Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1850-05-28
rtynn0MpROalISE AGAINlI

we exassaed the opinion tlisst5so fa1 as The
territorial Riha reperied b8 the cesfrntttss q Iiir=
teen werffaolcerned we did noIsHbiectS There
ave someif aat Tires, however. Of tl. ranch y the
compromise r:easpFess which, see f5 objsetaon4bi ;
and one ofthfe objections has been made to aP5
pear by a al nssion which sPFuEESsE up inthe Sc.
nate betwekrsMessrs Davis OF mississippi and
CLAY, updu!aS$ amendment offered by the former.
Tie mart soffst9Ic bill proposed to gsaiisamenaed pro-
viJes that The terrisorialle Legislators siaifPass,n no
law in rela9on TO African zlaverS lIe.amen
ment proRpsc915 to alter the language OF PRO-
vision in !saabsf!.ance asefolfows :-stAat the terri.
torial legislature shcuidspass no lsS' aftriing the
title BY whtjek::9 ltricau slavery mag pc hetdinan
Of the States 81 tho Union. The was objected
TO by Mr.: tg5ls*3 because it Presu opposed she fact
that some ss..a5e owner now in oEs pf the States
might remoye:zo tbe territory Widths slaves in
despite of: whe' Mr.sGtay heiiegea:to be the law
existing tI.eFe: upon tstis sebject,s But wetliink
that it wass4t ndautly shown by Mr. Dpyis that
this was had SEin;ya proper amenlttnent, but one
absolutely; heeIssar9 pr the lprotes St South.
orn right4TT#S So, wtthontthis 89fisndFaentt, it
would. be e9pisetentfot territeealqlleglalattI
we apprefitadi IN their aets 10 Brat what we.
mig lit terrn3atsl consider feayea, M free
msn. and lerf$aiate for5themS as ssh, and thus
seyatte one, 6IEst lie mos mpastapt 1Hsaturea III the
I'M so fara4ltIo soptEl eoncerEe fof5 am
Davis wellsen.arked { WouId.gessSpfseluislyne me.
cessary to' some faWsIn relation TO African
slavery, otheeft wise tile slaves themselves wopldbe
subject to no police rfgulstiOn end in order TO
fave.a police embracing the AfrioaA slaves, they
would have to treat Them a4 f~rccpsen. Could it
lave beenfthc :object 9f Nj. Clay 10 en,rap the
South.in this matter IfHo, he Would deserve
The everlasting contempt Of everess good man
But if not, he shoult at once have; favored the
amendment Of ar. Davis, So that tic South could
have had a fait opportunity of testing her rights
under the provisions of the ConstA9tion.
Mr.. Pratt las offered a substitute for the
amendment OF air. Davis, worded somewhat diff
f~eren,fy, but nft altering the senseIof the amend
men,, which, ito latter has accepted. We pre-
fer, however, toe language Of tEs amendment,
but not being very nice as to the terms, we think
that the substance Of one or the other should be
insisted upon tcs the litter end. TIE section pro-
posed to be amended did not strike us az SO OBJ
iectionable unfil we read the remarks of Mr..
Clay in opposition to the amendment. When
we did so. we seemed to be, drawn@irresistibly to
the conclusion That there were a scope and mean
ing in this little clause in tile territorial bill,
well understood by Mr.. Clay and N2rthern Soma
tors, which wefe not intended TO 10 brought TO
the notice ofthG South, and which, perhaps ne
yer would have been had it notSbeen Tor the
amendment proposed I'VE canno,rfl ourselves
of the idea that MIR. Clay is plwayssmore willing
and ready to minister!to Northern prejudices and
fanaticism than TO put forth one siegIe effort to
protect SoutherIs rights