New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-04-04
That Last Might in Congress.

TIE National Era which hates Slavery first and
the Wing party next, and which rarely suffers an
opportunity to deal blow at the latter to pass
unimproved, exhibits the proceedings of that
memorable closing night in Congress in such a
light AZ to give The impression that only those
Members OF the House who united in the game
Of killing time by motions TO call the House, 60
into Committee, appeals, points OF order, &c &c
and call the Yeas and Nays thereon, were sim
cerely or at least infexby, devoted to Free Soil.
/ decidedly object TO this view. My own convic
ton 10 very clear that this course increased the
dangers Of that night and was immincntly calcu-
lated 10 give a triumph to Slavery. do not say
il was not W ell intended the part of most OF
those who united in i'll do not Judge motives
and vet how eopid help suspecting that some
motive quite foreign to devotion to Free Soil I'M
PEELED Mr. John Petit to the prominent part he
played ON that memorable night When before
did he evince such devotion
Ii istrue as The Era says, that general and
strong suspicion prevailed among the Members IN
tent on shielding the New Territories from Slavery
that they were betrayed-that sufficient number
OF Free State Members were privately pledged 10
vote with the South, whenever the proper time
should arrive. to secure the ultimate adoption of
the w alker Amendment. Whether that suspi-
eion was well or al founded, 1t were bootless now
70 inquire. But, acting We all did IN the con
victon OF ito Justice, it seemed to me very clear
that 1t became not 10 gre our suspected GSSo-
GATES tie prc,erf ace belterod them TO BE ~aHtRg amt
watching for. For instance: Suppose Mr. a, Mr.
h, Mr. c, sc. had given private assurances to cer-
tain friends OF the Walker Amendment that they
would vote for it, refrain from voting against IT.,
whenever the question should assume shape
which would enable them to justify such vote to
their respective CONTINGENCIES Thus pledged,
they sat watching the progress of the struggle
and the coming Of their opportunity. Now
could not doubt that any determined, persist
ens effort OF the great of the anti
Extensionists to stave off decisive action
and break up the Session without passing the
General Appropriation bill, would afford the sns-
pected the excuse they were believed TO be watch
iog for. They would finally say We, too, are
Tor Free SOIL, but not for anarchy aud the subver
sion Of the Government-we do not, choose even
to subject the country to the turmoil and the cost
sof an Extra Session. We want the Territories
.orgsnized and our laws extended over them
v.preter G. y. smith or Sir. w ebs,ers plan .
hint rather than see the wheels of Government
blocked. we will vote even for Mr.. Walkers
And thus believe the struggle would have ter
minated in triumph of Slavery If the strength OF
the House had submitted TO be led by Mr. John
Petit. We might thus have made him great
man, pro TEN. and sent him home IN blaze oil
glory. 70 be reelected by votes never at his service
before-but we should have lost the battle aud
made shipwreck Of the good cause. By coming
abort round ON the other tack We retrieved the
fortunes of the day after nearly all had begun to
consider 1t irrecoversbly lost. Tbs is the light IA
which the subject appeared and appears to me :
snd it is Que which The Era has never presented