The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-01-21
Gen. oass and the wnmot proviso.

Gen Cass has again defined his position upon
two important questions. He acknowledges the
right OF the Legislature of his State to instruct him.
and his duty to obey or resign" and he declares
that he will never vote for the Wilmot Proviso.
Rather than do this, he has determined when the
subject comes up, to make a Speech and then re-
sign. These declarations contained in letter
written by Gen Cass to friend in Jefferson City,
(Mo,) an extract from which is published in the
Metropolitan of that city. He says;
am instructed by the Legislature of Michigan
to vote for the Wilmot Proviso. This shall never
do. But when the time comes, | shall give my
views in full upon the subject, and resign my seat
in the Senate"
This will be equivalent to the loss of vote for the
Wilmot Proviso in the Senate. His refusal to vote
will leave Michigan with but vote in the SEN
ate, when, if the vacancy which the Generals resg-
nation will make, is filled, there would be two votes
for the Proviso. In a strictly sectional vote this
would be decisive Of the question. There are thir-
ty Senators from slaveholdng States, and thirty
from non-saveholding States, with Mr.. Fillmore,
who is in favor of the Provso, to give the casting
vote. The absence of vote from Michigan would
leave the slaveholdng Senators majority, and
shut out the Vice Presidents vote.
Senators Douglass from Illinois, and Dickinson
from New York, both opposed to the Proviso and
both are instructed to vote for the Proviso. Dou-
glass it is said, will not obey Dickinson is not GER
tain, These chances in favor of the South. The
withdrawal change of all these votes would make
the defeat of the Proviso certain, if the Senators
from the saveholding States were united. Mr.. Ben
ton, although suspected, WILL we feel sure vote
against the Proviso. Mr. Clay is thought to be un.
certain, but we look for his vote on the Southern
side. The more dangerous point is Delaware
Both the Senators from that State-Spruance ant
Wales-are Provisosts and are confidently calcu
lated upon to vote for the restrictions Indeed
Delaware is a slave State only in form slavery il
rapidly disappearing there and the public sentinen
of the people and of her leading statesmen, has
been for many years in favor OF gradually expelling
slaveholding from the State.
1t will be seen that the fate of the Wilmot Pro
so, in any direct in the Senate, is very
tain but the probabilities that it may be defeated
by the direct votes Or the inacton OF two or three
Northern Senators. At all events the votes of tn,
Senators named will be efectual to get rid of tn,
question in every form in which it is not presented
for direct vote on the principle. There are some
Senator's too in favor of the abstract proposition
| imposing the restriction, who would not be unwil
ling to vote for measures of compromise, BY which
the necessity of direct vote shall be superseded.
The letter OF Gen. Cass to Missouri, recognizin,
the obligation to obey instructions or resign, is con
sidered good card for the opponents Of Benton
who hold up Cass as rebuking the stand which Ben
ton has taken in resisting the instructions Of Mis-
| sorri