Democratic banner., 1849-06-11

~westefthe Mississippi as a dove could havef
rested 4hs sole of her foot upon. It '~ast
not merelyis punishment, but . total ex-
tinction of sisveholding territory ; and done
at a time When the Missouri controversy
was raging, and every effort made by
northern abolitionists to stop the growthpf
slave States. The Senator hSps1 South
Caroline, in his support Of the session of
Texas, and, ceding q part of the valley Of
the Mississippi, was then the most efkcieHt|
ally Of the rsstrictionists at,that time, and
.deprivss him of the right Of setting up as
tie champion Of the slave States now. ]
denounced the sacrifice of Texas then, be-
Ilieying Mr.. Adams to have been the author
of it; / denounce it now, knowing the Sens-I
tor from South Carolina to be its author ;
and for this-his fsgrant recreancy to the
slave interest in their hour Of utmost peril
II hold him disqualified for the office of
champion Of the fourteen slave States, (fOr
Delaware cannot be counted) and shall
certainly require him to ksep out Of Mis-
souri,, and to confne himself to his own
balliwick, when he comes to discuss his
string Of resolutions 90
In these terms I reprosched him to his
face for his recreancy to the slave States
when he was catering for free soil votes.
He was forced to answer, and to admit the
vote in Mr.. Monroe's cabinet in favor Of
giving away Texas, and in conformity to
which vote the treaty was made but with
respect to the Missouri compromise, and
the abolition question he gave q answer
which appeared to be plausible then but
which turned out to be one Of the most un-
fortunate of his life. He said. in his reply
to me. .. I..f., y
q have now met, and ! trust, successful
Ily repealed all the charges made by the
Senator from Missouri, except those re-
lating to the Missouri compromise, and the
abolition question at that period, for which
I am in no way responsible. I wasn not then
in Congress. l filed the office Of Secre-
tary of War at the time, and had 10 agency
or control over it,
This was his answer-the whole that he
chose TO give. I did not then know Of
the proof Of the cabinet consultation, and Of
his opinion at the council table in answer!
to Mr.. Monroe's two questions. The proofs
had not then come to light, and he was safe
for the time, in disclaining all responsible.
|ty for the Missouri compromise, and the
consequent abolition of slavery by a law Of
Congress, in upwards Of one half Of ell
Louisiana; he was safe in taking refuge UNI
der the declaration that he was Secretary
of War, and not q member Of Congress, and,
consequently, had no agsncy in this act, or
any control over it. This was a plausible
answer at the time and he stood acquitted
for the moment. The discovery Of the
proofthe next year, (ls4sj reverses the &C.
quitaI-establishes his agency in the Mis-
souri, compromise act, his control over it.,
and his responsibility for it, True, he was
not a member Of Congress in 1890, to give
a vote amounting to but little among two or
three hundred others, for or against the Mis-
souri, compromise, but he was a cabinet
minister to give a heavy vote, one in i've,
for or against its approval. He was not a
part Of the legislative power, but he was Of
the reto power; and he gave his vote Tor.
the approval, and against the reto. This
shows that he had agency in the question,
and control over it, and is responsible for
it. Considering his position as a southern
man, and his weight in Mr.. Monroe's adj
ministration, and he is the responsible man
for that act. The maj 'rity of the cabinet
were southern, and if he had made the stand
then which he does now he must have
vetoed the acton the contrary he went
for it, and passed it-Passsd the act Of Con-
gress legislating upon slavery in territories,
and abolishing 1t over . million Of square
miles-and now treats such q law as q vio-
l~lation If the constitution. and an insult to