Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-03-01

and the reasons for it have at length come out
Senator Douglass is not only ambitious and de-
sirous of Southern support, but is himself slave
holder.
WEDNESDAY,, Feb. 81, lo49.
have ascertainod that the British agent, who
according to the Free Fress) passed through
Rurlinoton some weeks since, bound to Wash
jncton TO demonstrate against The Bridge, has moi
vet reached the metropolis. II is possible that
the honorable gentleman is detained all this
while in the ice at the Susquehanna ferry; oil
that the practical demonstration of the necessity
OF bridge which that ferry affords, has induced
him to abandon his GRAND. BE this as it may
suspect strongly that he will meet with no ia
vor here in any quarter. The sources and tho
reasons OF the opposition TO the Bridge are per-
fectly understood here, and believe they are
also properly appreciated.
Yesterday and to-day the Senate has been oc-
cupied mainly in hearing Senator Bell of Ten
nessee, on the California question The ques-
ton was raised on an amendment to one of the
appropriation bills, which amendment provided
State had the pleasure OF hearing the con-
GLIDING part OF his Speech in which he discuss
ed the question of slavery. His position was,
that SLAVERY neuer can erist in California and he
sustained this position with much plauslbility.-
Frst-the climate forbids slavery: the average
level Of California above the ocean is higher
than the Alleghanies in Pennsylvania or the
White Hills in New Hampshire, aud its noun
tain peaks reach 10 the region Of eternal snow.
Second-the soil is unfit either for cotton, rice,
sugar. or tobacco, the great slave products. And
finally, though wheat and the olive and the vine
nay in narrow sections flourish, and though
slave labor might in ordinary cases be profitable
in gold digging, yet in California, slave labor in
this or any other department could never be
profitable, because of free Indian labor, which is
bound 10 take care of the Indians, who, by the
laws of Mexico then in force and now binding
upon US, are free. There are 10000 now labor
ers, and 100000 more in tribes yet to be subdued.
He believed, therefore, that slavery never could
or would exist in California, even il introduced,
and he therefore urged both the North and the
South to settle this question at once in the form
proposed-to wit, California TO be admitted to
the Union as Il STATE, without any reference 10
or limitation upon slavery, leaving the people of
California to take their own course upon that
subject. II this is not done in this form, he an
ticipated that the Wilmot provso would be in
sisted upon at the hazard of dissolving the I'm
ion, and that California would be without n gov.
eminent for two years at least, and the scene OF
disorder and violence, which would forever dis.
grace the American government in the eyes of
the world.
Senator Berrien of Georgia replied briefly
that all these arguments were good for estab-
fishing territorial government, but that 10 ad-
nit California as Stale, would be entirely in
consistent with the provisions of the Constitu-
ton and the practice Of the government in all
past time.
The amendment of Mr.. Bell was rejected, on
ly three Senators voting for it. The question
remains, however, in another form, but it is
doubtful whether it will be decided at the pres
ent session.