Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-04-11


Gated by others. I have inquired and
read all could find, in order TO obtain
information on this important question:
What is there in New Mexico that could
by any possibility induce any body TO go
there with slaves? There are some mar
row strips Of tillable land on the borders
of the rivers; bu, the rivers themselves
dry up, before midsummer is gone. All
that the people can do in that region, is to
raise some little articles, some little wheat
for their tortillas, and all that by irriga-
ton. And who expects to see hundred
black men cul iva,ing tobacco, corn, cot
ton, rice, or any thing else. on lands in
New Mexico, made fertile only by irriga-
ton +! lock upon it, therefore, as fixed
fact, to use ar expression current at this
day, that both California and New Mexi-
co are destined to he free, SO far as they
are settled at all, which | believe, es-
pecially in regard TO New Mexico, will
be very little Tor great length Of time;
free by the arrangement of things by the
Power above us. have therefore to say,
in this respect also, that this country is
fixed for freedom, TO as many persons as
shall ever live in it by as irrepealable and
more irrepealable law, than the law that
attaches to the RICH: Of holding slaves in
Texas and l will say further, that if a
resolution, or a law, were now before us
to provide a territorial Government for
New Mexico, l wonld not vote TO put any
prohibition into it whatever. The use Of
such prohibition would be idle. as it re-
spec,s any effect it would have upon the
Territory and would aot take pains to
re-afiirm an ordinance o.; Nature, nor to
re-enact the will Of God. And | would
put in no Wilmot proviso for the purpose
Of taunt or areproach. ! would put into
it no evidence OF the votes Of superior
power, for no purpose but to wound the
pride, even whether a just pride, ration
al pride, or an irrational pride, to wound
the pride Of the gentlemen who belong 10
Southern States. have no such object,
no such purpose. They would think it a
taunt, an indigni,y they would think it 10
he an act taking away from them what
they regard proper equality Of privilege; /;
and whether they expect TO realize any
benefit from it or not, they would think it
a theore,ic wrong; that something more or
less d-rogatory 10 their character and their
rights had taken place. l propose to in
flict no such wound upon any body, unless
something essentially impo,,an, to the
country, and efficient TO the preservation
OF liberty and freedom, is to be Effected
Therefore, repeat sir, and l repeat i, be-
cause wish it 10 be understood, that do
no, propose to address the Senate often OH
this subject. desire 10 pour out all my
heart il. fln;u q s.atsse- -ru,,itsu, /,
and l say, again, that if proposition were
now here for n Government for New
Mexico, and it was moved 10 insert pro-
vision for prohibition Of slavery, | would
not vote for it.
Now, Mr. President, Ihave established,
so far as proposed 10 60 into any line oi
observation TO establish, the proposition
with which set out. and upon which /
propose to stand or ial. and that is, that
the whole territory Of the States in the
United States, or in the newly acquired
territory of the United States, has fixed
and settled character, now fixed and set
tied by law, which cannot be repealed in
the case of Texas without violation Of
public faith, and cannot be repealed by
any human power in regard to California
or New Mexico that, under one or other
Of these laws, every foot Of territory in
the States ur in the Territories has now
received fixed and decided character.
Sir, If we were now making Govern
ment for New Mexico, and any body
should propose Wilmot prov'so, l should
trea, ii exactly as Mr. Polk treated that
provision for excluding slavery from Ore
gon. Mr. Polk was known TO lie in opin-
ION decidedly averse to the Wilmo, pro-
visc; bu. he felt the necessity of estab-
hshing government for the Territory of
Oregon, and. though the proviso was
there, he knew ii would be entirely nuga-
tory and, since it must be entirely nuga-
tory, since il took away no right, no de-
scribable, 10 estimable, no weighable or
tangible righ, OF the South, he said he
would sign The bill for the sake of enact
ing law TO form government in that
Territory, and let that entirely useless,
and, in that connexion entirely senseless,
proviso remain. For myself, will say
that we hear much of the anne exation of
Canada and IS there be any man, any of
the Northern Democracy, or any one Of
the Free-SoiI party, who supposes it nec-
essary to insert a Wilmot proviso in a
territorial government tor New Mexico,
that man will Of course be of opinion that
it is necessary 10 project the everlasting
SHOWS Of Canada from the foot Of slavery
by the same spreading wing of an act
OF Congress. Sir, wherever there is a
particular good TO be done; wherever
there is foot Of lani 10 bs sfaid Bach
from becoming slave territory, ! am ready
TO assert the principle Of the exclusion OF
slavery. AIN pledged to ii from the year.
1887 | have been pledged TO j, again aud
again and | will perform those pledges;
but will not do a thing unnecessary, that
wounds the feelings Of others, or that
does disgrace TO my own Understandings,
Mr. President, in the excited times in
which we live, there is found to exist
state of crimination and recrimination be-
tween the North and South. There are
lists of grievances produced by each and
those grievances, real or supposed, alien
ate the minds Of one portion of the coun.
try from the other, exasperaie the feelings,
<,haue the sense of fraternal affection. pa-