The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-06-15
The slavery Agitation.

| The slavery Agitation.
day. '.that Congress has nothing to do acth sLt-
pery; and such is the great truth that ,eiH be re
cognised by this adjustment"
| The adjustment here referred 10 is the
series Of measures reported from the Senate's
Committee Of Thirteen, and united in one bill
There is, however, in that part Of the bill rela-
ting to New Mexico, clause which declares
that the territorial Legislature shall pass no law
establishing or prohibiting African slavery"
1t would seem, then, that Congress does pro
pose to have something TO do with slavery--at
least the bill 50 proposes. The Union has
made mistake; it is the people of the terrific
ries acting through the territorial organization
which the bill proposes to. establish over Them
who are To have ''nothing to do with slavery"
This was very well understood by Gen. CAss
it was very well understood by Mr.. DOUGLAS
of Illinois, who moved to strike out the prohib
itory clause, on the ground that il was at vari-
ance with the principle of non-intervention
That Senator insisted that the whole subject
ought to be left to the people of the Territory
admit or to exclude slaves, as they might see
proper. He concluded by saying:
81 believe it is one of those rights that ought TO
be conceded to the Territories the moment govern
ments and legislatures established for them; be-
cause, by the establishment of government Civ
ing them legislature, you thereby acknowledge
the fact that there enough of them to constitute
a government and you acknowledge the fact that
| thskya fanff IN hen nth
wise, you would not be authorized to establish e-
gslature, and carry all their rights 10 them, with
the exception of this of the exclusion Of sla-
very For this reason, and others will not enlarge
upon, am opposed to amy provision in this BILL
prohibiting the people Of the Territories from lcgis
latng in respect 10 African slavery. would desire
to it stricken out, and repeat, do not conceive
how my friend from Michigan, who usually thinks
with me, and who acted with me in the last
paign, can go for provision of this kind, without
abandoning the position he then assumed. Upon
that point, have the Senator from Mississippi with
me. remember that carly in the session. he made
speech here in which he declared that he put that
construction upon tho letter Of the Senator from
Michigan, and that il made him little lukewarm
upon this question in relation to it, That was the
construction he put upon il at the time. All the
arguments we used in favor Of popular rights and
in favor Of the reople's deciding the question for
themselves, all led to such construction.
81 conclude now, by saying that do not believe
the Senate can agree upon any principle by which
the bill can pass, giving governments TO the Terri
tories in which slavery is mentioned. Ifyou pro-
hbit il, if you establish it, il you recognise it, if
you control it, il you touch the question of slavery
at all, your bill pass this body, in my opin-
ion. The only bill you pass is a bill that is
open upon that question, which says nothing upon
the subject, which leaves the people to do they
please, and to shape their institutions according to
what they may conceive TO be their interests, both
for tho present and the future"
The appeal TO the Senator from Michigan
was promptly answered by that gentleman,
who took occasion, the next day or the day al
ter, to reaffim the ground of non-interventon
as laid down in his Nicholson letter, and to
sanction fully the construction put upon that
letter by Mr.. DOUGLAS, and by Mr.. DAVIS Of
Mississippi. General CAss voted also with Mr..
DOUGLAS and others TO strike out the words
now in the bill forbidding the territorial legis-
lature to pass any law establishing or prohib-
iting African slavery"
But the clause remains in the bill; it was not
stricken out. Yet the Union maintains that
Congress has nothing 10 do with slavery. and
that such is the great truth that will be recog-
missed by this adjustment.
The issue which the Union has here made
with the leader If its party in the last Presi-
dental campaign we leave as it stands. We
have not quoted the remarks of Mr.. DOUGLAS
with the view Of discussing the principle which
they sci forth--stil less to express concurrence
in it, II is sufficient for our purpose TO show by
their own language how differently the doctrine
Of non-interveniion is understood by distin-
guished Personages who profess TO uphold it.
We shall trouble our readers with one quota
ton more from the Union Of Thursday. Hav-
ing spoken Of the Missouri compromise. and Of
the plan Of the committee now before the Sen
ate, that journal proceeds to give its views of
the effects that would follow. in it's opinion. if
the EXECUTIVE recommendations in reference
to California and the Territories should be
adopted by Congress. They are thus announced:
California will be admitted and the wilrnot
proviso struggle will be kept alive olstructng the
business of Congress, harsssing the naton-cven IL
the nation should hold together until New Mexico
and Utah shall be prepared for admittance into the
Union. n Congress adjourns without providing
territorial governments for them, they will be in.
duced, like California, TO provide government for
themselves; and already the President has sug-
gested TO New Mexico admission into the
Union'--ss State, Of coursc--snd the people there
arc about moving for that object. We may expect
Utah TO initiate the example. Thus, according 10
this notable plan, California comes in at once with
an anti slave constitution, without any equivalent
to the South and coon upon her heels come in the
two other Territories, with similar views and sim