The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1849-02-07

questions. What then we do insist on. is, to
10 extend slavery, hut that we shall mol tie
prohibited from INN igrating, with onr property
into the Territories of the United States, he
cause we are Shareholders; or in other words,
that we shall not on that account he di>fran.
chsed ola privilege possessed by all others, citi.
seas and foreigners, without discrimination as
10 character, profession, or color. All. wheth.
ier savage, barbarian, or civilized, may freely
enter aud rr,nain, we only being excluded, !. $,
. We res, our claim, mt on the high grounds
above s,s,~d, hut also on the solid foundation OF
right, justice, and equality. The Territories
irnnsdiately in controversy New Mexico and
Cai6rpia acquired bYahe common sac;
sikcs and efforts Of all the States towards which
the South contributed ar more thar, ter full
share of men.+ to say nothing 9fsynoney, and
is Of course. on every principle OF right, 5uslice
fairness, and equality. enti,leete pa fticiPa'e iu.
iy IN the benefits TO be derived from their nc.
.euisi,ioa. But as imprcgnablsassis this ground
there is anu,he, no, less so, %Eathen, az mem.
hers of The Federal Union, ,hagEerri'o' pies he.
long; and they are heneedselaeed 10 he Terri.
Tories belonging to ,ha2 laStsds States. The
States then are the loi1tfnsvneFs5 Now it is
conceded by all writers on the sn'Ject, that III
ali such Governme nts their members are equal
i--equal in rights and equal in dignity. TO de-
prive, then, the Southern States and their cit.
'zeus Of their full share in the Territories dc.
:clared to belnug to them in common with tho
other States, would he in derogation OF the
equality belonging to them az me'nf'ers OF
Federal Union, and sink them, from being
equals, into subordinate and dependent condi.
sion Such are the solid and impregnable
grounds on which we rest our demand 10 an
equal participation in the Territories.
But as soid and impregnable as they are in
the eyes oi Justice and reason, they oppose fee.
BILE resistance to majority, determined to en-.
gross the whole. At the last session of Con,
giess. hill was passed, eslablishnga a terrific.
rial government Tor Oregon, excluding slavery
,therefrom. The President gave his sanction to
the bill. and sent special message to Congress
assigning bis reasons for doing so. These rea.
sons pre-supposed that the Missouri comPron
Use was 10 be, and would be, extended west OF
the Rocky Mountains, to the Pacific Ocean.
And the President intimated his intention in
his message to veto any future bill that should
restrict slavery south of the line otthat COM
promise. Assuming It to have been the purpose
and Intention ofrhe North TO extend the Mis-
souri, compromise line as above indicated. the
passage of the Oregon bill could only be regard
ed as evincing the acquescence OF The South IN
that line. But the developments Of the present
session of Congress have made II manifest Z"
all. that no such purpose intention now exists.
with the North, 10 any considerable event. VI
the truth of this, we have ample evidence IN
what has occurred already in the House OF
Representatives, where the popular feelings are
soonest and most intensely felt.
Although Congress has been in session but
little more than one month, agreater number OF
measures of an aggressive character have been
Introduced, and they more aggravated and
'dangerois, than have been for years before
And what clearly discloses whence they take
their origin, il the fact, that they all relate to
the territorial aspect Of the subject Of slavery,
or some other ola nature and character inti
mately connected with it.
The frs, Of this series ofagressions is reso-
luton introduced by member from Massachu-
se,ts the object Of which is to repeal all acls or
ports Of acts, which recognise the existence "f
slavery. or auhorise the selling and disPosing
OF slaves in this District. On the question OF
leave TO bring in a bill, the votes stood 50 tor
aud 90 against leave. The next was rrsolo
tion offered by member from Ohio, Instruc
ting the Committee on Territories 10 report
},rihwi,h bills for excluding slavery from Cali
fornia and New Mexico,t Itpasscd by vote
of I07 to 80. That was followed by bill in.
troducpd by another member from Ohio, 10 take
the votes Of The inhabitants of this District. on
the question whether slavery within its limits
should be abolished The bill provided, accor-
ding TO the admission Of the mover, that free
negroes and slaves should vote. On the ques.
tnn 10 lay the bill on the table. the votes stood,
for 100, against 76. TO this succeeded the
resoImnn Of member from New York. in the
following words: "Wh"reas the traffic now
prosecuted in this metropolis Of III" Republic in
human beings. as chaules. is contrary justice
and The fundamental principles Of our political
'sysn, and'is notorinuslya a reproach to our conn.
try, throughout Chri.tendom. and serious
hindrance to the progress of republican liher.
ty annng the nations Of the earth. Therefore.
=. .Resoined. That the Committee for the Dis
trict Of Columbia be instructed to report bill,
as soon as practicable, prohibiting the slave
trade in said District. On the question OF a.
dopting the resolution, the vo:es stood SO for,
and es against. He was followed bya mem.
ber from Illinois, who offered resolution for
abnlishing slavery in the Territories, and all
places where Congress has exclusive powers Of
legislation; that is in all forts magazines. arse
nails, dock yards. and other needfIl buildings,
parchased BY Congress with the consent of'he
Legislature ofthe States.
This resolution was passed over under the
rule of,he House without being put to vote.
The votes in favor Of these measures were
confined to the members from the Northern
Siatrs. True, there are some patrintic mem.
hers from that section who voted against all Of
them, and whose high sense OF Justice is duly