The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent., 1849-10-19
Minority Report.


the committee, which is as follows:
Minority Report.
The undersigned, minority of the committee
appointed to report matter for action of the Con-
vention, dissenting from the report made by the
majority, beg leave to submit the following mi
nority report:
We think no resolution, Of an important
character, which will not be approved by the
people of all the slave States, irrespective of
party, should be adopted. We think the fifth
and seventh resolutions of this character.
The fifth resolution, in effect declares, that
the passage of law admitting California into
the Union at the next session OF Congress, un-
der constitution made by the present popula-
ton of California would be a fraud upon the
slave States. under its constitutional power 20
admit new States into the Union, and should be
resisted by the slave States, equally with laws
aboIishing slavery in the territories the District
of Columbia, and all places within the exclusive
! jurisdiction of Congress, or in the slave States
| themselves No such question has been before
| the people Of this State, or any OF the slave
| States, so far as we are aware.
| Nor do we believe it would be concurred in
| by the people of this State, or any of the slave
j States, so far as we are aware.
1 Nor do we believe it would be concurre6 in
by the people of this State, OF either party,
much less by the people of all the States. Tc
make such an act of Congress an issue be-
| tween the non slave States and the slave States
upon which united resistance from the latte is
| 10 be made on the ground of fraud in the former
| in the exercise of constitutional power, would
be to place the slave States upon less lofty at
titude of clear and indisputable right than thai
which they hold on the questions oil unconstltu
tional laws, which Immediately or remotely at
tack the relative social inequalities of master
and slave, and the social and political existence
of the slave States as States.
If our recollection serves us right. The doc
trine that the present population OF California
and othe. territories have the right to settle thu
question of the existence OF slavery among
themselves, by adopting State constitution
originated with distinguished Senator of th'
North in opposition TO the Wilmot Proylso par
ty. the aboitionists and free soilers.
This doctrine was seized upon by Senate
from Tennessee who, during two sessions o
Congress, strove to settle the Wilmot provis
question by bill to admit California and New
Mexico into the Union as State or States, an
this bill was more generally sustained by vote
from the South than the North, it we be nc
greatly mistaken How then can it be charge
as fraud of the free soil and abolition partle
of the non-slaveholcing States, il such lay
should now be passed? 1t is believed the
! will be generally opposed to the passage G
J such a law; or il it passes, to take stand
resistance to it as fraud upon the slave States
: committed by the enemies to our domestic re
lations of the non-save States, it is our 0pinio
J Il would be highly inexpeeient and would not b
. concurred in BY either party among the sav
States.
4 This convention assembled to take into cor
, sideration the best means OF resisting unconsl
tutional aggressions upon the rights Of the slav
States. as guaranteed by the constitution, not {
discuss question Of mere expedlency, whic
must have the effect to weaken our appeal to th
. friends of equal constitutional rights in beha
of the Southern people.
THos. A. DABEEY,
GEO. WINCHESTER.
JNo /. GUIar.
! agree in the protest fully, as to the impropr
} ETY. OF the resolution, without expressing al
: opinion as to any abstract principle the prote
3 may contain. a. u BAINEs
II also agree TO the above protest.
: s. III. Johnson.
: agree to the above protest--and also oble
e to the legislature passing any law indemnifyiI
i any STAKEHOLDER in emigratng to any OF U
!; new territories, Let every man go at his oH
e risk, &c. -. McALPIN.
After discussion, James Whitfield moved tn
each Of the reports be printed for the use OF U
d convention--one hundred copies were ordere
o On motion, the convention adjourned 70 me
at three O'Clock, r. ~.
" e. ~,