Washington telegraph., 1849-03-28
From the N. o. Bulletin.
A OUESTION OF VERACITY.

speech upon the bill TO carry into effect
the 10Th article of the Treaty with Mex
;co for the payment of the first install
mont took occasion TO arralgn the Presl-
dent for the duplicity Of his conduct. Ac-
oordino to the correspondent of the Char
lesion Mercury. Mr. Stephens, in the
course of his remarks, in alluslon to the
nrotocol said it was cheat-that as
President Polk had commenced by cheat
inc. so he would end by cheat, He had
cheated his country first, and the Mexl-
cans last. His whole career had been
a cheat. lie had cheated his party about
"a deg. 40. He had cheated the Penn
sylvania iron masters. lie had cheated
everybody with whom he had had any re-
lations. lie believed now that he had
cheated his friends from the South on this
very question of slavery, for he understood
that the representative from Pennsylva-
MIA. MR. Wilmot) had had an interview
with the President at the time the Provlso
was offered to the three million bill, at
which the President had assured him he
was not opposed to the Proviso, but should
approve of it in some other form than III
connection with the three million bill.
tt seems that MIR. Wilmot, with whom
the alledged interview took place, was
not in his seat, at the time the above re-
marks were made by MIR. Stephens, but
upon being informed of them, he got up
in his place, and corroborated the tact,
that Mr.. Polk had assented to the pro-
priety of Mr. WiImot's introducing joint
resolution containing the principles OF the
Wllmot Proyiso, instead Of the course
that was mplated-adding the Will
mot Proviso to the three million bill. 1t
was in fact compromise OF form and not
of substance, agreed to by MIR. Wilmot,
at the solicitation of Mr.. Polk, and upon
his representation, that the ProvisO, IT
adopted in form, would embarrass the
pending or anticipated negotiation with
Mexico Being over persuaded, MIR. Will
mot Welded, or rather compromised, for
he Welded no principle, declaring that 1t
was immaterial whether the Proviso was
appended to this particular bill, or whether
its principles were incorporated, and re-
.cognized in JOINT resolution. 10 this
latter course Mr.. Polk assented, and as
MIR. Wilmot alledges, he, MIR. Polk, fur
ther stated, that he was opposed to
the extention OF slavery in any of the ac-
qulred territory.
Upon being apprised Of this revelation,
Mr.. Polk gave fiat denial of the truth of
MIR. Wimots statement. Mr.. Wilmot
reloinS, and says, that MIR. Polk eagerly
embraced his suggestion of joint resolu-
ton, Mr.. Polk denounces the assertion
as false,
Thus the matter stands. 1t is merely
a question of veracity hetWeen TWO lead
ing members of the same party. 1t can
have no effect upon, or IN any way intiu-
ence the great question before the coun-
trv. To us it is kind of bear fight, III
which we wopld lake no side, but if we
have IA feeling IN the matter, it is for the
character af the office. that the President
may be able to purge himself OF the
charge of dupliclty and double dealing.
The following are the remarks of MIR.
WiImot, affirming the truth of the state
ment made by Mr.. Stephens:
Mr.. Wilmot made a statement in re-
ference to a part of MIR. Stephens remarks,
which he had not heard, not having been
then in the Hall. He mad had no con-
versation with the gentleman from GeOr-
gia at the present session. He did, how
ever have a conversation with the Presi-
dent when the So 0O0,0O WAS under con-
sideraliou i'll the House, and the President
had remarked that his Mr.. VS. proviso
was giving him great difficulty, as he had
no doubt that he could effect peace with
Mexico fthe $3,0Q000Q were voted. He
(Mr. Wy expressed doubts. when the
President replied that he (the PresidenD
was better informed on the subject than
he (Mr. W. could possibly be. He lMr.
w J then remarked that he should be just
as we'll satisfied to obtain an expression
of Congress, in any other form, declaring
that slavery should not be extended to
territory acquired from Mexico, and sug-
gested that it might be done by joint reso-
luton.
The President then said f.: MIR. Will
met, bring it forward-it will not be un-
popular in Mississippi" He Mr.. W.
was surprised, at the time, that he referred
to Mississippi, but made no reference to
Tennessee, his own State. And, with
much earnestness of manner, he lthe
President) further stated that he " did not
wish to see slavery extended beyond the
present limits" He lMr. w had in
formed gentleman from South Carolina
(Mr. Woodward) at the time. of their con-
Versation, and he had also Informed the
gentle from Georgia, (Mr. Stephens,)
near the close of the last session. But he
objected to any use of it being made IN
the House, because he did not wish to
place himself in the position of a retailer
of conversations. He did not regret, how
ever, that it had now been alluded to by
the gentleman from Georgia. Before