The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-12-18


IDENTIFY becoming the favorite, if not for
midable, candidate of the Opposition. Gen
tlemen then slept on the matter, and had
twenty -four hours for the examination OF
the journals and the Congressional Globe.
When they met in the House on Tuesday
and Wednesday, they knew, or they ought
to have known, Mi BRowN's recorded
votes.
Mr. ALLEN, of Massachusetts, no doubt
knew, with the rest of his associates, that
Mr.. Brown had voted, against Mr.. ADAMS,
to lay OH the table, without reference to a
committee, certain resolutions of the State
OF Massachusetts,, on the 22d of December,
lS43. These gentlemen knew that Mr.
Brown, not many days afterwards, voted
to lay on the table petition from sundry
citizens of New York, offered by Mr.. WASH
INGToN HUNT, praying that the ordinance
of 1887, which prohibits the existence of
slavery in the northwestern territory Of
the United States, may be extended over
all the territories of the United States lying
west of the Mississippi They knew that
on the same day he voted against consid-
ering the question Of the reception of GER
tain resolutions of the Massachusetts leg
islature, asking for an amendment of the
Constitution, SO as to exclude that portion
of the representation of the southern States
which is based on their slave population.
| The Free-Soil men knew that, at the
second session of the 2Sth Congress, Mr..
Brown voted to lay on the table the reso-
luton of Mr.. ADAMS for resembling the
18th rule of the House, in regard to the
reception of petitions. They knew that
he voted against resembling that rule.
! They knew that he afterwards took an &C
tive part against the right of petition
moving himself to lay the question of re-
ception of petitions on the table. They
knew that he had voted against the sus-
pension of the rules for enabling Mr.. HALE
/ to move an amendment to resolutions
for the annexation of Texas, proposing
that if Texas were admitted she should be
| divided into two parts-ln one of which
/ there should be no slavery, nor involun-
I tary servitude, except as punis hment for
crime. They knew that, in a speech on
! the annexation of Texas, he had an
nounced that he was ready and prepared
to sustain the institution Of slavery 10
.'the farthest extent" They knew that
! on Mr.. WINTHRoP's amendment to the
/ Oregon bill, which was concurred in by a
vote of l31 to 69-which the Union has
| stigmatized as the Wilmot- Winthrop pro-
viso--Mr. BROWN separated himself from
all the members from his State, and from
his friend Of the sole organ of the Demo
cratic party While Mr.. OWEN, Mr..
HENLEY, Mr.. THOMAS SMITH, Mr.. j. w.
! DAVIS, Mr.. WRIGHT, Mr.. PETIT, and
Mr.. KENNEDY, Of the Democratic side Of
the Indiana delegation, and Mr.. c. b.
SMITH and Mr. SAMPLE Of the Wing side,
voted in favor Of Mr. WINTHRoP's amend
ment, Mr.. BRowN alone Uofed against al.
We are not now discussing The proprie-
ty of any of Mr.. BRowN's votes. We
are not arraigning him for the exercise of
his right, as representative, TO Judge and
decide for himself. But now that Mr..
Brown is an historical subject, it is in
eresting to the public to understand what
have been his votes on these great ques-
tons.
We have presented above the principal
votes of Mr. BRowN during his Congress
sonal career. They were known, or ought
. to have been known, TO every man in the
House of Representatives on Tuesday, the
eleventh instant The FreeSoilers who
voted for him on that day knelc that he
was pledged to slavery to the "farthest
extent''-and that he had separated him
self from his whole delegation to vote
against a modification of what afterwards,
with additions, became the WIlmot pro-
viso, but which at that time existed in a
shape 80 inofensivc that IL was voted foI
by Mr. BURKE, and is vouched for by the
Union as a very unexceptonable PROPOSE
ton for Democrat TO vote, though very
odious for Wing to NEEDLE with. The
! Democracy, pure and simple, from botf
sections, knew Mr.. BRowN'S votes, anc
knew that the Frees oilers could not be
ignorant of them. When, therefore, the
!. two branches Of the Opposition came
marching up side by side and shoulder tC
, Misunderstanding Mr.. WILuAMJ. BRowr
= in triumph at their head-we would ash
= if there is any amount Of protestation tina
can remove the damning internal eyidenc,
r. of an understanding, connivance and com
= plicity between the two parties, that ex
Q tend far beyond the immediate actors II
the drama and include many other indi