The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-11-29

great pleasure in accepting the amendment, and repeating
the declaration as amended. He spoke Of the Wilmo
Proviso proposed BY Mr. Wilmot OF Pennsylvania a.
adopted by the House 1916. and again in is47 and as
proposed and rejected in the Senate in 1915, few weeks
before his speech was made, and ~ Il would doubtless
in the event that Messrs Sewer and Clifford should a
in procuring the assent oil Mexico TO the they
then negotiating He spoke Of that insidious and mis-
chevous measure which had been successfully used
to embarass and prolong the Mexican war; 10 prevent
the conclusion of treaty Of peace upon any other terms
than those which would have been derogaory % the
who had goriously fought her battles. Mr.. ID. was
detained BY family Affections from his seat in the Senate
los nearly two months and o. ms se,aia ne found
compromise The mission Of Msssrs Sewer and Clifford
peace prescribed BY the Senate Of the United States the
exchange OF Publications had taken place, and the tern
tories q California then ours by unconditional
its last gasp and died its eternal death, when the treaty
ratified, and the notifications exchanged between the
two countries, without containing that 'express and
the friends OF the administration and Of the country had
achieved this glorious triumph in securing California and
New Mexico by an unconditional title, with authority to
govern and dispose of i we should zee proper under
the constitution OF the United States yet the allied forces
determined to keep up the agitation for political and
partisan purposes, upon an entirely different question
asmuch as the Wilmot Proviso had not been incor-
poraed into the treaty acquiring the territory upon the
never ssst Consre should q ~ s%
prohibiting slavery in the territory while il remained SUCH
and leaving the people 70 DO As they pleased when they
should be received into the Union States Many north
members. and several from own delegation, who
had firmly resisted the Wilmot proviso from the day
was first proposed by Mr. Wilmot up TO the day when
received its death by the exchange Of the treaty OF
peace. thought il better to adopt simple prohibition Of
slavery in the territories nasmuch they entertained
doubt of their constitutional power 70 DO and had fire.
quently voted to exercise II long before Mr. Wilot was
heard Of Mr. D. necessity even for the
else Of that he was that i was not neces
sary in order to prevent The extension q slavery ne
whole country was then free-fres BY law--iree in TACT
II free by the fundamental law Of the ndby the
- % ne
force, and must forever remain valid under the treaty Of
peace according to the laws Of nations and the decson
ed by competent authority As question OF policy,
therefore, the part of those who desired to prevent
the extension of slavery, nonntererence was the true
constitutional right and all Of them the right OF any Con-
gressona Interference According TO this doctrine, they
estopped from voting to repeal the prohibition Of sa
the SOIL and which now in full force in that country
With the South, the doctrine Of n0n-intererence was
matter of Prncplewith the North, should have been
doctrine must inevitably have been the estabishment Of
freedom in all territories This was the principle Of
the Clayton bill u was prepared and rePctted 70 the
representing every section and shade Of opinion, and
tertaning individually the most extreme and adverse
sentiments n regard o the institution 81 slavery bill
Committee, entitled to some consideration and
spect And YET after this bill had passed the Senate BY
baa beea snv N ns -
banner OF the Wmot Proviso refused to allow il 10 be
even once read tbatthey might see what il was.
That this contempuous treatment of that bill had its
origin in Conscientious Indignation against the extension
OF slavery is preposerous, when il is that the
motion TO lay il on the table was made by Mr. Stephens.
lion Of bis motion. and dsnoSncsd the BI a. worse than
the Wimot Proviso. and said that il had become law
the whole country must necessarily have remained free
forever. While Mr. Stephens and his associates In the
South gave these for opposing the Ciayon BILL
their northern confedeaes denounced schens got
ten up by southern shareholders and northern doughsce
TOR the purpose of extending slavery; whsseas few will
now have the hardwood TO say that the real motive for
defeating the Clayton bill 10 keep the question open
during the presidential canvass for the joint benefit be
wings, abolitioniss, and soers order enable
them. by their combined efforts. and nepassuance OF
preconcered plan Of operations, to defeat General Cass
s sad After The ns
sent to the Senate, an Oregon territorial biIl coninngs
clause prohibiting slavery in that tsrfiory They did
for that would have sstiIsd the whois slavery question.
and defeated all their schemes for controlling he pres
DENTAL election They e6oss % leave tie people d
Il. soo: q r sssssh, s:s.: -. s %
lose the advantages Of the slavery agitation IN the pe
dental campaign The same vote which passed me bill
caforns Il The object Ssd been 70 give he people
government and At the time prohibit the institution
Of slavery; So California and NsF Mexico were ied
unprovided for, and the OREGON bill sent 70 the Senate
Mr. Douglas moved to amend the bill BY incorporating
into 1t the Missouri Compromise in order to settle the
slavery question forever upon the continent Of Ameca
and give to all the territories the benefits OF civil gov.
eminent The Senate sustained HE motion BY lanp
majority, and sent the bill, amended back to the House
Tor their consideration The allied forces in The House
refused TO agree 10 the Scnas amendment and sent the
bill back TO the Senate in its original ahape The ques
ton was then distinctly presented, whether the Senate
should defeat the bill because contained an unnecessary
and useless provision. and thereby leave the people Of
Oregon unprotected the House proposed TO leave the
people OF New Mexico and California, or whether we
should s pas i with that provision n II M. Douglas
IN IT, rather than TO leave the people OF that distant
territory without a government He would have
preferred 10 have had that clause stricken out
not that he expected or desired slavery 10 10
there, Tor everybody knew that there was not the
slightest possibility Of that; but because il was I'M
necessary, and offensive 10 southern snds for bs
reason that II was unnecessary. Slavery already
prohibited in the territory The people had framed for
themselves provisional government and in that organic
law had expressly prohibited slavery. Mr. D. had en-
amined the journals Of that Oregon government, and
found that this provision had been adopted By unan
nous vote had been many years in force and no Al.
tempt had ever been made repeal il The territorial
b Tor which he was then called upoa vces contained
clause prepared BY himself continuing 10 force this and
all other laws adopted by the people Of Oregon subject
howevsr. 10 be repealed by them He thought thai this
prohibition sufficient without adding another on the
Top OF il in the bill The proposition 10 add another
10 this looked II il desgnedo irrtale md senae
southern friends rather than TO accomplish any pe
heal good u had the appearance Of being done fcr the