Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-03-30
as WE EXPECTED.

,s,;oencer as much an 'organ" OF The powers |
tina, be as The Wings make out the Union 10 De-
rho, President Taylor would have sanctioned Mr.. !
webster's proposition recognizing THE existing
MEXICAN laws, !" (anii-slavery, established church
and all,) or any other proposition Tor Inc 'es'"-
hlishment of some sor of government" LOT me
new territories, even with the Wilmol ProViso al
tached, (which appeared most acceptable 10
Congress-
THE Alexandria Gazette halls with satisfaction
this "au,horized statement, relative TO The course
OF ,he President with regard TO the Cai'io'n'"
subject" as "just what we had night 10 e&Pec'
from the President; and his views VIII o. dl'
proved OF by the people" Yesterdays i''nes
deyotes more than two columns OF EXTRACTS anu
comments 10 tine subject-"for the purpose ~
says) Of forestalliug caplious objections from
Southern Democrats to he views of Gen. iayloi'
as indicated in the article OF the lntellisencef.
Doe, not this of itself show, then, that SUSPICION
of unsoundness on The part oil zen idyioi' w
so vital a subject, may naturally De en'e''d'h'0'
n eyery thing was fair and above-ooard' why
the necessity on the part Of his Southern iriehls
TO yoreslall' objectons2-why THIS pilios w
aPelion on Ossa" OF legislative debates, 10 oreaK
The force of the glazing surrender OF Southern
rights by their boosted Southern PRESIDENT"
We must confess our surprize al The course u
the Times on this subject. IL seriously undtf
takes 10 prove that there was in TACT mol The slsh'
est difference between the proposition oil walker
of Wisconsin and that OF Thompson OF Indiana
Tor rather Webster's which passed the House.
by The vote OF the ani-slaveiy men. lhoh'p-
sons amendment clearly recognized me e1's"ps
laws" OF Meyico-sill The South would have &C.
cep,ed il. had i, been modified according 10 MI
Hunters proposition, so as TO emorace'he Wo'us'
$50 far as the same may not De 1'eonsntens '0ea
As Censtitation Of the U. States" True, MI
Webster declared the opinion that IN Inc OIL 'he'e
was provision that the constitution shoula e
10 the new territories, and that ii superseded any
thing in those countries under existing laws
bur, when appealed 10 by Mr. Wescoi', 10 say
whether he (Mr. Webster) would lake Inc con-
strucion which Mr.. Hunter desired Mr.. WEB
sler lodged the issue, and Showed that there was
something wrong in the matter by replying: !
take whatever is in The bill that /, ALL" II was 10
vain that Mr.. Hunter, avowing 'the most earnesi
desire 10 compromise this question" declared thai
i1,he South believes this Mr.. Thomp'on's pro-
position) will be the re enactment OF all The Mex
ican laws, without reference 10 the CONSTITUTION
of the u. States in vain ne appealed 10 Inc
Senators from the North 10 shew Their sincerity
by incorporating the few words already cned, ana
u, IL 1oe;ra ri The MHYI-
can laws tcty no, lei the amendment be clearer"
In vain Mr.. Hunter employed The following pro-
per. manly and explicit language, as sci forth in
the official debate, as follows:
The question is question which justice 10
all parties requires tina. We should leave unde-
cided. Leave II Undecided then; le, il be decic-
ed By the Supreme Court OF The United States
Now sir am willing 10 lake their decision. Is
not the senator from Massachusetts also willing
10 take that decision. with The Gegree OF assurance
he has nanIlestecf
Mr. WEBSTER. | must not be misunderstood
about this mean 10 say, II there IS awning
we can saw or do, to make The constitution of
the United States paramount law IN Mexico OF
California, il is already in The amendment. For
my part sav, once for all, stand upon il; will
moi lake the risk of agreeing 10 any amendment
whatever, at This stage Of the session, 10 the
amendment OF the House; because think II IS
mere meta phi, steal abstraction upon which we
are now debating. think The case is clear, and
will say, further We cannot keep II out oil sight,
lhe country cannot keep II out oil sight. The
Senate have introduced An Amendment similar
10 This very amendment. BuI am lnterupns
The houefable member, and here rest.
Mr.. HUNTER i'm relation TO this amend
ment, have only 10 say hal had no share in
its introduction. and am 40; responsible tor it,
4 will say nothing further ihan Thai am against
agilatng this, NAV say, Distressing subject IN
this Union now. Nov, sir IL IS known that ihis
does not reach the object which have always
entertained am willing now 10 compronis.
upon what believe 10 b. the iair basis; that -,
| am willing 10 compromise upon grounds 10
leave this question OF difference undecided.
Mr.. WEBSTER Ii is undecided now
Mr.. HUNTER If he believes So, why not
permit me TO introduce that amendment, which
will place il upon that ground on this side OF
the Chamber as well as that IN the S uhern
seo,ion as lreH as the Northern secti0n? am
sure To add nothing further. | wish my amend.
ment TO make II certain; and | wish, SIR, no.
thing pat what is there in relation 10 this mat |
ter He says he is not willing to introduce my
amendment, because IL may en5anger the pas
sage of this bill. Sir, do not think It is IN
danger / think the House will take the same
view of it that the Senator from Massachusetts
does: and if tho amendment passes, they will
ADOPT il; or il il did prevent the passage OF the
bill, it would on'y be upon The ground that the
House intended 10 re-e7.act the Mexican lac acifh
yygora 10 aaceru; and il II does, Sir, if j, does
70 enact that law, would be willing to lose the
bill sooner than it should be done. Yes, Sir, |
would take the responsibility, SO far as my vote
goes, of losing the bill, sooner than to allow the
re enactment of any law of the Mexican Go
vernment TO operate against slavery. The gen.
ueman from Massachusetts says that he under
stands that The laws Of that territory now exist,
that they exist until superseded. We MAINTAIN,
ON the other hand, that they are Superseded
That is our ground | did not rise for the pur
pose of arguing it, whether right or wrong
My object is compromise. deslie 10 settle 'hs
question think II is the part Of wisdom. III
gentlemen Oh the other side OF the Chamber VIII
agree 10 this amendment, l shall make no ooJec
lion TO tbs whole, SO far as am concerned. III
you will not do il, Cannot vote Tor the amend
ment, no mater what the consequences may De,
even if we have TO call an extra session Sir,
know the condition which l present. do net
ask the GoverDm.n Ut TO ieglsatc Tor US; but when
do have right 10 ask that they ,cih not te-
giylate against us-snd il they insist, to vote
against The proposition.
Whatever may have been said BY MIR. Under
wood, 1--WE have very lutte confidence in Ken
tncky Wings on the slavery question y II is EVIL
dent that The Southern members, Mason, Berri-
en-, Butler, King, Maneum, &c, &c, regarded
the subjec, in the same light as MIR. Hunter, and
wished 10 place the matter beyond CONTROVERSY
Blu! the North, with some exceptions, Cameron
and Dickinson refused 10 aceede 10 SO moderate
a propositcp-eviden,ly showing that there was
something behpd--soRe "cat in 1eal-tub"-
which might spring open the South when too
late. Yet the Times, in the face of the almost
united Southern representation of the South in
the Senate, processes 10 see no difference between