The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1849-07-18

violence. have ever gone so for as to deny
to sovereign state entire and exclusive au-
thorlty to institute such policy, in this re-
spect, us to 1t may seem expedient. The
reasonable and fair presumption, nay, the
certainty is, that the balance of the newly
acquired country will be settled much in the
same manner, and chiefly by the same class
OF people, as those who now compose the
Anglo-Saxon population Of California, and
If lett to themselves, the slave question will
doubtless be settled in the same manner
Already have the people Of California 500.
ken, and spoken plainly and decisively on
this subject, in the form Of instructions to
delegates to form aprovisional government
IN which they protest against any species Of
legislation which will even admit of the an
prenticing of negroes, while at the same
time they protest positively against every
species of negro slavery. New Mexico and
oil other territories which in the future will
spring up in the same region will, as O
matter of course, adopt the same policy
Besides, let it be constantly borne in mind
that The ,chole ofthe territory included in
California and New Mexico IS ALREA-
DY FREE BY LAW. No additional en-
actment of Congress can make it more fresa
or insure it to be free for longer period
than is already provided for in existing laws
The adoption, therefore, Of the clause of'S7
now enormously termed the Wilmot provi-
so-would be as unnecessary, and impotent,
as would be a re-cnactment by Congress of
the Declaration of Independence to the
same end. We consequently regard its
further agitation as utterly unwarranted by
any existing fact. 7. is in fact, the veriest
abstraction Of The times for there is not an
inch Of soil upon the continent to aohieh it
may be applied, with proprie.y, or can be
applied Nth etect,-for all that it ever pro-
fessed to make free and to continue free,
was free long ago, is free now, by law, and
will unqueationably continue free forever
The only chance to make it slave territory
is indeed slim one--being entirely depend
ent upon law Of Congress repeating the
Tree laws already in force and instituting
slavery instead. Is any one, even the rank
est abolitionist, in the least degree apprc.
hensive that such an event can occur!-
When Congress shall repeal the laws pro-
hibiting slavery in New Mexico and Cali
forna, then the clause Of 81 may be prop
erly urgcd--but, until this happens, i, would
be just as reasonable 10 insist upon the en-
actnent by Congress of any one of the stat
ute Jaws OF Iowa as to urge the adoption Of
the Wi!mot proviso. 1.-THE south is estopp.
ed from seeking to extend slavery to the
new territory by taxing the high ground
that Congress has no ri ht to legislute up
on the subject, for the territories. the north
certainly has no good reason to take UNI
bragg at The act. If they choose to tempt
the laws Of the land and run the risk of
transporting their slaves beyond the limits
OF their own states, and halt with them up
on soil that is made free by law, and with
the vain hope that they can hold them in
bondage despite the public law prohibiting
it, we say, let them try the experiment, 1t
car result only in the loss Of their property
hot in the extension ofslavery.
1t occurs to us, therefore, fellow citizens.
and we speak it with Cue Difference and re.
spcct, that the two extremes of the Union
are each battling against shadows-the one
intending for the exercise of an abstrac. ion
which it is 1T perfect liberty any moment
to test but does not choose to test--the 9th.
err contending that Congress shall DO the
very thing that is already done, and well
done, and could not be more strongly done
by the action of thousand Congresses.
We hold that the very spirit in which the
constitution was adopted must ever be re-
garded by the true patriot as composing to
all lntcnts and purposes, component part
o! that instrument, so far as general domes-
tic policy OF the nation is concerned-and
that any proposition inconsistent there with
is as direct an assault upon the integrity of
the Union as it aimed at the plainest provi-
sions Of the instrument itself. Viewing the
question in this light, we have at all times,
as party, set our faces against the fanati-
cal and unwarrantable attacks of the north
crn abolitionists upon the feelings of the pco-
pleof the south, and opposed their every at
tempt at unjust and unconstitutional inter
ference. We have opposed this attempted
interference as we have already opposed the
spirit OF notification, and as we would op-
pose any thing which is unconstitutional,
or tactious, or unreasonable. We would op-
pose, with equal zeal and frmness. any at
tempt on the part Of the south to nterferej
with the domestic policy Of the north-aud
for the same reason, that WE GO FOR THE
UNION AND THE CONSTITUTION, and for the
rights, thejust interests, and the equal pro-
lection ofALL SECTIONS OF THE COUNTRY,
and for the non interference of each in the
affairs of the others.
The spirit OF faction has been the bnne of
every republic-the bastard issue Of every
party. There is more evil and more dan
ger liz a single faction than was ever dream
ed ofin thousand parties. Parties are
and general in their policy
and symp athies, patriotic in their purposes,
and enlightened in their counsels. Factions
are narrow and selfish in their views and
purposes, reckless ofresults. dogmatical and
arrogant, blinded by zeal, full Of infatuation,
and prone to follow after strange iancies.
The great democratic party therefore,
which has ever resisted the Cancellation and
affiliation of factions, would be recreant 70
itself and its high mission, and forgetful of
its past glory were it to falter at the pres.
ent moment by giving countenance to any
peculiarly sectional organizations, either
north or south. There ia no patriotism in |
any such projects: and in the language Of the
Father of our country, they should be in.
dignantly frowned down, as the dawnings
Of an attempt to dissolve the Union, aad to
destroy the liberties of the people. Two
such orga nizations, one north and one south,
upon local and sectional divisions, if fallen
intob by the democratic party generally,
would result in snlttino IL into two nronn