The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-02-07
VOL. w.

IL has embodened the Slavery Extepsionis,a a
haJ inflicted deadly blow on the cause OF Free
dom. The members from the free States who
betrayed their constituents on this occasion were
with few exceptions solemnly pledged to maintain
the Wilmot Proviso They could not have been
elected but for their professsd hostility to the
extension Of slavery, and their professed dsso-
ton to the policy Of the Ordinance Of 1887. Once
in their seats, they disregard their pledges, and
turn their backs on their constituents or the
eighteen Democrats who voted against the Ordi-
nance of 1887, nine are from Indiana and Illinois
and may be presumed to reflect the opinion Of
Gen. Cass and six are from Pennsylvania, voting
doubtless in accordance with the wishes of Mr.
Buchanan, who has been spending some time
here, and who is full Of apprehension for the sta-
bility Of the Union. These two gentlemen ara
Presidential candidates in xpectancy-they look
as ever, TO the South, for support abhor the Pro
viso, and would have their supporters sympathize
with them. OF the fourteen Wings who voted
against the Ordinance, eight are from New York
and of the nineteen absentees, eight are New York
Whigs-in all, sixteen Wings from that State
who doubtless have felt themselves encouraged
by the trucking course Of Messrs Waters, Mon
roe, and Dox, in the New York Assembly, to re-
verse their position.
Of the potent cause Of this change Of position
of the Wing Party in Congress, there can be no
doubt. Their constituents sent them here IS
Wimot Proviso men. They boosted that they
were the true Liberty Party-that in their hands
alone the interests Of the Cause Of Free Soil
would be They hold their seats in virtue of
such pledges, but nearly two-fths of them, at the
word Of command from General Taylor wheel
about, and go dead against the policy to carry out
which they were elected. We say two-ffths, for
while fourteen voted to lay upon the table the
resolution, of the nineteen absent, nearly all we
have reason to believe, approved of this policy.
And what is this policy2 To suppress all agita-
tion of Anti-Slavery questions in Congress. and
to postpone the subject of organizing Govern
ments for New Mexico and Deseret so that they
may form State Governments decide the cues
ton of Slavery as they please, and then enter
the Union, whether they come as free or slave
States. That is the policy of the Presidents
Message-that is the policy of his organ in this
city-that is the policy sanctioned by the Wing
press Of the country, with few exceptions-that
s.-the SsIicy of the ,lesding Wig. Members, of,
Congress-and the FIRST fruit OF that policy was
the ve,~ 81 lost MtepdPpvv by which for the first,
time since the Wilmot Proviso was introduced
into the House, it was voted down.
Now recollect, the Committee on the Terrific
res is organized so that majority of its mem.
bers are hostile to the Wilmot Proviso. The
delegates from Deseret and New Mexico are here,
with the Territorial Constitutions of their re-
spective Territories, and applications to be ad.
mitted on the floor of the House as Territorial
delegates. These Constitutions contain no re-
sriction as to Slavery, and will 90 to Committee
opposed to the incorporation of any such restric-
ton. The Committee will of course report them
without the Provso as the House has refused to
instruct it otherwise. Such instruction the reso-
luton of Mr.. Root proposed; thus expressing
the will of nineteen-twentieths Of the People
the free States Of all pariies-a will hitherto de-
clared by the Legislatures of all those States,
excepting Iowa. But the Taylor Wings and
Cass and Buchanan Democrats joined hanis with
the Slavery Extensionists, and pat their peto upon
What egregious folly, what base betrayal of
the interests of Freedom Had the Northern
members stood by their oft-declared determine
ton, they would have passed Roots resolution
they would have put through all their stages the
bills reported under such instruction True.
the bills would have been killed in the Senate
but New Mexico and Deseret would have been
no worse off than il General Taylor's policy had
been followed from the beginnng-while Free
dom would have been saved The moral power
of the voting in the House would have enabled
the friends of Freedom to bring in California
without reduced boundaries, and would have ad-
monished New Mexico and Deseret, that when
they came as States, they must present them
selves with Anti-Slavery Constitutions
To the Free Soil agitation throughout the
country, and to the Anti-slsverytvoting in the
House, the Southern members ascribe the forma-
ton of an anti-slavery Constitution in California
Now, how stands the case An anti-Wilmot
Provso majority is revealed in the House, and the
Northern members, by their disgraceful abandon
ment of the Wilmot Proviso ground have strength
ened the power of the Slavery Extensionists, en-
dangered the boundaries of California, and virtu.
ally said to the People of New Mexico and Desc
ret do as you please, tolerate or exclude Slavery,
you shall be alike welcome.
We know not which has cursed the free States
more-tbe imbecility or treachery of their poll
ticians. Unless they soon awake, and speak
such langu ge to their public servants as they
cannot misunderstood, their honor and rights will
forever be betrayed.
To expose more clearly the corrupt policy of
the Northern men to whom we have alluded, Mr..
Giddingso.red the following resolutions, contain
ing, as will be seen, merely an affirmation that
the rights asserted, by our Declaration Of indie
pendence to be inalienable ought to be secured in
constituting Governments for the Territories
This was proposition, containing a simple dec
lsration Of great Truth, in such form that it
could not possibly embarrass any party interests
Here are the resolutions:
"ResOlUcd, That we hold these truths to be self
evident that all men are created equal that they
are endowed by their Creator with inalienable
| rights to life and liberty; and that Governments
| are constituted among men to secure these rights
Resoired. That in constituting Governments
in any Territory of the United States, it is the
duty of Congress to secure the People thereof, of
whatsoever complexion, in the enjoyment of the
rights aforesaid
After the developments we have made, the PEG.
pie need not be surprised to learn that this reso-
luton was laid upon the table voted down, in
other words--by vote Of 104 to SO.
For the special benefit of the constituents Of
GRAHAM N. FrrcH of Indiana, who was elected
only by the most solemn pledges of thorough an
ti-slavery action, we may state that he voted with
the Slavery Extensonists to lay the Principles
1 OF fha Danlarafinn- Of endeneA unnn the