The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-05-28

ALA I'm fh1M EA@kAEoibENl
SHEswooD FoREsr. May 81, 1850
My DEAR SIN Your letter OF the 10th, requesting my
views touching the expsdency Of adopting and carrying
INTO elect the compromise scheme which has recently
been reported from the special Committee OF Thirteen,
reached me N due course Of mall and recognising the
claims o. long continued friendship which am quite
wishes Let me premise that, although secluded from
The Affairs Of the political world the agtations which
disturb the country have failed reach me, and most
painfully to stlct me- They have arisen on question
which alone has power seriously 70 affect the stability OF
our institutions; question which admits but OF one
means Of solution and that is in the practice OF perfect
justice by the members OF the Union towards each other
Let the case which agates be stated to any i'm
partial arbiie and be would have no difficulty in settling
great political firm, where all equally entitled to par
tcpae in the benefits OF the concern BY their joint
means they acquire valuable territory Common sense
and justice would declare II to be the right OF ALL free
from every legislative Impairment TO enter upon and en-.
Joy it, with all their moveables and effects But II may
be that from difference in the constituent elements Of
society," the inhabitants OF portion OF the States could not
sit down by the side OF the other portion and prosper
that If held in common, the property would inure
so' sense snd
dictate in such event Precisely what would take
place between neither more or less Letthere
have full and perfect participation in the benefits
of the partnership. This the leading motive
in the Missouri compromise. But. then, a portion OF
the partners hold in holy hsrror the domestic in
suons OF other portions, and cannot consent TO any act
which will give wider spread TO those institutions To
great extent is this epgnance carried that even 10
the Senate among the conscrpt fathers, one OF their
NUMBER and he representative from the most potent
State in the Union. has not scruped substantially % de-
clare that obligations imposed by oath are nothing
that plghed faith between States nothing that solemn
compacs between nations nothing that all and every
tkng heretofore esteemed 10 be sacred and binding among
entertain such feelings and sentiments. ready mode pre-
sents itself to avoid the awful conflict OF real and sup
posed duty They can by rs!irng from pos,G1as wners
them In their retirement they have only to lay aside the
duty OF good chzens and there erect an altar to that
ptiaton The disregard Of oath sacred bond and cove
with the great God Of the Universe But what shall
be done by States avoid the fulment OF constitutional
obligations, and the dispensaiion OF justice Will they
act in spirit Of than Punic faith towards their
associates and partners Surely surely American honor
not 70 e low amd
collisions with foreign natonsit cannot De that now
destined to suffer eclipse Justta fiat ruat eaium was
States Let il still be elevated above the war-cry Of fac
on and il the aversion TO the domestic institutions OF
the South TO give serious dlsquIetude, le
the slaveholng States say SO at once let them tell
the South, eve peace by the side OF this
moral conagon While we remain associated, we can
not justly Or consutionay deny to you an equality Of
mon stock. but prefer be released from our obga
lions. which, while they exist. must be sacredly OBJ
served So let partition the public debt and public
property on terms Of perfect fairness and separate in
peace" Such course, however TO be deplored would
be both lofty and honorable II would realize the reply
Themisioces "Nohing could be for the benefit Of
Athens" said he, han what Themstocles proposes but
nohing more unjust" You will remember that Themis
tocles proposed to the feet OF the Grecan allies
in order to insure the mastery of the Is proposed
10 seize the public lands to obtain mastery over
the Union'
From these reflections, my dear sir. you will readily
deduce the color OF my opinions / think the South
might very well have surrendered to the North and
Northwest the golden treasures of California. and the
rsrhU nd faF m land ri
San Joachim and that the North might have been well
conienied leave open the influx OF southern nstitu
tons all the country south of SO deg. 80 mn In such
an adjustment the North would have had the gold and
all The power that gold can purchase. Whether the last
would have Injured 10 the benefit OF the South rs
extremely predetermined. Il may possibly have been
stimulated to settlement by the hope OF mineral deposies
not YET discovered aware OF no other motive. Be
that il may, the States would have preserved good
faith 10 each Other and all would have been peace and
good will Mature would have presented the barrier TO
emigration from the South, and not Congress; and no
mnrmurs Of discomfort would have prevailed But this
did not sct the views of certain men, Agitation sue
ceeded and Congress, losing its balance gave to Caor
MIA territorial government and provided no means TO
establish the dominion OF law and order She was lett
like estray wander where she could. and either TO
submit the rule OF the sword or TO govern herself IN
NE oes. name, sne was so's may nos Dc @
| advocates OF law and order from the time OF Al
fred could have prevented everything from running into
state of anarchy league oil the good was formed
to restrain the bad and The principles Of our laws were
put actively into operation II has not therefore, been
oil the least surprise 10 that the people OF that
Territory should have formed State government, the
more perfectly protect the rights OF persons and of
property In doing this they have thought proper to ex
clude slave labor by their fundamental Law. II this Is
the result OF the fair and unbiased sentiment OF that
pie they had fall right adopt TO adopt any other
feature OF their constitution In that view the South has
no right object 10 H. II attribute oil self gov
ernmen sppeainng entirely and exclusively TO them
selves in the exercise OF which they cannot be regarded
giving offence to any other people or State What else
have they done Doubtless much that is objectionable
They have embraced the whole coast OF the Pacific and
tract OF country not only not properly represented il at
all in the convention but capable Of making large and
powerful States in themselves at some future day All
this s highly Objectionable, and under ordinary circum
stances, should not be submitted to; but southern
with full knowledge before rs that slave labor will
be excluded from all the Territory OF California however
may be divided, III what consequence 10 Il TO the South
whether the country be admitted more States
Is better for the South that the whole country
should compose single State, since, for some time TO
come win be represented by two. instead OF four sena
the being by birth, by connexion, and
by education, identified with the South
But IL we object 10 the admission OF California az
part OF the proposed compromise and thereby defeat il,
pray tell me what shall have gained BY the bill
reported, Territories to be erected, Utah and
New Mexico. to which. not only 10 the Wmo Provi
so waived, but express stipulation Is made that the
territorial legislatures shal make law upon the sub
ect Of African slave labor Congress s passive, then,
aud the territorial legislatures passive. We might
Justly require more but no impediment produced by
United States legislation, Is in way; II climate infer
poses no obstacle and the constitution oyerrdes Mexi-
Il - .l.- -