The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-03-20

wished to amend in lo43-the thlrd clause OF the
second section Of the first article" One western
gentleman proposed in the North Carolina Legis-
lature
'sAnd be IL further enacted, That the Constitution
be 80 amended as TO provide that the Senate shall
hereafter be apportoned among the several coun-
ties Of this State according to the Federal basis and
The members Of the House Of Commons according TO the
,niite population qf the State"
For this amendment forty western members
voted, Wings and Democrats, and among them
some Of the best men in our State.
Another gentleman proposed /" that, in all future
arrangement Of Senatoria districts, the whole num-
ber Of white population Of the State alone shall be
divided by fifty, and every ftieh part Of the tchte
population alone shall be entitled TO a Senator" /"
Our State senators are elected according to a ba-
sis of taxa ton
Another genteman-a boider and truer man is
rarely to be found-proposed an amendment, that
!" the members of the House OF Commons be appor.
toned according to the white population OF the
State Reected--yeas 36, nays 66. And then,
Just as these political movements are made in the
northern States, another gentleman from my col
leagues district (Mr. CLNaMAs) moved that "the
words federal population" be struck out Of the con- n
in the stead. Rejected 2s TO &c.
This last gentleman-a Democrat-thought he
would go beyond what the Whig member had pro-
posed. Shall these men be called Abolitionists'
No, sir, no; they would be the first to take up arms,
if it were necessary, against them. But in Massa-
chusets proposition of the like character is de-
nounced being the result OF the wicked designs
ask my colleague, (Mr. CLINoMAN,) what shall be
said of the "white basis advocates in western
North Carolinal Are they agitators? think the
people in eastern North Carolina will ask my col
league stop agitation at home before he threat
ems to dissolve the Union for agitation abroad.
Now, Mr.. Chairman, the members Of our State
Legislature who made these propositions are not
fanatics. They true sons OF the old North State
They live in the most beautiful land that the sun Of
heaven ever shono upon Yes, sir, have heard
the anecdote from Mr.. CLAY, that a preacher in
Kentucky, when speaking of the beauties of Para
disc, when he desired to make his audience believe
it place Of bliss, said il Kentucky OF a
place. Sir, this preacher had never visited the
western counties of North Carolina. have spent
days of rapture in looking at her scenery oil unsur
passed grandeur, in hearing the roar Of her mag
nfcent water falls, second only to the great cata-
ract of the North; and while gazed for hours lost
in admiration, at the power Of Him who, by his
word, created such country and gratitude TOR the
blessings he had scattered upon 1t, thought that
| if Adam and Eve, when driven from Paradise, had
| been near this land, they would have thought
themselves in the next best place to that they had
left. ! could but thnk-I hope reverently-of
what was told the children of Israel they should
| have, when he said
''For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a
| good land-a land Of brooks of water-of fountains
and depths that spring out of valleys and hills !;
/ "a land Of wheat and barley and vines and fig
trees and pomegranites land of oil, olive and
honey; land wherein thou shalt eat bread with
out scarceness; thou shalt not lack any thing in
! a Ii
| hills thou mayest dig brass"
| And to this country, for want of railroad, the
| East are strangers. And now, when our patriotlc
at home forgetting all party calls, are, with
united effort struggling nobly to build this road,
to make better acquainted, to build up cities in
the East, TO give our farmers market for their
produce, to stop the tide of emigration, TO bind the
| East and West together in indissoluble bonds ol
interest and affection, our ears are saluted here
with the hoarse brawling OF disunion! And we
are invited 20 contemplate the glores ol southern
confederacy, in which Virginia and South Caro-
lima have great cities, to be supported by the
colony or plantation of North Carolinai southern
confederacy in which the rulers will lead US int
an unholy crusade, as far as Vera Cruz, TO conque
territory, to give the "sons of the Presidents" 4
markell!
When the American army was rejoicing at th,
surrender Of CORVALLIS at Yorktown; when tn,
acclamations of our revolutionary patriots, anc
their thanks 10 Providence were poured forth from
their grateful hearts, II is said that Scotchman
whose bullock had been taken TO supply the wants
of the soldiers, was heard to shout through the
army, "Beefi beef beef 20 when he was clamor-
ing for the price Of his property. The genius o.
the illustrious Patrick Henry has given this man
an unenviable notoriety. In the minds Of the peo-
pie Of North Carolina the name Of John Hook vii
be associated with these advocates Of disunion and
civil war.
Bot the hearts of the great mass of our people o
both parties right. Our great railroad mus
and will be built. In few years, the enliveninl
sound Of the steam whistle viii be heard in the re
|
up among us, and the "ttle hills shall rejoice Of
every sidc' the valleys shall stand 80 thick witt
corn that they shall laugh and sing"
Yes, sir, we will build this road; and with tn
electro magnetic telegraph we can commuDicat
news in few hours 10 places distant hundreds o
miles And let instruction take place, our gal
liant mountain boys-and, among the first Of them
the "white basis" members Of our Legislature
will come down by Thousands to our aid. The,
will come cas- the winds come when navies ar
; stranded"
But ] must hurry on. memorable, relentles
time will not stay his march, even TO hear me speal
Of the future glories Of North Carolina.
come now 10 another reason assigned by som
why should think Of disunion. II was also re
ferred TO in the southern address. II is the "noto
rious GorT's resolution" Now what is it'
have a copy before me- In December, lS4s
Mr. Corr offered this resolution II had 10 southern
gentlemen offensive preamble, "of the traffic II
human beings" &c but the resolution is as fol
lows:
.'Resolued, That the Committee for the Distric
Of Columbia be instructed to report bill as sooI
as practicable prohibiting the siars trade in salt
District"
The resolution was adopted. Afterwards reconsid
cred, and action believe was ever Afterwards hac
| upon IL. And here, by the way, wish could hav'
some good reason why the southern Democrac,
voted for the previous question, with the Abolition
, ists on this resolution Why action desires
tion-this s THE resolution which reused the South
and brought about The southern convention whicl
issued the southern address IL proposes simply 4
abolish the slave trade In this District
If ] understand correctly the opinions Of Mr.
CLAY, IN his recent and former speeches, he has
pressed his willingness that the slave trade in thi
District should be abolished. But because he was
candidate for the Presidency, he has been called
Abolitionist But have strong southern autborit,
10 support GoTT's resolution distinguished SEN
ator from Alabama, one very worthy Of the place h
adorns, gentleman Of ability, Of dignihed senate
rial department, respected by all who know him
and, am proud 10 say, a native Of my own State
(Mr. KIs6,) in a recent debate in the Senate, use
very strong language upon this subject. Thi
gentleman had so good character, that even Johi
Tyler conferred office him without injurinl
him. He said, very properly, "hc asked no act Q
Congress TO carry slavery any where" The Sena
tor is opposed TO the WilInot proviso, as am An,
! concur with him entirely in what hc says Of abol
ishing slavery in this District. have an extrsc
from his remarks, which ] will print, not having
7 time to read them.
Mr.. KING, OF Alabama, said " that whether tn
Congress Of the United States has, under the Con
stitution, the right TO abolish slavery in the Dis
trict Of Columbia not, il would be gross vio
iation Of good faith towards Maryland and Virgi
mia, as If IL had been expressly prohibited in tn
Constitution, as long as those States Remained
| slaveboldin0 states ~