The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-10-11

TACT, anu reHecung upon What IL would
have said of General TAYLOR but for his
being Wing, become sensible Of the IN
justice it has done him, OF grow sceptical
of the propriety and truth of its denuncia-
tions--if il should cease its libels and do
Justice to a soldier who has filled the
American people with joy, and flooded the
American arms with glory; if it should do
this, and straightway the senior editor
may once more laugh at "reminiscences"
which are accommodating too fast for the
blythest diaphragm.
The ..Union" on Its Juniors Provisoism.
The Union got itself into towering
passion, day or two since, because we
exposed Mr. Burke's vote on the proviso
to the Oregon BILL We published the
proviso" for which Mr.. Burke voted,
and alongside Of it the "proviso" which
Mr.. Wilmot subsequently introduced, and
which has since borne his name, leaving
our readers to draw such distinctions be-
tween the two as they could Mr. Burke
did not vote for the 'Iproviso" submitted
by Mr.. Wilmot, for Mr.. Burke, not being
a member of Congress at that time, could
not But Mr.. Burke did vote for the pro
viso to the 'EOregon BILL" for Mr.. Burke
was member of Congress when that
measure was brought up, and could do
so. The "proviso" for which Mr.. Burke
voted was introduced by Mr.. Winthrop,
and is in the following words
Provided, ho,oeper, That there shall neither be
slavery nor involuntary servitude in the said terri
tory, otherwise than in the punishment of crimes,
whereof the party shall have been duly convicted
For this Mr. Burke voted and for saying
as much, we have been accused of giving
currency to SANDER. 1t is the misfor
tune of many of Mr.. Burke's compeers to
regard reference to their public acts as
slanderous.
Those who infer from this vote that Mr..
Burke is Wilmot-proviso Abolitionist,
only take the Unions Interpretation as a
guide, as we shall proceed to show.
The Wing party, at the commencement
of the last Congress, had small majority.
On Monday, the 9th of December, 1S47,
the Hon. Robert c. Winthrop, Wing,
was elected Speaker. The Union of that
day announced the proceedings of the
House in these terms:
''They came together this day; and their first
act is TO appoint Mr.. Winthrop, of Massachusetts,
| their speaker We have not the slightest DISPOSE
ton to disparage the abilities the standing of
this gentleman But one fact is notorious that the
| southern Wings have united in putting Wilmot
| provso politician in the chair. Wimot proviso!
Call it rather the Winthrop proviso. He had the
honor of introducing SUCH proriso into the House
| of Representatives. before Mr.. Wiimot entered that
bodu We quote from the speech Of General Bayly,
of Virginia. delivered in the House of Representa-
tives on 18th February, ls47, on the Wilmot pro-
viso." Here follows an extract of the speech.l
|
ssHere, then, is the proof, that before Mr.. Ulmot
had the opportunity Of introducing has pouiso, Mr..
Winthrop had brought ii up IN a prerious Congress"
We have shown that Mr.. Burke voted
for Mr.. Winthrop's "proviso." The
Union has admitted that he so voted.
Now, if ''Mr. Winthrop had brought it
1.-THE Wilmot proviso up" before "Mr.
Wilmot had the opportunity ofintroducing
it," and Mr.. Burke voted for it, is he not
as much Wilmot-proviso man as though
Mr.. Wilmot himself had introduced itl
We desire the Union to explain how Mr..
Winthrop is a Wilmot provsost and Mr..
| IN II /. L.
case.
Mr.. Collamer and Truman Smith, the
Union informs us, and the journals of the
House prove, voted for the ''proviso"
along with Mr.. Burke. Since then the
Union has denounced Mr.. Collamer and
Truman Smith as Aboltionsts. How are
they any more Abolitionists than Mr..
Burke, who voted for the "Winthrop
proviso," or, as the Union calls it, evil
mot proviso," at the same time they
did' By what process of reasoning is
it that the Union convinces itself that
Mr.. Burke, and Mr.. Collamer, and Mr..
Truman Smith may all vote for the same
thing, and yet that very vote proves two OF
them to be Abolitionists and the other
notl And how is it that Mr.. Winthrop is
a Wilmot provisoist for bringing in a
measure, when it is a SANDER and a libel
against Mr.. Burke to call him provisoist
for voting for IT.
Does not this revelation show that the
Union'S denunciatons against the Wings
as Abolitionists are sheer humbugl the
merest deception and trickery' 1t not
only proves this, but 1T reveals another
truth: that those who rely upon such arts
to sustain cause have need Of wonderful
memories. The junior editor of the
Union, while ago, denounced PROPOSE
| Al ID i ~