Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1849-07-05
Letter from Governor King
JEFFERSON CRY, June 4th ls49,
Hon. GEORGE w. DUNN.

ence to the exciting question now be-
fore the people Of this State, made more
intense by the appeal of Col. Benton
TO the people from certain instructions
given to him by the Legislature.
A number of friends have already
written to me on this subject, and
have not hestated to give them my
opinions freely. According to the the.
DRY Of our government, the sovereign
power rests in the people. am bu, n
servant of the people in one capacity,
Col Benton in another, and the mem
bers of the Legislature in another, and
different capacity; all owing allegiance,
as it were to the same sovereign power.
This being the case, am well satisfied
that il will not be in the power of any
man, or set of men, to prevent the peo-
pie from taking cosnizance Of this ap-
peal. and hearing, if need be, the ques-
ton anew. especially when Col. Ben,
ton declares, that if the people after in
vestigating this question shall decide
agains, him, he wilresign and give them
an opportunity of clectng SEINE one who
will carry out their wishes.
was not disposed TO condemn Col.
Benton before l knew his POSITION
lie had been an old and tried servant of
the people, one who had done more to
elevate the character Of our beloved
State at home and abroad, than any
other living man, and it is bu, the die.
tates of common Justice that we hear
the ground of accusation, and the evil
dence to support it, before we piss sem
tence. This ! say is but an act of jus.
,ice which should be accorded TO all.
have heard Col. Benton's speech, you
have i, in print, and doubtless, before
this have formed your own opinions.
He affirms the power of Congress to
legisla,e for the territories in reference
TO slavery. He denies that we have
any territory now subject 10 slavery, he
says he will not vote to send slavery
where it is not, and the South asks for
no such law, nor is this the point raised
in the instructions of our Legislature.
He is instructed to vote against any
proposition to prohibit slavery in our
territories evidently abiding 10 terri
tory acquired from Mexico. Col. Ben
ton declares the Wimot Proviso TO be
",ceah contrirance TO prevent slavery
from being where it is nol;' and Of course
will not vote for it.
1t is an important question to put to
ourselves, wherein do we differ with
Col. Benton! But two points can be
raised in the case. First, was this ter
ri,ory free or slave territory at the time
we acquired il from Mexico7 Second
ly, if free, by operation of what princi-
pie does it become slave territory, and
the necessity Of the Wilmot proviso in
order to prevent slavery being perpetu.
ated therel If it turns out that the
territory acquired TO US from Mexico
was free, then, truly, as has been said
all this dispute and excitement is about
Goats WOOL" for we have not foot OF
territory TO dispute about in reference
to slavery, unless il be this, the ordi.
nance of 1887, and the Missouri com.
promise act covers the balance. Then
it becomes necessary TO settle ques-
ton of national law, in order 10 deter
mine whether slavery existed in the ter
ritory at the time of its acquisition from
Mexico.
You see in Col. Benton's speech the
decree of the Mexican President, and
subsequent acts of their Congress con.
frmatory of that decree, abolshing sla.
very in all its forms. The decree and
these acts Of Congress were acquies
ced in by the citizens of Mexico, and
recognized as their supreme law at the
time of our acquisition ofthat territory
This, 10 me, was new question. a
least one of which | had not maturely
considered. and which ! will venture te
say the people of Missourihave not con
E sidcred. l have been induced to give
. it an investigation, the result of which
/, is tina. | am perfectly satisfied, SLAYER,
! : cannot exist in this territory as ter
. ri,ory, unless the law of Mexico il
9 reference to that matter be changed b,
some &C, of legislation on our part. Ant
as Il il commanded by the South tina