Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-01-05

That is no longer possible 1t could not nov be
made to affect Oregon By means oil The VIII
mot Proviso that territory has been placed DE-
yond the reach OF a measure, which, 10 no
event, could have been effective, and which Inc
South wouli never have been insane enough 10
attempt. 1.-THE action Of The North in insert
ing the Wlmot Proviso into the Oregon bill, !"
saws a distinguished Southern statesman, was
a mere wanton assertion of rover. II was un'-
yersaily admitted that The climate and soil OF
Oregon untitled it for slave population, but
the North determined upon the assertion OF the
right to exclude slavery from the territories OF
the Union without conditions or restrictions. +"
Justice requires US TO admit that there Is 100
much truth in his words. Else why was such
a Proyiso extended TO Oregon any more than 10
iowa; The whole state o. the case Is changed
BY this act. Equitable principles have been sci
as de by the North. and encroachmeDt upon
Southern rights has actually begun There
seemed TO be something like equity IN what was
called the Compromise BIZ. But II mat had
passed, the North would haze The advantage, IT
in nothing else, in this-that any Northern
man might take with him any OF us properly
which he could remove, and settle anywhere IN
The new territories without meeting VIZ" any
LEGAL obstruction; but the first Southern man
certain species of property, would in the outset
encounter a tedious process of litigation, with
lis heavy expenses, numberless yexatons and
glorious uncertainties. The fate of that bi' IS
known. There would have been an appearance
of equity in committing the whole subject Of
slavery in the territories 10 the Territorial lie
gisla,ures, But The North would have bad the
advantage also by that disposal of The question;
for il is certain that one, and probable that all
the territories would prohibit slavery SUCH
disposa of the subject is now impossible. One
territory has been made by act of Congress ex-
clusiyeiy subseryient 10 Northern interests, as
opposed 10 Southern; while nothing has been Sc
cured 10 the South as an equivalent. In tbs
there is no resemblance of justice. Some, how
ever, deny that shareholders have any rghliul
claim to the services of those whom tsey have
supported through the years Of infancy and
childhood at great expense, and without Any
prospect Of compensation, except BY means OF
tie very labor which they are forbidden to
claim under penalty Of being called man steal
ers Did my limits permit, II would BE- easy TO
show the absurdily Of such p' stion. But il is
enough Tor my present purpose that the Con.
stitulon recognizes Art a the legality OF The
claim 10 "such services or labor" as may be due
according 10 the laws u any State, and requires
other States to res; ect it, II thereby decides
that the master has property in the labor OF hls
slaves. Now there Is no justice in saying 10 the
Northern man you may 20 and carry your.pro-
perty 10 any par, OF the new territories, aud be
secure in the possession Of it, aud at the same
time saying 10 the Southern man. if you carry
your property to any part of these territories
il shall be taken from you when the territories
belong 10 the South as much as 10 the North =
If the South is excluded from portion OF the
common property by provIso forbidding slave
~, Justice clearly requires that assurance should
be given another equal portion should be Sc
cured to it, There was, therefore, palpablc
disregard Of the rules Of equity in attaching the
Wllmut Proviso TO the Oregon bill, without Civ
ing TO the South any guarantee Of counlerval
ing advantage. Shall il then be charged upon
Southern statesmen as an intolerabe encroach-
ment upon the North that they now ask that
which ought TO have been already conceded 10
them as matter Of simple Juslicel Let II be
remembered that Southern men do not, Ike too
many at the North, sci up al exclusive claim
TO the whole OF the new territories. They
would be satisfied with moiety, and would pro-
badly acqucsce in a division which should give
them considerably less than that. 1t should also
be observed that tho Wimot Proyso will ope-
Il
rate more injuriously upon the South, than the
Southern Proviso would do upon the North II
a STAKEHOLDER would remove TO a place "here
slavery is forbidden, he must either ose his
property, or he must sell his slages; and this
latter proceeding, in most cases, IS very I'M
pleasant both 10 him and them But, OH the
other hand, the Northern man, thou, b ever so
much opposed TO slavery, would hnd little diii-
Guilty 10 settling in = country where there are
so few slaves there As will probably be in the
Mexican territories. Western Virginia j, not
Objectionable on this account 10 Northern men,
who ara acquainted with this section Of the
State In county which is the next but one
To that in which reside, there is church com.
posed in great measure Of Northern people, who
sent away Minister, a have been informed,
for no other reason than that re was IN posses
sion oi few slaves whom he had received as
part of his patrmony. This fact shows peo-
Pile who are decidedly anti slavery, are not re-
pellet from a State III which slavery IS estab
lished by law. NOVANGLUS.
TT be Concluded