Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-03-02
Friday Morning, March 2, ls49.
TIE TERRITORIAL QUESTION.

The Times makes a desperate tHoi' w so"''S
80 If Inconsistency on the subject OF MI. Pres.
toms bill. "Antipathy 10 TWO distinguished
Wings" (Nessrs. Preston and Belly mas noe
s.nromn;edn us 40 denounce and ridicuIe SUBJ
s,antially the yer measure which il has eagerly
applaudeq a member of its own party, Mr.. Doug
lass OF Illinois, Tor proposing" 1t is true that
we did express a hope that MIR. Douglass last
bill, admitting California alone as a State should
pass-conceiving, as e did, that IL was The only
plan which could be adopted al the present SEES
sion. MIR. Preston's bill, however, is very differ.
ent. Like Mr.. Douglass first bill, which we did
not approve, il authorizes the admission OF both
California and New Mexico. with very incon-
gIuous population, country, products and man.
ners. Willing as we were, for the sake oil The
Union, to acquiesce in the admission OF Califor-
mia alone, with a provision that New Mexico
should come in hereafter when she should attain
the necessary population, we have never been
willing 10 ''pile the agony so high" as 10
admit into The Union The 100 mighty territories
under one numbering Stale organization-in The
Times own language, two "undedged territories
Win lHtlT UlIAcu duu DlSIdtOIJ FoPeu'o'
Mr.. Douglass bill may have produced some evil
consequences, but Mr.. Presion's bill would have
doubled those mischieis. We did not "ridicule'
Mr.. Preston's biil-but we did express our
amusement at The tremendous Flourish OF rum
pets" made by The Wing press over Mr.. Pres
toms proceeding, which, if his supporters
were 10 be believed, was 10 cut the Gordian knot
and settle the whole question al once, and, while
securing the rights OF the STAKEHOLDER, protect the
people of the new territories and preserve the
Union! The Wing papers represented MI.
Preston as such a great man, welding SO mighty
an influence, that we could not but express our
surprise, that his proposition, when presented by
Mr.. Bell, should have received only four votes
in the Senate. In the Wing House, too, with
Old Zach, this "Southern President on the spot,
and with Mr.. Preston's mighty influence 10 bear,
the much vaunted proposition Of The latter was
on Wednesday tainted by the Wilmot Proviso,
and as such, did not receive a single vote. Mr..
Caleb Smiths bill 10 establish the territorial GOV.
eminent OF Upper California, Nth the Hitmot
Propi0 attacied, was then passed, l26 TO ST.
So much for Mr.. Ples,on's great influence in the
Taylor Wing House
But admitting, Tor the sake OF argument, thai
we have changed our views, have we not the same
right as our n~eishbor of The Times, who says:
"For ourselves, We must say, that whilst we
should be highly pleased with almosl any settle
ment OF the question, in which the rights Of the
South should be fully respected, we are, upon
consideration, inclined to prefer the plan OF ins,i-
tuting a temporary government under the author
ity OF the Executive, whether in accordance
with The precedents OF Louisiana and Florida, or
upon the semi-military scheme suggested by Mr..
Webster, TO the admission OF these untledeed Ter.
riiorles, with their mixed and migratory popu-
lalion, TO all The high privileges of a Stale Of
this great coniederacy. Should Mr.. Walkers
proposition be adopted, or any of its modifca-
tons, ii cannot be doubted, that the people OF
California would gain admission as soon as il is
TO be desired"
For the considerations above set forth, and
TO receive the sanction of Congress, we hailed
with pleasure the amendment Of MIR. Walker Of
Wisconsin, which we fully explained on Wednes-
day, and which we rejoice to see passed the Sen
ate on Tuesday by the vote of 90 10 81. The mat
ter now stands thus: The HUE have passed the
bill to establish the territorial government Of
California, with the Wilmot Proyiso attached
the Senate, on the contrary, have adopted MIR.
Walkers amendment TO the Appropriation Bill.
Which body will give way, will now be the ques
ton. MIR. Walkers proposition has this advan.
tage, that it is engrafted on a most important
bill, whose loss may incommode the wheels of
Government, and The House may thus be forced
to swallow it as it is. At all events, we trust
that the Senate will adhere to its amendment
and if a Wing House still persists in the Will
mot Proviso, under all the circumstances, the
South will have some inkling of what they are
10 expect from the influence Of the new Presi-
dent, "the owner of three hundred Slaves and
whose claims in the South were pressed upon
the ground of his opposition to the Wilmot
Proviso.
The intelligent correspondent Of he Charleston
Mercury, wiring from Washington, refers to the
proposi,,on 10 introduce into the appropriation
bill a provision for a territorial government in
California. and gives some insight into the mo-
tives Of Northern Wings. His views seem 10 US
to be reasonable. II General Taylor exer.s lis
power 10 settle This question, he can surely do il.
II he does not, and the question is still left al sea,
we fear that The old man will not be able to It.
sist The party schemes" Of the 'grasping Tariff
monopolisls of the North and East. We lrus,
that The South may moi, in the conflict, ground
beneath the upper and the neither millstone-bul,
10 change the figure, her head is in the Lions
mouth, aud We fear that ne will not be magnani-
nous enough to spare her from his cru shing
teeth
The Southern Wings are fsarfei il The terrific
rial question is not arranged during Nj. Po ks
term, that Gen. Taylor will desert them Gu the
slavery question, and leave them 10 the lender
mercies oi their constituents whom hey deceived
by asserting his sourdnesS. The parties, Of
course, will use every effort 10 have The question
settled al The present session. The Northern
Wings, ON The contrary, have comparatively but
liule snlicitude upon the subject. Thev care
nothing about The embarrassment ofGen. Taylor
or her Southern friends. Their great object is
d Protective Tariff, and il they can, by any
course OF policy force an extra session Of Con-
gress, they will do il. Strenuous %exeTtions
have been made by the agents OF the Coal,
and Iron, and Cotton and Wuollen manufacture
ing interests, who have been here all winter,
10 induce the Wing members OF Congress
70 enter upon the SUBJECT oil the IafiH al the
present session; but the business OF Cabine,
making, and allcttng the spoils OF their recent
triumph, have SO occupied their time tina, they
have had neither leisure or INCLINATION to attend
to the wishes OF these outside barbarians," The
pledge has been given, however, that it will be
the very FIRST business OF the next session, and if
an extra session is called, ii vii! De most exclu-
sively occupied in the attempt TO satisfy the rave
nous appetiles Of The northern manufacturers for
protection, BY permitting them TO plumber the rest
OF the community. A veto OF the appropriation
Bill will, therefore, be a godseDd TO these parties,
and they will do all in their power to pu, the
bill in such shape, as will likely secure it
Whether this plan will succeed or NOT it is un-
certain; but it seems to be The general impression
that Mr.. POLK will have an opportunity, in some
shape or other, before he leaves office, OF placing
his veto on the Wilmoi Proviso."