The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-02-21
GEORGIA..

The Legislature of this State has passed a bill
authorizing the Governor to call Convention O
the people Of the State on the happening OF tn
following events:
LIST The enactment by Congress of law pro
hibi ing slavery in any Territory Of the Unitet
States.
ID. The enactment of q law TO abolish SLAYER,
in the District of Columbia.
3d. A law to prohibit the slave trade between
Ne States where slavery now exists.
| 4th. Should the Governor of this State receive
satisfactory evidence that any slave or slaves have
escaped from this State TO a non-slaveholdine
State, and that such slave or slaves is or nre re-
fused to be given up to the proper owner by the
| authorities Of the State in which the fugitive or
fugitives may be found
And, lastly, should Congress admit into the
United States as n State Of this Confederacy the
extensive and sparsey peopled territory of Cali
fornia and New Mexico.
The first four contingencies were generally
concurred in but the last, that relating to Cal
ifornia was strongly resisted and was carried by
party vote. The Wings strenuously opposed 1t,
| as violating a fundamental State rights princi-
ple-one that has been maintained for years by
that party, and which Mr.. Calhoun, In ls47, most
emphatically proclaimed In the Senate The po-
sition taken by the Georgia Democrats comedies
TO Congress the right TO impose conditions upon n
State applying for admission--a doctrine repealed
by the whole South In the Missouri controversy.
II involves the farther folly Of opposing the adj
mission of California. II its Constitution au-
thorized slavery.
II is such violent and extreme men as these who,
by assuming untenable positions, expose the I'M
deniabe rights of tho South to attack and sub
ject her to ridculc. Nothing is more certain,
than that the South cannot be united on this
Georgia platform. u is too gross and pnlpnble
departare from State rights to command general
concurrence. u may suit the "bitter- endersD
who arc determined, whatever face the future
may wear, to oppose the Administration Of Gen.
eral Taylor. But it will please no one else We
may regret as much rs we may the fact that Cal
ifornia has prohibited slavery; but that was the
inevitable result Of Mr.. Folks Abolition Regi-
ment, and the character Of the emigration thither
and we know no alternative, but admitting hee M
free, or rejecting her altogether. II 1t be compe-
tent to Congress to limit her boundary to 800 30,
that should be done; but, beyond that, we sec
nothing that can be Unconstitutional VA Why.
We hope the Governor Of Georgia may have
occasion to call Convention Of the People OF that
State. The Representatives and Senators from
the State Of California have ut last arrived.
Their application for admission and recogu-
ton has come before Congress, and, craven rs
has been the spirit betrayed by many North
srn members 30 far, they will rally In support Of
the new State. As to cutting down her bounda-
res the man from the free States who shall pro-
pose or assent to, such n project should make up
his ypiod to emigrate to the South bisianter
Texas, with its enormous boundaries and its
gronndless claims, was brough. into the Union by
Southern men, Northern men asserting. The
idea Of suitable boundaries then was secuted.
IL was slaveholding territory, and the South
could see nothing absurd In admitting the whole
Of II as one State into the Union, although more
unwieldy than California Is now The conduct
Of the shareholders In relation to Texas will
render opposition TO the admission Of California,
with her present limits, utterly inexcusable.
Independently Of anti-slavery considerations, It
Is best that the whole Of the Territory should be
suffered 10 remain In It's present state, under the
State Government already constituted MS In this
way, the colored population in all that vast
region will have at once the protection Of the law
and the advantage Of wslI-ordered Government.
This, too, without any trouble or expense to the
United States
As for Georgia, her convention might have
the privilege Of adjourning, 80 soon as assem-
blsd unless, indeed, 1t should resolve to raise q