The Yazoo Democrat. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1850-11-13


called for by the crowd. BY agreement he
was to speak one hour and W. Brooke
ESQ, Of Lexington was to have an hour
and half to :eply and the Colonel to re-
;oin. He prensented in very striking
manner, the wrong inflicted upon the
South in the admission Of California; it
was not only the "Wilmot Proviso in an
bther FORM" but even worse. If the Pro-
viso had been passed by Congress, it was
possible that the Supreme Court might
have declared it unconstitutional and
therefore void, and the South restored to
ber just rights in the territories, but as IL
now stands, there is no possible remedy.
So far therefore as her immediate interest
is concerned, the admission Of California
Operates more grievously than even the
Wilmot Proviso. 1t was the effect OF the
Proviso and not the PToviso itself. which
the South dreaded and resisted; as shown
bv the fact that it has in form and fact
been sanctioned frequently by Congress
and acquiesced in by The South, without Sc
rious complaint BY its means the South
has heretofore been despoiledof immense
territory 10 which she had an equal claim
with the Northern and Free States, and
hut little or no complaint or resistance was
made, as it was thought, the claim though
Just could never be OF any practical benefit
TO the South This was a rich country, ad-
apted to slave labor, and as such the South
Justly contended for an equal participation
in it's wealth; this we had right to ex-
pect and our failure TO get il is the true
cause of the complaint. The manner
likewise in which we had been deprived Of
this right, was good cause Of dissatistac-
ton and showed settled determination to
on the part of the Free States to conine
the institution of slavery to it present linn
its. He contended furthermore that the
floating population of California had no
right to form a constitution, and even If
they had. they failed to observe those forms
which could alone make their act valid,
and that their act being invalid, California
was not State and the act Of Congress
pretending to admit her as such, did, to ali
inten:s and purposes, create her State, if
indeed Congress can make State.
He noticed at some length all the "great
pacific measures" We have only room to
notice his remarks upoc the Fugitive slave
law, the only measure, at all favorable to
the South. His remarks upon that subject
agreed exactly with those OF Col. Davis
He commended that the constitution should
have been amply sufficient for the restora-
ton of fugitives, and that it was high
misdemeanor to ;hus disregard the constitu-
ton and the former laws ofCongress made
under it and render more stringent legisla-
ton necessary; and SO even if the North had
voluntarily given US this assurance of a
Willingness to return our stolen property
it required no concession on our part as
compensation therefor; but it was not an
offering by the North; it was passed by
Southern votes and the North is not pledg-
ed to abide byit; and his beliefs, that
the next Congress will repeal. or greatly
modify it. His speech was listened to with
great attention, and was well received
by the people.
Mr.. Brooke, who is somewhat favor
lite with his party, spoke as he said him
self under embarrassing circumstances.
"He could not be expected" to use his
one language, "tO be as familiar with the
subject-'as we'll posted up as his oppon-
ent," and unwilling that the audiance
should take his word for it, he went on in
a long, lsOored, and uphill effort to satisfy
them how little he really did know upon
the subject. He had made fruitless
search during the day for copy Of the
proceedings of the October Convention,
Col. Melville very kindly furnished him
with copy, which seemed rather to en-
barass him, and as we thought, cut him
out of very handsome apology, which he
had "cut and dried, for the occasion. He
appeared like man who had an hour and
a half 10 speak and nothing he wanted to
say. He Numbered along from one subject
TO another without any order or system,
now an attempt to revive all party issues,
at which his friends sighed, then an effort
to poke fun AZ Col. Melville, which made
the 'unskillful laugh" but the "judicious"
grieve." He closed as he commenced
with an apology, a. much Is to say, bad