Southern patriot. (Houston, Chickasaw County, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1849-08-08


aiiyes requested, 10 vote in accor
lance with the provisions and tie
pirit oftht said Sth section of the
iaid act, in all the questions which
nay come before them nj relation
10 the organization ofnow territory
now belonging 10 the United States
Or which hereafter may be acquired
either b. purchase, by treaty, OF by
Ii is proper to observe, that the 6th
section TO which they refer contains
the Missouri compromise, which cs
tablished the dividing line between
the western boundary Of the Stale Of
Missouri and the western boundary
of Louisiana. These resolutions he
says he obeyed in letter and spirit,
when in fact he aagrantly violated
them, by his vote for the Oregon
territorial bill, prohibiting slavery
in that territory, without any com
promise, annexed; and that too, to
assert the principle Of unlimited
power Of Congress over the terrific
les. and in open defiance Of all com
promise. He calls that bill his pro
viso, and well he may, for he pass
ed it, when it was in his power TO
defeat it. A very few remarks will
suffice to show that have not ex
pressed myself stronger than truth
warrants.
The first resolution asserts "that
the peace, harmony, and welfare Of
our National Union depends upon
a strict adherence TO the letter and
spirit Of Missouri Compromise; and
the last mstructs their Senators and
Representatives TO vote in aCeor-
dance with its provisions and spirit
in all questions which may como up
before them in relation TO the organ
Iization of new territories or States,
out of territories now belonging TO
the United States, or which hereafter
may be acquired" No instructions
could be more full or explicit, or
assign stronger motives for obeying
them, especially to one protesting SO
great a devotion to the Union. -
There is no installing the meaning
| lie is instructed to vote for all bills
in reference to the territories which
may conform to the letter and spir-
{. it Of the compromise, and against all
that do not, that is, TO vote for all that
extend the line westward from its
terminous on the western boundary
, Of Texas, for that is its letter and
to secure to the South that portion
S of the territory lying on the South
r ern side Of the line, as eHectually
n as that compromise did, in fact, all
f the territory which lay on the South.
!, crn side, and to vote against all bills
h that did not, for that is meant by is
C spirit. There was good reason tC
: put in spirit for it was understood
i then that the doctrine began to be
n preached that the laws Of Mexico
c abolishing slavery would continue
II in force, unless they were repealed
G. ifnot prevented by some ellectuaI
n guard. No additional remarks car
nj make his disobodience more clear
4 and he now stands condemned TO
II disobeying the instructions of hi
ID Legislature, which he himselfpraiscs
or and which he does not even pretend
j. to charge with disunion.
ID notice in the progress ofthis con
ID munic alton, that Col. Benton evinC
r. cd unusual solicitudc TO conlound til
o. Missouri Compromise and all othC
IS compromises OF the kind, with th
IS. Nilmot Proviso. | attribute it, i
10 part, to desire TO screen himse
10 from the odium of having voted iC
i. the Wilmot Proviso, by conioundin
to it with other measures, that wei
he far less offensive; but said that thel
q. was another more powerful reaso
n. which would be explained in the S,
NO quel. That reason was to sheitt
cy himself, if possible, against q
te, charge Of violating instruction
IN which he acknowledged to be
in bove exception. Ii he could pos
bly, established that the Masou
er- Compromise and the Wilmot PrOvi
nal were indentical, as he would ha'
ice This constituents believe, to obey q
&c. one would be to obey the other
an But | have shown that was impos
lis. bic, and thus he is left without {
ion possibility Of escaping the charge
lis disobey ing them.
on With few additional remar
nal | shah close this long commune
in ton.