Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-12-13
FRIDAY s1ORNENG, DEaEiMEsE1R l3, 1850.

"Wed down Ia 'hi'ihal either thc boundary Bill Was
be AIKEN, the imminent yiss uf dsuuiun Incurred II
such cnsc where Virginia had hight inrrpo,t
where sine could interfere without infringement OF III
hrst principles Of State lights Mr. Mason took the s;
difficulty and probable d,.nion. can r;t 'aoh man
! with The destines Of Virginia or The Union
And, for the admission Of California though there ~.
some irregularities in her inilia'ory oreanizaon the, wer
almost if not quite unavoidalr There cx:rao:dan
demand for her admission Ittln nui of the regular rain
Of preliminary procerdnas She had territorial govern
Ifrn; in the peculiar Of things existing in III" Stat"
In regard 10 the slavery question: II was nr> 10 impo-s
o orciIn for her probationary state she le' 10 IN
Embarrassing regulations III the International ode a; In
MNcan law- in many respects unsiled To the genius
our inslituo and difficult Of solution TO what was m
n'cpa regulation and what was The Southern peopl
Had hat, too The same opportunity Of emsrang thi!h'
at the Northern people had and BY that making
Themselves portion of the constituency which was 10 or
an and frame the ne" Stae be it rcrm
d Una. persons ana not PToGcy were 70 BE- hr oas'
an ought 10 have hesitned in giving his support 10 the al
Mission of the new State Of series Of measure
yhch were 10 give pence and quiet 10 the country The in
uon hi slavery should have been barrier whatsoever
rhe people Of California Ind The clear right say whehe
hey "oud have slavery or not just as virginia could 10
nuow If she chose abolish slavery and after having abol
shed H. take il back the day after And for Tie boundary
of the new State il for The interest of the South to take
her in with her pressn huge dimensions than otherwise be
better have free Stale than two, and
frre-soi Senators Than four.
II has been ntima,cd further that the Compromise is now
passed and that Mr. Mason will not disturb t-that h,
will "take starting point" Sir, this is the
uation OF his friendsnere opinion his future
Have they authority pledge him cannot trust
10 these assurances There stand acts and hs
corded votes and until oil trace them s "beracd by long
Of pcnence and contrary action, shall regard him
disaected To tho Union, and unfit to be trusted in the
Halls III Congress Reelpct him. md you send him back
with carte blanche in his pocket.
And il said likewise that the Compromise being gen
orally acquicsced in Is no longer practical question: and
that ought 10 retain him for his agency in the Fugitive
Slave Law This excuse much relied hy his friends
cees that n opposing the Peace generally he did
wrong hold them 10 The concession and reply thai II
is bad MORALLY and bad policy offender for do
ing many wrong acts because there is mixed with those
wrong single good II wiser Ia select
Senator who Will do right in all Minps-do the right the
hos right and nothing bni the right BE true both IL the
South and TO the Unon-hiugs by means Incompatible.
The attempt made a!so lu x upon thos who voted Tor
the resolutions OF las, wiuer, and vote against Mr.
MASON, Tho charge Of Inconsistency. II particularly
lurged that bill Ind passed Congress abosing the slave
Irade In the District OF Columbia; that Of our rcsolu-
ons directed against that measure and that We there
fore who against Mr.. Mason who voted against
Hhat measure in pursuance of directions cornered
beyond disentangemsn Those who thus either do
not remember accurately the puport Of these resolutions
pr they do clearly II has been already shown by
reference the resolutions themselves That the positions
therein taken have hot been assaed by any action OF Con-
grcss; and therefore there Of discrepancy between
tie support Of those resolutions and thu repudalun OF Mr
Mason. The propositions totally distinct and ndepen
dent And for The law putting stop 10 the slave trade
in the District of Columbia, tho passage OF such law
Vi the contingencies contemplated Tor resistance
Virginia took such ground Exactly the reverse The
resolution originally reported did lake III but motion
made By Mr. Prndlcon of Giles and Mercer, 10 strike
,u the words or The STARE trade and prevailed By very
large majority and thus amended the resolution was passed
by of l25 10 z So We who vote against Mr. Mason
are corncred yet Indeed, il wonld have been very
madness in Virginia to have assumed any such position io
the law arrestng the slave trade in the District is only the
application the District by Congress It's municipal Le
gslaturc, of municipal regulation common TO Maryland
and others of the Southern States Ii in no way touches
the rights Of the shareholders OF the District.
Mr. said, for these reasons ls could no. assent 10 the
reelection OF Mr. Mason But TO show lathe was Tor Ia
- 81. II, llI
nocatic friends that if they would bring forward Union
Democrat-no who he might be- he had an hon
est namo-he (Mr. S) would give him his hearty support
Sir have warnhearted and strong sympalhies WIN
tn, South any Of hers in all her sunny domain but
h vc symaahH goes dsunion al matter OF en- @S
rth Bring yse lucs with coposuree upon the areaa
catastrophe only when the alternative s some
iniigni,y and uncomfortable wrong shall have forgotten
all the garies of the past and dismissed all he hopes o h
future vote Ia return 10 the Senate an rInooenr
dsnionis tamer with the peace and happiness o uS
great nation and 10 help either Northern Southern ianat-
lea 10 overthrow the main nsrnnentaiy oi lis sifehe
greatness and glory And in taking this COURSE shall
have the nppro5aon ol arg: majority ol my constituents
Mr.. WITCHER had intended 10 participate in the
debate but as he differed with of the gentlemen VINO
had prcceded him. he desired assign the rc1sonS which IN
cnced his vote The present occasion II gave MN PAIN
ii times differ with his political ends but nc toneal
there were occasions when patriot should r1o above party
and be controlled by higher considerations. he said mai nc
was warmly attached the Union md conscious oi me
fearful caai,ies that would flow from its disrnon he
waa therefore willing acquicsce in and abide by the o-
ur,nise measures of the last Congress lie was not now
feyc their eulogisr nn they di not in all respects fe'
with hs approval IA an oalna measure NJ ana no.
there was Il man in that body who thought that the Goi-
nr,,;so raye 10 the South her full and Just rights tl
though the Wnoi proviso had not been adopted yet 'h'
South wns much excluded from her share IN me common
territory as II il had passed But no insult a been orfd
her and she justified therefore, In resisting me Ia"
Of the land He thought the admission OF Cai'rIa was
wrong done The South but no 'oaon OF nr IN
rho nrescnt course Of tho North By tho Compromise shf
gained little or nothing, except what she was already emu
tied 10 under The Constitution and disposi'n was nam
fes,sd 10 deny her The full and iiithfn execution oil 's
sacred rights lie did no; suppose there was man IN W
South who would submit To such an outrage. nns 1t
was willing acquiesce In the uomproms', ne s"ouu -
sist u-un rigid execution OF all i's provi-ons ne "a'
satisfied from the of hs friends that M Ma'r
would abide by Compromise and he should therefore give
. him his vote - - ,h, -, ,.sr, ,ho
new difficulties might arise which would require tho mos
decisive action the part OF the Souh Inc slavery nG
to,n nipht continue and there we're Indications 10 JUSTIFY
Tho suspcion that would be revived in the discussions
the nr,aen Conaess-and what evil does ths Nor cT'
Main of and why is this agitation up! Mercy 70 e
t reoral of law which they admit is secured 10 Inc aou
hv thr Constitution Suppose the aboonsts were 70 sue
ceed in their schemes and slavery should he aooseu WI"
effect could 1t have upon the slave p"pulaoni nheie r,'
,hcy qol Certainly the North for paat experience nae
nroyed TINT the people Of that section would net ao" "
They could remain in the South for the t"o races ne
such circumstances could not exist logf'heii "n' "o "
\ cessarily extermnaie the other -,
The objection had been urged that the re-eerton oi r
v,a,n woud give cncoura To Southern dlsunons
and create false impression the sentiments o sr2i
nj, c acknowledged that there some force IN H. OIL
thought that the reputation Of him by the Legislature "on
o;vc ,ncoursgc,nent TO Northern oboi!ont7, and 81 IN
Two he preferred the former The chief danger 10 lne lo
lies in the nfra OF Southern rights by inc aoo1 10 ~
of The North These mischevous fanatics coIiu'u wa
tho en sunportcrs of ihc South were narSt, u 'ac
ons,s and were not sustained by public opinion fei.-ah
ha even ii slavery abolished In the District oi oum
hin m. South would offer resistance. tie thohSh' 'u
IN. rcpudatinn Of Mason would strengthen lhesf coc
ons and encourage them 10 persist in their
In voting for him. however he did not mean 10 De uhue1
stood as approving hIs whole course In the senate on
belle, ed that he acted from patriotic motives ana nac y
doubt he would do right in future lie thought thai, o -
The conduct OF ultra Southern IN Congress ooleeu"l
bic as il in many respects, the Wmot fto''s" WV"
have been attached 10 the territorial bis . ..
(The nboys is very imperfect sketch ot MI "'''"'
able specify
Mr.. STRoTHER said, ,ha, differing With his esteem
ed and valued friend, (Mr. Witcher) in portion
the views and in the purpose EXPRESSED oy mn,
desired to give his fnr hia lntenaei So'e.
He did not believe that the opinions oi virginia We
m bs EXPRESSED by inferred from the Senatorin eeo
IIe did no, coincide in the opinion that the freso
Mr. Mason wis the mode BY which the intenuon ol tHs
10 Inss, upon the execution of that seeon OF hs coi
mise known as the fugitive slave law must oe lnoica'su
With equal If not propriey, il could be asserted w
his reelection endorsement OF his who's ac.on p
the measures of the compromise Oiher modes shoulu
selected which left nothing for explanation or inference
Resolutions distinct and TO the point, wonld oe '' =.