend the
Missouri Compromise line to the western boun-
dairy of Texas, and asserts that this extension
abolished slavery in the S,ate-meanIng, | sup
pose, that it prevented the introduction of slaves
in the portion north OF the line, when at the
time there were no settlements or slaves. 1t
was not, it seems, the resolution or those who
voted for it and passed it, and among them
HIMSELF whose vote could have defeated it, that
abolished slavery, as he calls it, but |, who
made the selection of the House resolution, in
| preference to his amendment. The slightest
agency, it seems, on my part, in reference to
any measure, makes me solely responsible for
the whole 1t would be better at once for him
to take the ground, that only am responsible
came into public life, whether of commission or
omission. But what could do! The Presi.
dent had to act, and 10 select one or the other
resolutions-hs or the House. The selection
was left to him II that of the House was
tainted by the Missouri Compromise with abo.
litionisn, as he states, his resolution was much
more deeply infected have his own words
for the assertion. He declared that his amend
ment, as adopted by the Senate, was the same
with the string of resolutions he had introduced
at the preceding session, and renewed at the
then session. He also declared that they were
gene rallied and comprised in one, to avoid
objections 10 details. One of this string of
resolutions, thus covered under general terms,
was to divide Texas into two equal parts, by a
line drawn North and South, of which the
western part was to be subject to the ordinance
Of 's7. 4 measure coming from a quarter so
hostile, and accompanied by such declaration,
was Justly suspected as intending mischief. 1t
was so considered, generally by the friends OF
annexation in the Senate, as was assented to
reluctantly, and only because he had few sup
porters, who with himself held the balance, and
refused to vote for the resolution Of The House,
without the amendment. Among them, if my
memory serves me, was his friend Hayward,
who was for covering all Texas and the whole
region north of Sc 80 with the ordinance of 'S7.
Timeo Danaos ct dona terentes.
come now to the last of his charges; that
abandoned the South, and left him and few
others alone by the side of the ill-fated owners
of the Comet, Encomium, Enterprise and
Creole. He does not state by what act aban.
doned you, but leaves it to be inferred from his
remarks, that it was by voting in favor of the
Ashburton treaty, which contained no stipula.
ton in favor of the owners OF those vessels. 1t
is a trick Of his to make his charges very vague.
iy, so as 10 make it difficult to detect his errors
and repol his slanderous attacks. | admit that
voted for the Ashburton treaty. did more,
delivered speech in its favor, which, in the
opnion of its friends, saved il from rejection.
Its fate was doubtful. The opposition headed
by Col. Benton was violent, and it required two
thirds to confirm the treaty. am willing to
take whatever share Of responsibility he may
think proper to allot to me for voting for it. l
look with no little satisfaction to my course on
the occasion, from the beliefth that rendered then
great and permanent service TO the county,
For its adoption was the first link, in that series
of causes, by which war between Great Britain
and US was averled. Who is there now 80
blind, as not to sec, that if the treaty had been
rejected, war could not have been avoided!-
The two countries were in truth on the very
eve OF rupture, The way events were moving
at the time, without either being aware of II.
At the very next session the Oregon question
! for the first time assumed dangerous and men.
acing aspect. bill was introduced imrnedi.
ately after its opening, which covered the whole
of that territory, the object Of which was to
commence systematically the work of COLOMBIA.
ton and settlement on our part. took my seat
in the Senate two or three weeks after the
commencement of the session, and found the
bill on its passage, wlhou; opposition, and ap.
parently without division of opinion. | saw the
danger to the peace of the two countries, and
that the time had come 10 take a stand to save
it. determined to do my duty regardless Of
consequences to myself arose and opposed
ii, and thereby exposed myself to the opposition
of the entire west, which was strongly in its
favor. My name then, as well as when the
Ashburton treaty was pending in the Senate,
was before the people for the highest honor in
their gii-placed there, not by myself. but by
my friends. Did then permit the low motive
of aiming at the Presidency, TO which he at
tributes my course on The treaty, to sway me
from the path duty?
My stand prevented the bill from becoming
a law, and that constituted the second link in
the series of causes by which we were enabled
to avert war between the two countries. Col.
Benton then went for the bill, and was, be-.
lieve, for the whole of Oregon. Hadthe treaty
been rejected at the preceding session, the stand
: I tonk and the resislancc | made IN Tho hill
would have been all in vain. 1t would have
passed, and the country precipitated into war {;
but as it was, time was gained, which was all
important. The agitation, however, was kept
up about Oregon, and similar bills were intro.