Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1849-06-20
SENATOR BENTON AND THE
WILmOT PkOvlSO.

tor from Missouri is the Conserved Of all Observers
His position and his acknowledged ability, not
wi,hstandng his many foibles, render his senti-
ments upon any question of public moment, nteres-
ting and important; and consequently, his recent
speech at Jefferson City On the subject of slavery
in the territories has attracted universal attention
BY portion of the Democracy Of his own State he
is bitterly denounced as traitor and abolitonist
while, the other hand, the brethren in the non
slaveholding states laud him to the skies and, in
several places, have already nominated him for
The Presidency. That he will be the candidate Of
the party in 1852 is highly probable, but what tho
Southern fraternity will do in the emergency, is
matter of curious speculation.
In retaliation for certain censures passed upon
him by Mr.. CALHOUN in a speech at Charles
ton last year, Col. BgNTor reviews the politi-
cal course of the former at great length and with
much severity. He exposes Mr.. CALHouk's hcoh-
sisiencies, and proves concusively that, when a
member ofNIr. MoNRoE's Cabinet, he recognised and
declared the power of Congress to prohibit slavery
in the territories In fact he thinks the Proviso should
be called the Calhoun Proviso, as Mr. c., more
than any politician since JEFFERSON is entitled TO
the honour Of lis fraternity. He gives an invento
ry of Mr.. CALHoUNs political Effects Of which the
following items are part.
Laprimis. u. States fasAk charter in islG-op.
position to it when he Joined Jackson in lS30-re-
charter for twelve years TO the Bank when he turn
ed against .Jackson-lS34.
Item, Protective tariff and cotton minimum in
1916; and notification and dis union for the same
| in 1880
| Item. General internal improvement by the fed
eral government in lS23-denial of the whole DOW
er alterward-and admission of half the power at
the Memphis convention.
| Item. Solemn written opinion in Mr.. Monroe's
cabinet in favor of Congress to abolish slavery in
territories, and in favor of the exercise of that pow
| er over the whole Of upper Louisiana north and
west of Missouri together with the resolutions in
| the Senate of the u. States in 1917 DENYING that
power IN totO-.Nota Bene: The written opinion is
lost or mslad but its existence can be proved, and
that is good in law and equity.
Item. The diplomatic correspondence with for
eign governments on the subjec, of Slavery while
Secretary OF State under Cor over) Tyler, and espe-
caly the Autograph letter of forty foolscap pages to
the king of the French TO indoclrinate him in the
| new and sublime science of neg.o-ology.
Item. New mode OF amending The constiiuticn
Of the United States on the subject of internal i'm
provement by making inland seas out of river and
! three States--invented at the Memphis conven-
ton.
Item. Opposition to The highway of nations be-
tween st. Louis and San Francisco because part
of it will have to go through free soil and besides,
when the UTon Is dissolved the road would be on the
wrong side Of the line.
Item. The army of political martyrs preparing
tn march TO the southern convention, preceded by
the ''iorlorn hope" from Missouri, and having for
| its banner the Accomac resolutions.
| With Characteristic bodness, Col. BENTON de-
clares his personal sentiments in relation TO the
Wimot Proviso. He is opposed to the introduction
of slavery into places in which it does not exist
''If there was no slavery in Missouri to-day" says
he, 81 should oppose its coming in If there was none
in the United States, l should oppose its coming
into the United States, as there is none in New
Mexico or California am against sending it 10 those
territories, and coid rot vote for such measure
declaration which costs me but little, the whole
dispute now being about the abstract right. No
one asks for the exercise of the right, and cannot
ask II in the face Of the dogma which denies the
power to grantit. States do as they please. These
are my principles"
"There is no slavery now" he continues, Sin
Mexico and California and consequently none in any
territory belonging 10 the u. 5. and, consequently
nothing practical or zeal In the whole slavery QueS-
lion, Tor the people of the w. States quarrel about
There snoslavery by law in any territory; and
cannot get there by law except by act Of Congress
and no such act will be passed, even asked for
The dogma of no power in Congress to legislate
upon slavery in territories, kills that pretenslon-
No legal establishment OF slavery in California and
New Mexico Is then To be looked for. That is Ger
tain. Equally certain it will never be established
in either Of them In point Of fact. The people of
both territories-the old inhabitants are Unanimous
ly against it. Of the new emigrants all those from
Europe, Asia, Mexico, Central and South America
ard all those from the sayeholding part of the
United States, will be unanimously against it,
There remains, them TO overbaance ali this unani-
nous mass, only the emigrans from the savehold-
ing parts Of The United StateS--in itself the small
est branch of the emigration, and it divided on the
! questlon-many going for the express purpose of
getting rid ot saveIy-and very few so Tar In love
with 1t as TO 60 that distance for the pleasure of
having law suit with his own negro, and with the
certainty OF coming out second best in the contest
| There Is no slavery, at this time, either in New
Mexico or California, in law or in fac; and will
never be, either in law or in fact. What, then is
all the present uproar about? abstraction the alb
stract right Of doing what cannot be done the in
suit to the sovereignty of the States where there is
insult! all abstraction and no reality substance
or practice 1t It,"
''The Romans had class ofdisputes which they
called de LnG capriea, that is to say, about goats
wool {; and as the goat has no wool the dispute was
about nothing. So il is of this dispute among us
bout excluding slavery from New Mexico and Cal
ornia there is there to excrds; end the dis
| pute now raging is about nothing"
TIE CHoLERA.-In New York during the "a
hours ending on the 18th, at noon, there were SO
cases and 10 deaths by cholera.
| In nh he d