Democratic banner., 1849-06-11

Ie@SS sS A'SS
Every .Mssoa1ian supporting aim now, will b
llgiving more said and comfort" to the abolition
lists than ten direct voters to that end in the non
slavehOlding States. .s-af:.i
1t is unnecessary for us to say that Col. Ben.
ton has not avcwsd himself in favor Of the vii
mot Proviso-all who have read his speech know
lit. His speech may show a leaning to it, in 1
general sense, but that he is in favor Of it, in tn,
abolition and ihcendiary acceptation of the terms
we utterly deny. His address will Justify n,
such cOnclusion.--&. Louis Union. ~
Suppose we let Benton talk for himself. Inth.
conclusion Of his speech he says:
Very good: they shall know my opinions. Ani
first, they may see them i nmy public acts-inmy
proposals for the admission Of Texas five year.
ago, in which ! proposed to limit the western ex.
tension Of slavery BY longitudinal line, I believe
the lOOdth degree of west longitude--next in my
votes upon the Oregon bill, in which / opposed
the introduction Of slavery there--snd. again in
my letter to the peoPleof Oregon, in which l de.
clare myself to be no propseandist of slavery
These were public acss. But you want public
declarations Of personal sentiments: very good:
you shall have them. My personal sentiment,
then, are against the institution Of slavery, and
against its introduction into places in which il
does not exist $40
If this is nota declaration in favor Of the sPro-
|viso,' it will be judged by his constituents to be
rather ton msch Of "a leaning to Il" to suit the
politics Of Missouri. He is in favor Of all the
lProviso proposes--the exclusion, by Congress
sional legislation, Of slavery from the territories
now free. If he is not in favor of Wilmot's pro.
viso, he 10 in favor Of Benton's proyiso. He is
in favor Of plueking this little laurel from the
brow Of 'Davy,' to plume as the browning festh-
Ter the cap of Tommy: He says, too, he is no
slavery propaganda. This is more of Benton's
Isophistry. He evidently tries to create the i'm
preston that the South is trying to force slavery
into the Territories. The slave.holding States ask
for no extension of slavery. They simply ask
TO leave the question with the people of the Ter.
I~ritories to settle themselves. If, when they form
their State constitutions, they prohibit slavery,
the South will say--amen! H.
B-"Congrsss has the power to prohibi.
or admit slavery, and no one else" Such.
was the assertion of Col. Benton in his late
speech at Jefferson City. And how does
Col. Benton undertake to prove it? Does
ne any where point to the clause in the
constitution that warrants the sssertion?-|
Does he make an argument to that end from
the spirit or letter of that instrument Not
he! Then how does he prove it ? BY quot
ing the opinions Of others and pointing to-
precedent. We submit the point to a think
ing public. The opinions Of any one will
not do, who, according to his showing, has
been on both sides Of the question. Pre-.
|csdent is no fit test of constitutional power,
though it is against the Provisoists as can
be readily shown. We have never seen q
more vulnerable speech eminate from the
Hon. Senator. 1t is sophistry first, and
|soPhistry last. 1t commences BY draeingI
Calhoun before the people Of Missouri, andl
ends BY avoiding the real issue between him
self and the Legislature. He endeavors to
raise a smoke by the cry Of DisuDion-Cal.
oun-Disunion- Cslhoun-and to ~escspe
the true issue under cover Of that smoke
The people are not thus to be frightened
their principle, Of non-intsrfsrsnce
by Congress upon this subject, nor drawn
into the support Of BsIton, Van Buren,, or
any other spostste from their cause.
A. The last number of the Record conf
tsins several articles about the Banner,