The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent. (Port Gibson, Claiborne Co., Miss.) 1848-18??, 1850-09-27
From The Mississippi Free Trader.
The Prospect to the Slave States.

We said in our last, that if the present bills
in progress through Congress pass, aud the
Southern States submit, the non slaveholding
States can in six years amend the Constitution.
do away with the three-fifths basis of represen-
tation, and abolish slavery; and that, too without
assuming any new position or principal, or one
which has not received the sanction of any
branch Of Congress. We stated that we could
prove this position by plain mathematical rea-
soning, aid fair deduction from the principles
assumed by our enemies.
We are aware that many will be startled at
this statement, and that the public mind is not
fully awake to the real dangers which threaten
us.
When propositions for compromise and 'ad-
iustment" were made in the United States SEN
ate and advocated by Southern men, the conlid-
ing spirit of the Southern people induced many
to believe that those propositions contained some.
thing tangible and substantial, and that way
would be opened by which the siayehoding
States would be enabled to participate in some
degree, at least, in the advantages TO be derived
from the vast territories conquered from Mex
leo.
These delusons are dispelIed, and the stern
truth is forced upon all, that the whole of the
territories of the United States are devoted to
freesoiiism.
We have laid before our readers the opinions
of Mr.. Clay, Mr.. Webster, MIR. Badger, NJ. At
Gibson, and others on this subject, but we wish
this matter to be well understood, we will give
the evidence Of Mr.. Chase, which is conclusive.
That gentleman said in the United States Sen
ate:
at has been said here, on every side Of the
chamber that every foot of the soil which the
United States acquired from Mexico will be free
soil Senators from the South have urged it,
and Senators from the North have not denied
it."
This matter is hardly debateable. lfCalifor-
MIA is admitted, all inducement for STAKEHOLDER
to move to any Of the territories is taken away
Can any man point to single individual who
contemplates moving with his negroes to New
Mexico or Utah?
1t NAV be said that the Wimot proviso is not
attached TO the territorial bill in the Senate
That is so. But it is expressly understood that
the proviso is omitted because it is not necessa-
ry; il is not abandoned.
Theye were but 35 votes on that measure;
Northern Senators absenting themselves to avoid
passing it. And why? They feel sure of the
territory without it, but they will pass it, if there
is the least necessity therefor.
The Mexican laws are arrayed against us; the
people of the territory have been incitee to
declare against slavery; the territorial bill gives
the writ Of "habeaS corpus" to the slaves, and
the Judges are to be appointed by President
adverse to the South and, finally, if it were me-
| cessary, State government would be formed be-
fore sufficient number of Shareholders could go
into New Mexico TO have any influence in the
formation of constitution. Who will go there?
We assume, then, the position, that there is
not the least probability that another slavehod-
ing State will ever be admitted into the confed-
eracy.
1t will be years before there will De population
sufficient to divide Texas, and. at this time, a
majority Of the North are opposed to carrying
out the compact of annexation.
Necessary 10 our argument is a correct under
standing of the present relative political strength
OF the slaveholding and non-slavehoding States.
There are sixteen noE-s,aveholding States,
and fourteen slaveholding States. The former
| have thirty-two votes in the United States Sen
ate and the latter twenty.eight. In the lower
house of Congress the Northern majority is up
wards of forty, and it is supposed that, by the
| census now taking it will reach between sixty
and seventy
But tbis should be borne in mind, that the
strength of the North is entire, whilst that OF the
South is divided. There are four slaveholdng
States which are tending to abotionism. and in
which 1t is not considered reprehensible for their
representatives to act in conjunction with the
enemies of slavery. But let the present mea-
sures pass, and the South submit thereto, and it
will be evident to all that the fate of slavery is
sealed; it will no longer be considered honorable
to be attached TO a saveholding State, and abo-
litionism will make rapid progress in the doubt
full States. Maryland, Kentucky, North Caroli-
ma and Missouri are already, considered luke.
warm in our cause, and there are those who,
from the course of New Orleans, are deceived as
to the true position of Louisiana.
We look at tthngs practically. The political
power in the hands Of the North, Northern man
in the Presidential chair, and there is not the
least probability that there will ever be another
Soathern President-Southem in location and