Democratic banner., 1849-07-16
TCohciudea from 4h Dnee.7

Mexico and California belonged exclusively 10
the State OF Missouri, as part Of her territory,
could rot any citizen Of those States hold his
property there? Now suppose YOU increase the
humber Of partners and bring in the Northern
States also, does that fact destroy the rights of
The south, and appropriate The territory 10 the ex-
elusive benefit Of the new partners!
There are many other arguments and ~illust.a-
lions which could give you but for want oftime.
l must pass on to other branches Of the subject.
The consequences and INJURIOUS effects necessa-
rily resulting from the adoption ofth'e "prO-
ris0" will readily suggest themselves to
your minds. The language of President
Monroe is clear and forcible on this point
He says: "Slarery is not the offspring Of
the Revolution it took place in our Colo
NAL state; all further importations have
been prohibited since the revolution, in
which struggle the slave states sustained
their share in the common burdens furnish
ed their equal quotas of troops and paid
their equal share Of taxes. That slavery,
though a national evil is most sensibly felt
by the states, in which it exists, that ii
VO"d be Destructive to the achites to confne
At there ; and to the blacks as the Cistribu-
tion 1f them OUer an ertenSire territory and
among naany o,Cners will secure them a
better treatment. That should slavery be
confined to the states in which it exists, as
the free population will continue to emf
crate, the disproportion between them will
in a few years, be very great, and at no
distant period, the Uhoe country wtN fall
into the hands ofLhe blacks. As soon as the
d]isproportion reaches a certain state, the
white population would probably abandon
those states to dvoid insurrect0n and mas
Sdcre."
And moreover, the principles ~of"equali-
ty" which constitute the basis of the union
would thereby be utterly destroyed. The
States of the Union, being stript of their
rights, and determinations being made be-
tween them, some would become the infe-
fiors and suburdinates and ultimately would
be reduced to the abject state of complete
vassalage. And in this aspect the subject
demands attention from all friends of the
Union-from the North as we'll as the
South for if Congress can now make dis
tinctions to the prejudice of the South,
hereafter similar distinctions may be made
to the prejudice of the North. If the prop
erty of the Southern citizens can be exclu-
ded from the territory the property of the
Northern citizens may also be excluded
1t is the great principle of Justice involved,
which should create the greatest alarm and
apprehension. This is but the entering
wedge, which if it should succeed may rend
ssunder, this sisterhood of States, and prove
in the end to be what Jefferson feared "he
death kneN ofMe Union."'
Now in view of these facts, which / have
merely stated as suggestions, rather than as
full arguments, the Legislature ofour State
has passed certain resolutions construction
for the guidance and direction of your pub
lie servants in Congress in their official ac-
ton on this subject. That the Legislature
had a right to instruct, no republican
whether called Wing or Democrat, will at
this day, and in this country have the te-
IRerity to deny. 1t is the doctrine Of JEFF
ferson,-the doctrine to which we have ev-
er held-and the only doctrine which prom
ises safety and security to the people in
the maintenance of their constitutional
rights.
These instructions were as follows =
There they were read.
Now | ask in all candor, whether there
is any thing in these resolutions 80 very
wrong and so very ex~ceptionable. The lam
guage employed may not be the most Judi
cious and appropriate, but the ideas clear
ly conveyed are such as we can all approve
without distinction. The first one declares
that the federal constitution was the result
of a compromise, between the conflicting
interests of the States; which l apprehend
will not be disputed; that asserts a fact
which a mere inspection ofthe Constitution
will verify and concludes by saying "that|
any attempt on the part of Congress to leg
islste or the subject, So as to affect the in
stitution of slavery. in the States, in the
District Of Columbia, or in the territories,
is, to say the least, a violation ofthe princi-
pies upon which that instrument was found
ed"
Is this the resolution that is represented
rs breathing the spirit oftreason and disu-
MON? Is this the Resolution which is inI
conflict with instructions heretofore given? P
Is this the resolution which did not emanate
from any known desire, or understood will
of the people? Or is :his the resolution that
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