The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-06-27

only one in this "omnibusn bill, is spoken of AT
the South as good cause for disunion There Is
nothing about the tariff in this list Of healing
measures; no endeavor is made TO heal up that
small sore in Pennsylvania and in other portions
of the Union. Our Southern friends seem to be
laboring under the hallucination that the small
strip of country set down In some maps as lying
north of Mason and Dixon's line has been sud-
denly blotted out Let US hope that they will yet
condescend TO notice US. Mr.. Clay once thought
there was such a country but having decided TO
sacrifice it upon the altar of his ambition, he has
doubtless concluded that it may be safely reckon
ed among the things that were. Perhaps the
heightened shadows Of the White House rest
upon it, and obscure il from his vision Mr.. Clay,
however, is but man he stands up for his sec
tion, bending every energy to the endeavor to Sc
cure perpetuation of power in the Federal Gov
ernment for the slaveholding States-power which
they have enjoyed for half a century, and which
they now endeavor to enlarge by an addition OF
Southern Senator'S. | do not know that we ought
to find fault with him for pursuing this purpose,
for standing up for his section in this sectional
contest like a true man; but it does seem little
unfair that he should use Northern popularity,
and Northern leaders, to defeat Northern policy,
and to PROSTATE Northern interests.
To recapitulate little, let US see how this
stands, and what degree of fairness there is in
Southern demands with reference to these Terri
tories
-,
and purchase, an extent of territory lying between
Louisiana and the Pacific Ocean, equal to about
twenty seven degrees of longitude. 1t was &C
quired in obedience to Southern policy, and in
opposition to our Northern feeling, at a vast ex-
pense of blood and treasure. 1t has cost the
country many thousands Of lives, and about
Sl25, O00, OOO OF this territory, the South has
obtained irrevocaby the best half in Texas, which
she has arranged, under Legislative guarantees,
to subdivide into FIVE slave States. The other
half, large proportion of which is mountainous,
uninhabtable, and valueless country, the North
insist upon having and dividing into three free
States. Here is the proposition so mathematically
plain and simple, that everyb body can understand
it. The North ask three out of eight of the
States 80 acquired and of those States is here
with her Constitution, asking for admission. Mr.
Clay's Senate Compromise Committee propose,
instead of admitting her. to get around giving the
North these three free States, by sticking to-
gether into one bill, along with California, Terri
torial Governments for New Mexico and Utah,
without any restriction of slavery and he refuses
to allow the Mexican law to remain in force, which
does restrict slavery. The operation Of Terrific.
rial Governments, as we all know, is this Under
srsI Governments the Constitution Of the United
States is extended over them, and Territorial
Judges are eQ,S"ip,ed those ip59es sre 70 be con-
frmed by the Senate, in which slavery has ma
jority or course such judges will be appointed
az have been heretofore, who will decide that sa-
very is lawful in the Territories under the Con-
stitution, whenever slave is brought before them
upon a suit for his freedom, and thus slavery is
established by judicial decision. Thus we are to
be stripped under this compromise, of all but Cal
ifornia and we are only to be allowed this as an
act of special grace, and by giving the fugitive
slave bill as an equivalent besides yielding these
Territories.
But there are certain modest Southern gentle
men who are not satisfied with this They ask
for the Missouri Compromise line, which would
give them four-ffths Of this expensive domain
| confess-when | look around this Hall and
behold the unnatural and degrading spectacle of
Northern men crouching at the feet of this Slave
Power, and vieing with each other in their savish
devotion, when the South is in the very act OF
grasping at more power-at an addition Of four
teen Senator's who will of course use their endesv
ors to keep the North in subsection and destroy
their interests confess, when | see this, fear
that even the Missouri Compromise may not be
beyond their reach, though l hope and trust that
the North will stand frm-frm as the massive
pillars with which we are surrounded | admire
the consistency, frmness, and true devotion, of
Southern gentlemen to their sectional interests,
while laugh at their threats and their bravado,
tif may use these expressions) warn them,
however, that there is point beyond which it is
not safe to 20.