The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-06-25

IS not on this account ldeStre the settlement
but because il will afford evidence that gen
tlenen from the North are willing to meet
ON terms Of equality--to give and takc--and
not ready to assert the policy that an interdic-
ton OF slavery is the sine qua non 10 an adnls-
sion into the Union. II will prove to the peo-
Pile Of the slayeholding States, that this Gov
eminent has not vet obeyed the impulse Of
those who would pervert its powers to their in
i jury, and the destruction OF their property
say | am willing to carry forward the Ms
souri, Compromise in its true spirit. believe
/ it is our duty to DO so, and that the North is
bound, in honor, to agree to It. 1t IS true,
the Missouri COMPROMISE was but law, and
as such is not per Sc binding on subsequent
| legislation. II was not intended to supply a
casus O0,issus of the Constitution, and was
understood at the time as an agreement be-
tween the people Of this country, North and
South, that the power Of the General Gov
eminent over the institution Of slavery in the
territories, should be regulated by the lati-
tude in which the territory was situated.
The compact was Just as binding as any
power, short Of an absolute amendment Of
the Constitution, can make it.
The resolutions Of Texas annexation car
riel the terms Of the Missouri Compromise
through a State about to enter the Union.
The destiny Of Oregon was expressly settled
upon the same basis, by the last President Of
the United States, Why was the South con-
| tent with these results when they were pro-
claimed' Because the spirit Of that COM
promise was understood to be the basis Of
each settlement. 1t cannot be said its terms
only extended to the country embraced by
the boundary Of Louisiana, for neither Texas
nor Oregon were embraced by Louisiana.
On the part of the slave States, the contract
is executed, the consideration has been ac-
cepted by the free States, and according to
every idea have Of fair dealing, their part
Of the stipulation should now be performed.
1t is not the amount Of territory about which
am solicitous, nor yet the mere point Of
honor. entertain invincible repugnance to
the assertion Of the inadmissible principle in
this Government, that Congress may, by
law, bring the energies of the Government
| to bear in a hostile manner upon that which
is recognized as property in the States, and
that the majority may, by law, exclude the
I iiiho'itJ uoHi u i'ii P"ltiS'pasioA au WV ~
QUESTIONS of the country.
! Gentlemen from the free States have ac-
customed themselves to say, that they will
not consent, under any circumstances, that
slavery shall extend an inch beyond its pre-
sent area. II this is meant merely to ex-
press intense antipathy to slavery, have no
observation to make in regard to it; but it
| fho Noc
that in many cases, readily supposed, the ir-
reversibeness Of this sentiment would pre-
sent perfect paradox in morals. trust the
day will never arrive when the dogma shall
find practical assertion by general legislative
act. In it's broadcast sense, it must be UNI
derstood as placing slave property under the
ban Of the empire, for it amount practical
/ ly, to the same thing as the Wilmot proviso,
applied through the present and the future
/ 1t is not my purpose to consume time by
the discussion of the correctness of any abb
/ stract sentiment; want to deal with the case
in hand, trusting that the present emergency
being provided for, the future will furnish
no occasion for continuation Of the discus
sion.
California demands admission as State;
she has sent to the Capitol two members, as
her quota in the popular representation.
Without authority from Congress, she
for ned a constitution. "Dressed in her
robes Of freedom, gorgeously inlaid with
gold" the "young Queen of the Pacific"
has assumed the sceptre of sovereignty; her
constitution is submitted for cur examina-
ton; her legislature forms laws, and her
Governor already enforces them; she claims
the right OF empire within boundary in
which she yields to this Government the
right Of eminent domain; her position pre-
! sents to our consideration single alterna-
tive-we must confirm what she has done,
and ADMIT her into the fami y of American
States, or we must, by force OF arms, if
necessary, disrobe her of that gorgeous
mantle which has been hailed ,cith genuine
| Eastern alteration, and remand her to her
former condition of military pupilage. Cali
fornia was entitled to civil government
! the men who rushed from the United States
to her sites of commerce, and her placers Of
gold, understood the great right OF self
/ government, and asserted it. Their right
to form State constitution, at proper
. time, to suit themselves, is an admitted
right which nobody contests. If any fault
has been committed, the censure rests here,
not there. Under the treaty, it was the
duty Of Congress to give to that people at
least territorial government; but the same
Representatives who are now clamorous for
the admission of California, because they
see the prohibition Of slavery ingrailed by
her people into the State constitution, re-
fused TO perform this duty last year without
the restrictive clause.
While much remains undonc that should
have been done before State government
was instituted-while Congress would have
been better prepared to decide with wisdom
on the boundaries suitable for the State, had
the county been first sectioned, its exact
area determined, the relation Of mountain,
and streams to each other, aud to tht coasts