Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-01-02
TIE SLAVERY QUESTION.

TIE SLAVERY QUESTION.
1--WE today group together a few notes Of III.
proceedings OF toe Southern Members CT Con
gress ON the 22d December, which we fnd in
the various Washington correspondence, and iol
which we have not previously had space The
resolutions offered by Mr.. Bayly are differently
Represented by the !a,ter writer's The Washing.
ington correspondence Of The Philadelphia Bulle.
tin, PROCESSES to give Them in detail but The
Union quoting them at length from the Bulletin
says we "risk nothing in saying that the above
extract, detailed and positive as It appears &c
><be, does not, in the most remote degree embody
The scope and character OF the resolutions presen.
ted. A very diHeren, view of them is given in
the following passages Of a letter Of "Ion," the
well informed correspondent OF the Baltimore
suns"
Mr.. Bayly's resolutions might, as believe,
be adopted BY majority oil both bouses. These
resolutions referred TO the southern committee
may be reported. They represent, in my opin-
ion, the sentiments OF majority Of Congress.
What are they2 Merely declaration tina, Con-
gress has no right TO interfere in the matter OF
slavery every II is The true doctrine and is
likely 10 be sustained.
Mr.. Bayly, al the commencement OF the de-
bate on the subject, at The last session, made a
most able and, 10 my opinion. an unanswered
argument, to show that Congress has no right 10
legislate for Terrilories-no right 10 interfere in
any way, with this matter OF slavery. II the
southern committee maintain this doctrine, they
will be supported in il by Congress and the peo-
pie. The most extreme of the southern men,
bers are prepared TO uphold this doctrine. Mr..
all = &, hatt
who las been accused OF being dsunionist,
was not at the southern meeting but if he had
been in the city, and present al the meeting, what
could he have done, as supporter OF Gen. Cas-
IN the recent confess, bu, 10 maintain the doc.
trine Of the Nicholson eter"-the Cass plat
form OF non.inlerierencel
We are inclined to think that The following
version OF the resolutions in the correspondence
of the Philadelphia Inquirer approximates The
truth:
Mr. Bayly of Virginia offered series of re-
solutions, embracing essentially, in regard 10 the
rights OF The States and the powers OF the Gene.
raj Government, the principles Of The resolutions
OF 1888. They do not recommend resistance,
but insist upon firm maintenance Of the cons-
tuional rights OF the South, and assert the right
OF the people OF the States 10 resist, in such man
ner as they may deem proper, any unconstitu
tional act Of The General Government! in regard
TO the institution OF slavery. The resolutions
further propose the appointment OF committee
10 draft an address to the people of the slave
holding States, merely showing the progress OF
abolitionism and not suggesting any mode OF re-
medy, leaving that 10 be devised by the people OF
The States and the State Legislatures.
The resolutions offered by Mr.. Bayly, and fl
naily referred TO a commune OF one from each
al w lfafa ll,tH prl fret
the deep attachment OF the South 10 the union of
these States; second that in case OF The violation
OF the constitutional rights of any portion OF the
confederacy, il is the privilege and the duty OF
the States aggrieved thereby, themselves 10 devise
The mode and measure of redress; thirdly, that in
case the aggressions on the rights OF Inc South,
threatened by the recent action OF The House OF
Representatives on the subject Of slavery, shall
bc consu mmated il will become the right and
the duly oil The slavehoding States 10 devise pro-
per measures 10 redress their wrongs The re-
solutions were drawn by Mr. Bayly himself, and
lam very confident that The abstract above given
embraces the substance of them. They will not
be officially published, am assured, for some
days YET, and The only true copy Of them is in the
hands OF Mr.. Bayly.
Mr.. Stephens, OF Ga, moved 10 refer them 10
= committee of one member from each Of the
slavaaolding States 10 report TO an adjourned
meeting on the 18th January An ANNA
ted debate ensued, in which Messrs. Bayly, Sic.
pheus, Toombs, Foote, Pendeton, Woodward,
Butler, Tompkins, Chapman, Morse, Holmes,
Rusk, Calhoun, and Weslcot participated.
A notice OF The remarks of MIR. Calhoun and
some others will be found in another column
Gen. Rusk OF Texas, was in favor Of postpone
menl IL the 18th January. He said that some
seemed to think "that the object for which they
had assembled was to inform the people OF the
unwarIanabe Steps taken within the last few
days, in deroga,ion OF the rights Of the Southern
portion OF the confederacy, and oil the rights OF
the people In the District Of Columbia. II this
were SO, the resolutions fell far short of the object
intended, for they did no, pretend to set out the
action of the House Of Representatives on these
subjects. A true account of that action was no@
travelling through the press 10 all parts OF The
Union. He deemed The object OF The meeting 10
be, however, 10 devise some means by which 10
check blind and prejudiced majority in
Congress from ,ramping upon the Con.
stitution and violating the constitutional rights
of one bali The States of this Union.-How,
he inquired, was this TO be effecled7 Was
1t 10 be the ACT Of one, or two or any select num-
Der Of men1 Was il to be The act OF one or lew
Slates1 Was it TO be effected BY passion, violent
language, aud precipilate ac,ionl All these, il
resorled 10, would fall. II must be effected, he in.
sisted, by cautious, prudent, and firm action, up.
on the part OF all interested. To be OF any ser
vice, there must be unanimitY OF feeling and ac-
tion under the guidance of patriotism and not OF
passion. They had just come out OF a heated
political contest, in which they had been divided
iolo two parties-mutual elimination and recri-
mina,ion had taken place--no time had elapsed
in which 10 pour oil on The troubled waters. He
did not wish 10 be understood as condemnug the
resolutions OF MIR. Bayy, but he thought il pre-
mature 10 act upon them now. The call, even 10
meet, was net twelve hours old, no, more than
two-thirds Of the members from the Southern
States were present, and action then would not
only be precipitate. but would be more likely 10
produce division than harmony.
The motion OF Mr.. Stephens was finally
-t> much unauimi'y, and the follow.
..g SCOTS appointed to report on the 18th
~ Ea committee, we learn from the Bal
rlre So a meeting on Saturday last, and,
ee intercourse of opinion, much
c..7'y .eling prevailing, appointed sub
~ ol We, consisting OF Messrs. Calhoun,
ras sia1 Clayton, Bayly, Morehead and
-.rF
Ne.0 phens of Georgia; Clayton OF
Ceav apman OF Maryland; Bayly Of
Ftsos able Of North Carolina; Calhoun
b s. - lima; King Of Alabama; Foole OF
a. owns OF Louisiana; Morehead of
ntry OF Tennessee; A,chison Of
a-s and Of Arkansas; Cabell Of Flo
Texas.
at this movement may open the
thren of the North TO the madness
n. pom which they are entering, and
en- 10 re'race their steps, under the
-G,e patriotic love OF the Union and re-
9R.C mpromises of the Constitution
hat the seventeen Northern men
(fourteen Democrats and three Whiqsl who re.