The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1849-01-23
THE GALAXY
MIDDLEBURY.VT.
Tuesday, January %, l849.
SLAVERY IN THE TERRITORIES.

INTO the Union as State, has been virtually
killed in the Senate-the Judiciary Commit
tee, of which Mr.. Berrien, of Georgia, is
Chairman, having reported against it. Mr..
Berrien, in his report, maintains that the in
habitants Of California and New Mexico are
not sufficiently familiar with the character Of
our government and the genius Of our institu-
tons, to come into the confederacy at once, in
the exercise of the full powers of a sovereign
State. This ground was taken by the Senate,
he says, while discussing the Mexican Treaty,
and the ninth article of that instrument was
so amended as to give notice to the Mexican
Government, and to those Mexican citizens
who should choose to transfer their allegiance.
that this was not to be done at once, but after
territorial pupilage had made them familiar
with our constitution and with the operation of
our government.
1t is the opinion of the Committee, moreo-
yer, that the Constitution confers no power on
the Senate to create States, or 10 dictate in
any manner respecting their organization, but
simply TO admit States presenting themselves
with constitution establishing republican
government.
All the States hitherto admitted have been
either such as formed part of some one of the
States of the Union. and were separated from
it by consent of such State, or, such as were
formed out of territories ceded by one of the
States, or by foreign government. Of the
former class, the report instances Vermont
and Kentucky. Those of the latter class have
been uniformly subjected in the first instance
TO territorial government.
Such are the main considerat ions urged a.
gainst the bill of Mr.. Douglass and such will
unquestionably be the views of majority Of
the Senate
That Slavery never will exist in the terrific
ries in question, is beyond reasonable doubt
1.-THE whole subject were left entirely at the dis
posal of the Inhabitants of these territories, We
believe it would be decided nearly unanimously
in favor of Freedom, We find no fault, how
ever, with those who would make assurance
doubly sure, and take bond of fate" in re-
gard to a matter so essential to the highest in
terests Of the nation, and SO intimately con-
nected with every feeling Of humanity Let
us have a posture enactment, if it can be oh
tanned without sacrifice of more important
practical interests TO an action that, in itself
cannot amount, in this case 10 anything more
than the re-assertion of an abstract right,
which has been again aud again asserted al
ready-and admitted even by President Polk,
in giving his signature to the Oregon Bill Ct
last session.
We cannot forbcar to state, in this connec-
ton, our regret at the defeat of the biz re-
ported by the Select Committee, of last
session, for establishing a territorial govern
ment over New Mexico and California. That
bill was defeated, only for want of being I'M
derstood. In its practical operation, it would
have accomplished all that a bill including the
Wilmot Proviso, in so many words, possibly
could accomplish-would have settled the
question of Free Labor in those territories
forever, just as every rational opponent of
Slavery would wish to have it ettled-In the
meantime, these new territories, one of them
now filling up with cmigrants, with rapidly
altog ether unparalleled, and exposed, in an
unusual degree, to the violence and anarchy at
all times likely to exist when there is no or
ganized government, have remained still an
o+bo- ,a,r without ans. loraI 80.
der the authority of the United States, and, in
all human probability, will SO continue, for
the year to come. We see no prospect of an
adjustment of the difficulty, unless in the re-
suscitation of the bill of last session. or III the
adoption Of another, similar in purport, and
equally decisive in respect to the great princi-
pie for which the non-slaveholdng States, al
together. and no small number in the slave
holding States themselves, strenuously con-
tend.
The action of the Southern Convention,
some further report of the proceedings OF
which will be found in another column, will |
amount to nothing, except to show that the |
lay for threatening a dissolution with any eff
ect, is altogether past-if such day ever ex-
sted. The South, depend upon it, will not
make question which President Polk aflirms
o be entirely an abstract one, the ground of
my disorganizing action. We see the evil
lence of this in tho debate on Mr.. Calhoun's
eport, and we are gratiied at the tone of mod
with the spirit manifested
" Southern members in former years-which
his debate exhibits. Let us hope that this
Troublesome controversy is near its final settle
nent. If treated with elaboration, good tenn
er, and sincere desire to see the whole SUBJ
sct rightly disposed Of, we have now nothing
, fear, and everything to hope.
THE MILEAGE QUESTION.
We give our readers, this week, a some ,