The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1850-11-05
WOODVILLB, nIssTssFPPE, TUESDAY uOT

, AaNeholding States declared ID as their will
and urged through their representatives in
: Congress that TO any measure obtaining thi,
territory the Wilmot proyiso should be append.
ed, declaring the slave-holting States, with
Their property TO be excluded from il an
Against thisactwe, and the whole people Of the
South, perhaps TO man, PROTESTED in the
most determined manner, declaring it To be uN-
Just, UNCONSTITUTIONAL and DEGRADING The
North not having become. as vet sufficiently
united and bold, by the treaty Of Guadalupe
BidNlgo we rec efvBt tie territory without the
odious measure.
Though defeated in this scheme, the people
of the North by agitation, by increase OF
strength and boldness, and by trickery, have
succeeded in their object and to quote from
the proclamation 'the people of Mississippi, in
common with the citizens of all the slave-hold-
ing States, have been virtually excluded from
their just rights in the vast and rich territories
acquired from Mexico in the late war"
Let US, with excited curiosity, examine the
course they have taken. 1t has always been
the course of the Federal Government for the
protection of the people and of the public in
terests, to establish over acquired domain ter.
ntoral governments, appointing the officers
and keeping all things under the supervision
| of Congress. The first step upon the full ac-
J quirement Of this territory was the establish
ment of such form Of government. but upon
4
its being proposed, the North insisted upon add
| ing to any such measure the Wimot proviso,
and the subject was discussed with the great.
est boldness and bitterness. A compromise
bill was framed, establishing the Territorial
Government allowing it to protect, but prohib-
itlng the interference Tor or against the estdb-
hShmeat OF the domestic institutions of the SOW
ereign Joint owners of the territory. Here was
the proper mode, and the one to which we
were willing; for while we objected to our
exclusion from this territory by either mediate
or intermediate Legislation by Congress, we by
no means desired our estabiishmeatin in that way
Had those influential Northern statesmen ad-
vocated this only Just measure at this early
time, as they do now after their purposes are
accomplished, it is possible that this cause of
difference might not exist But what was
done? Knowing that the Wlmot proyso, If
engrafed would be vetoed by Mr.. Polk. and
wishing to keep the question open to deter the
South from emlgrating until more favorable
prospect should arise, the proposition was de-
teated, and the people left without any but a
military government
Upon the discovery of the vast mineral
wealth of California, horde Of people from
Mexico, South America, the Sandwich Islands
China, the United States and from other ma
tions, poured into that country. Finding that
no Territorial Government was established.
Gen, Riley, the Military Governor, issued his
proclamation; and stating in it that he acted
by the advice of the constitutional advisers and
mouth-pleces of the President--hs Cabinet
called convention to form a State constitu-
ton, under which to apply for admission into
/ the Union, This convention was accordingly
assembled, and influenced by the agents of
Northern interest, and by the prospect Of only
on that ground being admitted into the Union
a constitution was formed, having, as one of its
! provisions our exclusion with slave property,
and ratified by a portion of the people; many
of them ignorant of the whole affair; a vast
number ignorant of its provisions and large
portion not voting at all.
| That body of men, even though on terrific
ry not belonging to them may form an organ
ization for protection, having the limited pow
ers necessary for that purpose, cannot be de-
MED but had this emigratory body of men
the right apart from any sectional question:
to form a constitution establishing State Of
that sovereign character, which alone by our
constitution can be authorized by Congress
The act was in direct opposition to all previous
proceedings, Congress had always exercised
the high prerogative of forming Territorial
Governments and preserving them under its
supervision. until the number of inhabitants
became sufficient and the pupillage in our
institutions $50 necessary in this case) had been
gone through; then the States, acting through
Congress- divested themselves of their soyer-
eign property, sthe territory, and vested it in
the people of the territory allowing them as a
sovereign people, to form constitution, which
being done, they were prepared to present
themselves as a sovereign constitutional State,
for admission into the Union. But this people Of
all nations and characters tit would make no
difference in principle il all were Amencans)
ignorant Of our republican institutions; most
of them, as we know, transient, having gone for
gold, and intending to return to their homes
usurped the property Of the United States and
exercised the night Of revolution, by throwing
off its authority; and, if they were, by these
steps they had taken, sovereign, lndepen.
pendent State, could have remained separate