Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1849-03-29
SLAVERY.

They may be considered the "Plat.
form" of the Benton party in this state.
The anti. Benton platform was laid
down by the Legislature, in the adop-
ton Of the resolutions introduced by
Mr.. Jackson. of this county. These
resolutions, together with the report Of
the committee to which they were ie-
ferred in the House, will also be found
in to-day's paper.
The democratic party are divided
on this subject, and as ii is one in which
all are interested, and which will in all
probability be before the public very
prominently, we begin with the begin
ming, in order that our readers may un-
derstand the whole subject, and the
ground of the two parties:
WHEREAS, by the action of Northern
and Southern fanatics on the subject
of negro slavery, the minds of men
throughout the whole length and breadth
Of the land have become greatly excl
ted and disturbed: and whereas, resolu-
lions have been adopted by The Legis-
atures of several of the Southern
States, threatening a resort to revolu.
tionary violence in case Congress shall
extend to our newly acquired possess
ions in California and New Mexico the
law which Thomas Jefferson framed
for the government of the Northwest
ern Territory, and which the patriotic
men of 1889 recognized and approved;
and whereas, our own General Assem-
bly, has responded TO the resolutions SO
adopted by the Legislatures of several
of the Southern States in terms which
we cannot approve, believing as we do,
that the letter and the spirit of the res.
olutons adopted by the Legislature Of
Missouri misrepresent the public opin.
ion of the State, are at war with the
Constitution of the United States, and
menace the permanence of our glori-
Gus Union. Therefore,
Resolved, That in the opinion of this
meeting, Congress has no power or ju-
risdiction whatever over the institution
of domestic slavery in the States of
this Union, and can neither impair nor
increase its prevalence in any ofthem.
Resolved, That in the opinion of this
meeting the Territories Of the United
States occupy position different from
that of the sovereign States; that the
right of legislation existing in the peo-
pie of those territories is subordinate
TO the power of Congress over the sub
jects of such legislation: that to Con-
gress belongs the power of organizing
the legislative bodies Of the territories
of the United States, and of affirming
or disafiirming any of their acts, and
that Congress in the exercise of its
constitutional powers, may do for. Cali
fornia and New Mexico what the
Jef1ersons, the Middlelons, the Ran
dolphs, the Pinckneys, the Masons, and
the Rutledges, the Southern statesmen
Of former generation, did for the
Northwestern Territory.
Resolued, That we sincerely regret
that the Legislature of Missouri re-
fused to adopt the report of the MAORI
~ of the committee of the lower house
upon the resolutions referred 10 them
in relation to the subject of slavery;
which report followed the farewell in
junction of the Father of his Coun-
try" that we should frown Indignantly
upon the first dawning of every attempt
to separate one portion of the country
from the rest.
Resolved, That we do not approve OF
the resolutions of our Legislature, SO
far as they imply a censure upon our
delegation in Congress, and SO far as
they instruct our Senators TO oppose
any bills for the organization of Gov
ernments for the Territories of Calfor-
MIA and New Mexico, merely because
such bills may contain provisions adj
verse to the extension of slavery into
those territories, which are now free
and which may desire to remain free
territories.
l RESOLVED, That we regard the per
manen ce of the Union of those State:
which are known in history, and 10 the
world as the United States Of America
as inconceivably more important thai