The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-06-11


boundary with Texas bv II judicial decision.
At present, however, 10 jrdicial tribunal has
the power of deciding that question, and Il
remains jor Coagr-ss 10 dcriso some mole cf od'
jus'menf'
Is this express submission Of the Texas
boundary question 10 Congress- with whom
the subject properly belonged, "to devise
some mode of adjustment ?"-is Ills propo-
sing to leave it untouched, to cure itself
by some law of nature. by the ris 1icdicairir
nature, or some self,remcdy :" New Mex.
leo being admitted into the Union rs State,
the Supreme Court would then have .jurls-
diction over the question of boundary be.
tween that State and Texas, and its adjud-
cation would be competent 10 heal that
wound
With regard to Utah. the people Of that
portion of the territory acquired from Mcxi-
CO have emigrated thither Of their own free
volition. and now constitute an isolated pco-
pie They have adopted provisional form
Of government perhaps as well or better
suited to their condition and wants than any
which Congress could devise for them. They
arc in the full enjoyment of the great right
of sef-government. They are well armed.
and, if VIC are correctly informed, abundant,
" able 10 protect themselves from the lnli-
an tribes in the vicinity. Should they at
any time need additional military protection,
the President will no doubt take care that it
be promptly extended to them. In Icfcr-
encc TO this people, no impuiaiion of iniide'-
ity to the engagements OF the United States
in the treaty Of Guadalupe Hidaleo can a.
rise, they having, for the most part, emi
grated thither since the conclusion of that
treaty, and never having been citizens Of
Mexico.
Speaking of the Presidents plan. the
Senator saws: " He the President recon-
mends the admission Of California We
are willing TO admit California. We 90
: with him as far as he goes, Sc" With the
utmost Difference to the Senator we must
say that we do not so understand the two
plans. We understand the President to re-
commend something more than the admission
of California. We understand him to rec
ommend the reference Of the question, ,wheth-
er the introduction of slavery shall or shall
not be prohibited in the residue of the Ter
ritory. to Tie people thereof when they shall
come to form State constitution or consti-
tutions preparatory to their admission into
the Union as a State or States, and that in
the mean time Congress, abStdining from The
establishment Of Territorial gorernments, should
leave the people of the Territory TO be gov
erned by their own local laws and customs,
with such military projection from the Uni-
ted States as their necessities shall require
and the exigencies of the public service else
where will permit. Edrly admission into the
Union as States, intervention by Con-
gress in respec! to slavery, and non.aciion
by the same Jody in regard 10 the establish.
ment Of territorial governments. constitute
the policy recommended by The President
Non-action by Congress in respect 10 the
establishment of territorial governments is
an important feature in the Presidents pol
icy. He is not in favor of the establishment
of territorial governments, while the COM
promise plan insists upon their necessity.
Now, without desiring or intending to assail
any plan, we may be permitted, We hope,
without offence, to examine this feature Of
the Presidents plan, in connexion with the
antagonistic feature in the compromise plan.
In recommending the course of policy be
did, the President had in view the early and
final settlement Of The slavery question, 81
far as it concerned the territory acquired
from Mexico his object was to put o stop io
all agitation, in Congress and out of it, on
the subject of .he prohibition Of the intro.
duc;ion of the institution Of slavery into that
territory, and TO relieve Congress from the
necessity of legislating on that subject at ALL
For, if that body legisated at all on the sub
iec,, it must bring itself into conflict with
the passions, prejudices, and opinions of both
sections Of the Union, Now, it was evident
that no Lill establishing territorial govern
ments over the territory could pass Consres,
without inaina up the Wilmot provisC
quesiion-if, indeed, any such bill could pas
without having thai proviso incorporated in
to it, The mere discussion of that question
in Congress, and the necessity of having tC
vote upon it, were to be deprecated and A
voided, if possible, because such discussion
and such vote, even if the proviso should
be voted down, would, in all probability
sow the seeds of future agitation aud excite
ment broadcast over tho whole of the fre,
States
In The South too, what evidence have w
that there will be general acquiescence an,
satisfaction with so much of the compromis
as relates TO tho government Of the terri
tory acquired from Mexico? Are the South
ern members of Congress united on that sui
irct? 1t is well known that they arc not
Nav mol fierce strife spring up in tn
South, in consequence of the opposing vote
and conflicting views of the different mem
bels from that section on the compromise
We do moi say that such will be the vase
but certainly the signs Of the times poin
in that direction. SO far, then, from ther
being any certainty that the manner in whc
the territorial question is proposed to be ad
iustcd in the compromise will allay agitation