Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-03-02
HICH MOND, VA.
Morning, February %. ls4e.
nMR. PRESTON"

The Wing says oil MT. behs pioPos"io1'
which received only four votes in The Senate
"Thoush nearly identical with Mr. Pfeslons IN
| principle, it differed in this particular. IL pre-
| posed 10 erect California and New Mexico INTO
| one State, whereas Mr.. Preston's proposition em-
braced oulv California" The Wing is evidently
mistaken. We have not Mr.. Preslon's Dill De-
fore us. but we are convinced that II, also, en-
braces California and New Mexico as one Stale.
The Aueusla Constituencies, now before Us,
speaks OF Mr.. Prcslon's bill as a "proPosilion 70
convert the ,oiole OF the nep ferrhores mo one
s,atsn The proposition, therefore, is identical
), ,b;s ,esnect with Mr.. Bells; and, as Inc latler
received only four Yates in the Senate, The chance
If passipg il through Congress must be desperate
indeed.
From a perusal ofthc extremely interesting
debates in the United States Senate on this vital
question, in which The giant ~inlellects OF webster
and Calhoun, among others, %c!asheh, VIC nave al
rived Al The conclusion, that the only prospect Of
do;no any thing now for The new territories, is by
the ADOPTION OF the proposition OF Mr.. walker
from III, Young State Of Wisconsin, or something
similar toll.
Mr. Walkers amendment substantially pro-
no.,s ~ extend over The new territories The Con-
s~,itu,ion Of The United States and all laws OF
Congress concerning the revenue, the indiah
,,;bc. and tic public !ands-and, further, 10 au-
lhorizc The Presiden, To prescribe ana tSlaol'sh
al nroner and useful rules and regulations, IN
conformity with III Constitution OF Inc on''d
States. Tor The enforcement oil SAID laws, me pre-
s~ervation Of order and tranquility, and Inc es'a-
| blishmenl Of Justice; from time 10 time TO modify
said rules and regulations, prescribe and eslab-
lisn temporary divisions, districts, ports, othces
and arrangements, and appoint and commission
such officers as may be necessary 10 administer
such laws, &c.
We observe that MIR. Douglass, Mr.. Mason
and others have ntimaled their intention to sup
oort The measure, and we have strong reasons 10
ho,a t,r lis success. Ii is a strange phenome
non ,hat. while The Democrats, Tor the sake Of
pre,erying The peace OF the Union, and protecting
the people of The distant territories from disorder
| and anarchy, thus propose 10 place al The discre-
lion Of a Wing President great power and pat
| ronaqe. 10 attain so desirable an end, The wing
Senator's and adhgichts ui a President elected
| themselves, resist The measure, as il unwilling 10
repose TOO much confidence in their own chiei.-
Senator Foote presents this singular tact in one Of
his mosl graphic sketches. Gen. Foote, IN me
| conclusion Of his speech, paid a high compliment
ID The Young Senator from the young Stale OF
Wisconsin. He said:
"And now, Mr.. President, | have only a lew
| words 10 offer in addition, touching me amend
meot If the honorable Senator from Wisconsin,,
! now under discussion. Lei me say Of that Sena-
| Tor. and his amendment, what think and feel
mos, profoundly and sincerely. Sir, in The pc
| culiar position occupied by that Senator, under
| an The circumstances which surround Us al The
present time, it required the highest moral con-
race 10 originate such a proposition as thai which
is Before US. II demanded much sasacity, The
| exercise ui a soIid judsm enl, and no little tact IN
the comprehension OF men and things, 10 manure
such a nroieci, and bring il forward before the
| Senate ami The country under circumstances aI-
parcnlly 50 suspicious. III | do nut greatly ue-
| celve myself, his amendment will shortly become
the law of the land; and if il should, the honofa-
bic Senator from Wisconsin, yonns as he IS, and
comparatively inexperienced in The business ui
1 HdtlUIlHl ltSl>IdtiUI, VIII nav hi'SbS - 49,
rank among The mos, renowned statesmen oi The
Republic, and his name WILL be associated in all
| coming time with he names OF those who have
been able in their cay anu generation 10 earn, by
acrs OF nigh public beDeiaction, a solid and en-
during lame, and a popularity which cannot iaIl
to be lasting"
Should Mr.. Walkers proposition succeed, 1t
will, indeed, immortalize him. But, in any
~ IT. a. ,ko,l,a &c oil potriNIe
for thus boldly and m%anfully throwing himself
into the breach. Prominently connected as ne
is with the question, we cannot forbear from
ouoting the eloquent conclusion Of his speech.
Though speaking in much stronger language
than il was proper of the "peculiar institution
he in the main does justice TO the South, and
reads a severe rebuke TO a growing faction in the
| North
To come, Sir, to the question:: when shall that
be done which we propose TO dor The answer
which has already been given, implies that II
ought TO be done now The necessities which
pointed out the extent Of what ought TO DO
done, also point out the time proper Tor It's
being done. These necessities now exist. They
exist in a p%re-eminent degree. HenoW nave
the opportunity, if we avail ourselves oil lt-and
il won d seem TO be an opportunity oil which
every one should avail himself, although u may
seem that its application TO the civil and diplo-
matte bill will be incongruous and improper.
WHY, Sir, there are crises in the history of all
countries, and in the history Of every individual,
when things apparently incongruous, out of the
usual course of procedure, are imperiousIy de.
manded; and il seems TO me that this is one OF
,l... c.;aae In nfpurs tn me that. with tie
feeling existing here, now is The time when II
can he settled with safety, as applied 10 the
civil and diplomatic bill. And venture to say
tha, ii the civil and diplomatic bill should be
passed with this amendment, il will produce re-
suits G~eyoutly 10 be wished for. If ii shall
quiet the enmities of individuals, stop the bicker-
Ings of sectional z~ealots, and give peace, quiet
and protection To our friends IN California. II
will be the must popular appropriation bill that
ever went forth from Congress since the ioun-
da,ion of this Government, which will be hailed
with more ioy-which will be more highly
cherished than any civil and diplomatic bill upon
which any Congress has ever been called 10
vote.
Sir. when we come TO speak Of the necessi;ie,
for caimncss aud delihera,ion upon ihis subject
for a cain and manly exercise ol our duIies-li
is really painful 10 Iefecl upon what has 50 lols
pteyenled il before. AZ 10 The question ct slave
~. sir, into the merits Of which | do mol propose
Ia euter al sll-in regard 10 which | shall hope
~ hear AS little said AS possible = nevertheless il is
permissible 10 say that II has produced a great
agitation here; Tor slavery, and the opposition 10
il, a,e creating a feeling disastrous; a STATE 4
things from which our country can reap no'hlrs
but disaster, in my opinion-aDd lie agitation 81
which mus. enhance that disaster, il il does moi
destroy Us. | must say, | have little tear OF 'hl'i
but 81 one thing feel certain that there IS not a
southern man who in his mind desires The dissn-
lu,inn vi the Univn. Ii may be charged upon
him. bul | do not believe there is one who desire,
a dissolulion. There are few in our country,
believe, who desire il. But If there be those
who desire il, and VINO are now making resolves,
they 90 not find their home in thai quarter oil The
Union. There is, it is true, manifested on The
part Of The South, a disposition 10 declare
their determination 10 certain events. Be il
SO. They may intend to carry out their