The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-03-21

favor OF the acquisition of territory This being the
feeling Of the Wing parry they seized upon the wino
70 defeat all acquisitions Southern wings even voted
for the Wimot Proyso- under the yeas and nays
and many more in the committee Of the WHOLE where no
journal kept and justified their votes afterwards upon
the ground hathey given with view TO The pro-
hlbon OF slavery but os the OF defeating the
acquisition Of any territory from Mexico Had me scheme
succeeded, the hopes OF the wings would have been
Ieaiizeds The pride and pendces Of Inc SCUM wouiu
have been appealedto to withhold all loi
the prosecution Of the waro compel s a arm;ss snd
terminate hosities without indemnify for our Injuries
and losses in money territory; support OF me Wimo'
Provso therefore, opposition ~ the most insldoa
dangerous and fatal form to the acquisition OF any erfi-
tory whatever For this reason, there was none olher
and without the slightest reference 10 me question OF sa
yery Il hold that i was the duty OF every Democrat
North and Souihof every friend Of the late admnisia.
tion--of every supporter OF the Mexican war, and OF
every advocate Of California ana new Mexico. 70 nave
eray with which God had invested him. We did oppose
Il with mness and resolution, ontl it was defeated for
By oaS S or q 4
New Mexico were acquired by an absolute and NOT
ditioaai title. with the right to dispose Of and govern
Of The United States From The Say on which the raiif
cations OF that treaty were exchanged by the two coun
tries, the Wnot Proviso became an obsolete idea"
having died an eternal death. without the hope Of resur
recton. f
Having acquired the country by an absolute and un.
conditional title. became subject to the jurisdiction OF
tn6 gOVcTnments the same as OreBOn MnnebOIdp I'VE
brasEa. and the Indian territories and when to
institute governments for Them il might might not be
deemed wise and expedient to incorporate in them the
ordinance OF 1857 or the amendment OF MIR. WINTHROP
to the Oregon bill in 1916. could never have voted for
the Wmot Proviso under any emergency or conceivable
state OF facts and yet, under peculiar circumstances,
which have been fully explained another OCCASION
did vote for the amendment OF MIR. WINTHROP in
1s45. and also for the Oregon bill of 1S4S, containing
similar provision. under the name Of the ordinance OF
1857 The two measures were entirely dissmilar III.
yolving different principles, and deriving their authority
from separate sources OF power The was crude,
dgeeted scheme for the attainment Of an end deemed
desirable, in mode unauthorized by the constitution and
subversve OF the principles and policy OF the govern
ment the other is simple plain provision OF law older
than the government ITSELF and in my opinion entirely
unnecessary at the time that i free from insuper
able constitutional difficulty, with the sanction OF pece
dents under almost every administration to warrant It's
adoption.
n How these two propositions should have become con-
founded in the popular mind the with the other, and
especially how the name OF the Wilmot Proyiso which
this government should have become fastened upon the
ordinance OF list, which had legal existence before the
constitution adopted and has since been 90 frequent
ly reenaced, is problem the solution OF which would
be curious and amusing. My time will not allow to
give history OF il Twill venture to suggest, how
ever that the purpose had been formed Of organizing
would be able to control the politics OF the free States, II
not the political destnies Of the whole country The
movement had succeeded admirably The legislatures Of
several States-New York among the number-had en-
dorsed in terms and there seemed to be fair prospect
that il the question could kept OPEN and the agitation
this third party mould soon owe both
der its banner majority of the voters in the northern
States But, unfortunately, just at that point Of time
s bopss
buoysnt the question settled forever by the treaty Of
peace without the Wilmot Proyiso.
The political disappointment too great to be SUBJ
mitted TO- The political temptation keep up the organ
ization under the name, by the adoption OF
ure involving entirely different principles and to which
the nsuperable objections urged against the Provso did
not apply in the minds Of many, too strong to be
sisted BY such patriots II would not do strike the flag
and change the colors lest the rank and file desert
and join new leaders On the other hand, there may
have been in another section Of the Union class Of
men who had political objects to be accomplished by
keeping up this agitation. They had succeeded in
securing the passage OF resolutions by most OF the egs
laures OF the southern States, pledgng themselves and
their people to the Winot Proviso in the OF
its adoption They had never been able 10 bring the
southern people to the point OF resistance TO the ord-
nance Of 17s7 or the amendment Of Mr.. WINTHROP, or
any other law prohibiting slavery in Territory while it
sy
cy, therefore, required that the name, against which the
southern people were all committed should be retained,
IL the agitation to be continued With such patriotic
motives to mpel and control the action OF men, there
difficulty in perpetuaiing the Of the Wilmot
Provso, and Of fastening upon the ordinance Of 1887
and even upon the prohibition OF slavery in the cons-
tuition Of State adopted BY the people themselves
Now. sir, believe have concluded all have to say
OF apolibcal or partisan nature The remarks have
stentu W Oc HtCessdy 10 the NlHul-
cation of my political associates and friends with whom
have acted, or to the justification OF my in
times gone by come TO the examination OF some
Of those topics which have caused so much excitement
here and elsewhere. aude to those very interesting
questions called southern rights and "norhen aggres-
sions" For the sake OF convenience and in order to
comprehend precisely the points ISSUE will read pas
sage from the speech OF the distinguished senator from
South Carolina, containing summary OF these northern
aggressons, so far they relate to the Territories:
The first OF the series of by hieh the South ,ci de-
fred Of as due share OF the Territories originated with
conederacy which preceded the existence OF this govern
ment III TO be found In the provision OF the ordinance
1857 It's effect to exclude the South entirely
vast and fertile region which lies between Ohio the
Mississippi rivers embracing five States one Ter
riioy The Of the series Is the Missouri compromise
which excluded the South from that large portion of Loui.
sisna which lies north Of 96 deg 20 min, excepting what
excluded the South from the whole Of the Oregon Territory
All these. In the slang Of the day, what called
slave Territories and eesoil that is Territories
longing TO savehodng powers and open the emigration
Of masters with their slaves"
twill be observed that the cause Of complaint in each
OF the cases specified predcated on the assumption that
the South was deprived OF It's due share OF the Terrific
nes Upon this point wish to be distinctly understood
diner from the senator IN toto deny the very propo-
son be assumes, and upon the assumption OF which he
brings all his complaints against the North. "The
SOUTH. he says, twas deprived of its due share Of the
Territories" What share had the South in the Terri
tores the North any other geographical division
unknown 10 the constitution | answer, Monochrome a.
ALL The Territories belong TO the United States rs one
people, one naton and are TO be disposed OF for the
mon benefit of ALL according 10 the principles Of the
stituton Each State member Of the confederacy,
has right 10 voice in forming the rules and regua-