The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1850-06-11
voIume a7.EINumber Do.

that Inc slavery Shdll be prohibited.
In pursuance Of these resolutions Tex
rs came into the Union. The South
consented 10 this arrangement, and to-
day, as at an former periods, am rea-
dy to abide by it.
Examine these resolutions, and
what do we find A clear and dis
tinct recognition Of the title Of Texas
to the country up 10 36d. 3om., as slave
territory, for 1t is stipulated that the
people may determine for themselves.
Z at proper time. whether slavery shall
or shalhnot exist in ali the country
below that line. Nay more, the rights
of Texas aboyethis line are admitted;
for it is expressly provided that in the
State or States to be formed out of the
TERRITORY north of 30d. 3Om., slavery
shall be prohibited, but not until such
State or States ask admission into the
Union. We haye, then, the clearest
possible recognition Of the title of Tex
as up TO SO led. as slave territory,
and to sufficient territory above that
line to make one or more States,
Now, what do we hear from the
North That Texas never had any
just claim TO any part of this territory;
that it always did, and does now belong
to New Mexico. But, MS Texas is a
young sister, and one with whom we
should not deal harshly. we will give
her - millions of dollars for her i'm,
aginary claim. Mr.. Benton. in the ex-t
uberance Of his Gberality, offers fifteen !
millions Of dollars; and other gentle.
men, less ardent, propose smaller sums.
But our present dealing is with Mr..
Clay's plan for compromise.
II the reader has a mop, beg that
he will first trace the line of thirty-six
degrees and thirty minutes, north lati-
tude; and then fix his eye on the north
eastern boundary of Texas at the point
where the one-hundredih parallel of
longitude crosses the Red river; and,
from this point, run a direct line TO a
point twenty miles above El Paso, on
the Rio Grande; ard between these two
lines, he will have the slaUe territory
which Mr.. Clay's compromise proposes
to sell out. 1t will be seen, on com
parison, that this territory is nearly
twice as large as the State of Missis.
sippi. Whether five or fifteen millions
Of dollars are given for II, it is needless
to say we shall have to pay more than
our due proportion ofthe money.
To me, it is not a pleasant thing to
sell ont slave territory, and pay forlt
myself; and confess TINT this much of
the proposed bargain has not made the
admission of California a whit more
paatabe to inc.
say nothing of Texas above 36d.
30m.; that country was virtually sur
rendered to abolition by the terms Of
the Texas annexation. lfTexas thinks
proper 10 give it or sell it TO the Free
Soilers, in advance of the time appoin.
ted for its surrender, make no objec-
tion. But all the South has direct
political interest in Texas below this
line of36d. Som; and | do not mean to
surrender your interest without O fair
equivalent.
What is to be the destiny Of this ter
ritory, if tits thus sold out, and what its
institutions! 1t is to become an inte.
grail part of New Mexico, and risk
nothing in saying it will be dedicated
to free soil. Its institutions will be
anti-slavery. If the character of the
country was not to undergo a radical
chapge in this respect, or If this change
was not confidently anticipated, VIC all
know that the northern motive for ma
king this purchase would lose its exis-
tence. Asthe country now stands, it
is protected by the annexation r3solu-
tons against all congressional interier-
ence with the question of slavery
Transfer it to New Mexico, and we
expose it to the dangerous intermed-
ding which has so long unhappily af,
ficted that and all our territorial pos.
sessions.
This brings me to the only remaining
proposition in Mr.. CLAY's COMPROMISE
bill-that TO establish territorial gov
ernments for New Mexico and Utah,
without the "Wilmot proviso." If this
were an ind pendent proposition, ten.
dered in good faith, and accepted by
the North with fixed purpose to abide
by it, have 10 hesitation in saying it
would receive my cordial support. I
fePeat what | have. often said, that
whilst~A shall resist the exclusion of
slavery by Congressional action. have
no purpose or design to force or fasten
it upon any country through the agen:
cy of Congress. Whilst denand that
~ongress shall not oppose our entfance
into the territories with our slaves, T
do not ask it to assist us in going there.
All ask is, that we may be treated
as equals-that no insulting discrimi-
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