Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1850-07-12


Having this day approved and signed entitled can
act to establish the territorial government of Oregon
nicate the fact in a more solemn form, ~
The deeply interesting and discussions which
ing interest which the subject has throughout the
country justify in judgment, this departure from the
form of notice observed in other
In this communication with coordinate branch Of tho
made by the considerations referred to-
shall frankly and without reserve express the reasons
which have constrained not to withhold my signature
f the e TO Of
to be ie for the present. without None doubt
deed has been too long DELAYED have made M
Congress to this effect The petitions of
and ought not to be dsegarded 70 give to
our laws Which as Citizens Of the United States thew claim
high duty on our part and which we are bound to-
perform, unless there be controlling to prevent
scendent Importance occasionally the shade
all those of party character But such question
our glorious Union the Of our and ali OUR
political blessings. This question is slavery With the
saYehOdng States this does embrace the rights
property valuable but ascends far higher and
The fathers of the Wise and PATRIOTIC men
who laid the foundation of
this dangerous and delicate subject
their wisdom ought to be the guide of their
slavery within their respective limits they provided
that slaves who might into other States recogn
party to whom such service or labor may Be
Upon this foundation the matter rested until Missour
the people of the Missouri Territory for admission
Union State The discussion upon the subject in Con-
involved the question of slavery and was prosecuted
such enc @ I goo on
ton presided at the birth of our finally
nRb section of the act of Congress of the 9Th of March
1920 authorize the people of the Missouri Territory to
That in all that territory ceded by France United
States the of Louisiana which lies north of
Guided within limits of the State contemplated by this
act slavery and involuntary servtude than in the
lvhnra he haVn
duly convicted shall be- and hereby forever prohbited
ovdsd Arrays That any person Te"PGg into the amG
or Territory of the United States, such fugitive may be law
fully reclaimed and conveyed to the person claiming his or
This compromise had the effect of calming the troubled
The Missouri question had excited intense agitation the
public mind and threatened to divide the country into geo
graphical parties alternating the feelings of attachment which
compromise aayed the excitement ranquilzed the popular
mind and restored confidence and raterna feeling Its
thors hailed as public benefactors.
do not doubt that similar adjustment of the questions
which agate the public mind would produce the
the other Territories shall not be adopted in spirit of
Cancellation and compromise it is mpobl that the coun-
be satisfied that the most disastrous
When Texas was admitted into the Union the spirit
of compromise which guided predecessors IN the adm
sion of Missouri quarter OF century before prevailed
Hnnexng Texas to the United states approved March the
first thousand eight hundred provides that
& on Of %f has t na ad
north latitude commonly known the Mssouri compromise
line shall be admitted into the Union th or without slave
y as the people asking admission may desire
And in such State States as shall be formed out of said
territory lying north of the Missouri compromise line, slave
involuntary servitude Except for crime) shall be
The territory of Oregon lies far north of hirtsx degrees
thirty minutes the Missouri and Texas compromise line Its
southern boundary the parallel Of A. leaving the nermo
date distance to be three hundred and thirty Biographies"
miles. 1850 $50,
with the terms Of the Missouri compromise if extern
ded from Gande the Pacific ocean, that have
h seEty to shhS & sa
for nv consideration would have been of far different char
acter and action it must have corresponded with
Ought we now to disturb the Missouri and Texas compro-
misses Ought we at this late day, in attempting annul
what has been long and ae9uieseed to
of different portions of the Union from each other and to
/ endanger the existence of the Union itself!
adoption the federal constitution during
cd of sixty years. our progress as nation has been without
example in the annals of history Under the protection
in the of wealth and prosperity We have enjoyed the
blessings of freedom to greater extent than other
pie ancient or MODERN under government which has
served order and secured to citizen life liberty and
the whole world The friends of freedom in every cline
point with admiration to our institutions Shall then,
energies in the attempt assmac institutions
own peril all our blessings by depsing the lessons of expe
enc and refusing to tread the footsteps which our
theirs have trodden And for what would endan
prohibition slavery throughout all that vast region eR
tending twelve and half degrees along the Pacific from the
beyond the summit Of the Rocky Why then
should institutions gercd because it is ropose
to submit to the people of the remainder of acqu
territory lying south of thrtyx degrees thirty minutes
embracing less than four degrees of latitude, the question
whether in the language of the Texas compromise they
ID shall be admitted Gas State) into the Union with
slavery " Is this question to be pushed to such
tiles by excited partsans the side the other
gard to newly acquired distant possessions the
endanger the union of thirty glorious which
stitue cOnfederacy? have abiding confidence
the sober reflection and sound patriotism of the people
the States will bring them to the conclusion that
of wisdom to follow the example of those who gon
and settle this dangerous question the Missouri
sc compromise other equitable which
would respect the rights of ALL and prove satisfactory
IA different portions of the Union.
Holding sacred trust the Executive authority for
whole Unon and bound rights all shout
be constrained, by of duty, withhold nv ofca
sanction from which would conflict with these
important objects.
quoting from the Farewell Address of the Father of his
try His warning voice be heard in vain by th
of American people If the spirit of prophecy distinctly pre-
sented to his view than half century the
then employed could not have been appropriate thai
it is to the present occasion. He declared:
" The unity of government which constitutes
is also dear to 1t is justly for it
pillar the edce of your real independence the support
r. tranquility at home, peace abroad safety
of prosperity Of that very liberty which highly
K prize But easy to foresee that from different
ct and from different quarters much pains will be aken
articles employed to weaken minds the conviction
of this truthas this the point your political fortress
ganst which the batteries of internal and external eneme
will be most constantly and actively thOugh often cover
at insdiousy direced-t of infinite that yo
should properly estimate the immense value of nationa
union to your collective and individual happiness that
should cherish cordial habtual, and immOvabe attach
to accusoming yourselves to think and to speak
it palladium of your political safety and prosperity
watching for its preservation with jealous anxiety dscoun
tenancng whatever suggest suspicion that it
in any event be abandoned; and Indignantly frownng upo
tho n0OfnV