The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-04-26

exception, (Mr SrANLYl has disavowed that sentiment
Grave senators and representatives, who have away
been distinguished for their prudence and moderation
and for their sincere attachment 10 the Uaion have asC
solemnly warned US that ]. the Provso become law
the Union will be at an end Sir Is il not time Tor The
people Of the North take heed oil these warnings
not time that they, too begin to calculate the value o
the Union lnot in that pecuniary spirit which estimates
rs value in dollars and cents, but IN that spirit Of patriot
ism, which, looking Sfar beyond its commercial value
estimates BY the many and great blessings has al
ready conferred upon mankind and BY the countless bless
ngs sstill destined 70 confer upon generations ye
unborn Is II not time for them to pause and inquire
how long they can teach from their pupils and the
schoohouses that the institutions Of the people OF one
halt OF this confederacy are sinful and wicked, and a
the same time the union Of these States continue !
But, sir, for what object is the Union thus placed in
jeopardy Is it for the purpose OF still further enagng
the liberty o the citizen and obtaining guarantees ol
his rights Is il for the purpose OF eecng, by consti
tutonal MEANS some great constitutional reform IL
for the purpose OF eectng any obec demanded by any
great public exgeacy whatever No, sir but il s ol
Nature and higher Power than any earthly tribunal have
already done So far regards the Territories of New
Mexico and Utah, Nature herself has inerposed barriers
against the introduction OF slavery lar formidable
and prohibitoy than any legislative enactment BY Con-
gress could possibly be- The whole of the country
braced in these Territories high mountain region, with
bo The adoption OF the Wlmo Proviso for these Ter
rtories would have about much practical effect in pre-
venting the extension Of slavery therein i had in the
Oregon Territory, would have In Canada, whenever
the people OF that northern cline ask to be annexed to the
United States Il stated, in speech delivered few
lays ago BY distinguished senator, Mr.. DoUGLAs, on
the authority oil Fremonts explorations that the lowest
point in the lowest valley Of the Great Basin marked
on the map OF those explorations. is than four thou
sand feet above the ocean, and that the elevation
Of the valleys is at least FIVE thousand feet Why. sir,
what better anti slavery provso can the most ultra free
soiler desire than the which Nature herself has
acted when you ascend toward the heavens, twice
as high the Allegheny mountains, in order TO get into
valleys surrounded by mountain ranges many thousand
feet higher and covered with eternal SHOWS, do you
think tasks the distinguished senator) that you have
iousa aa charming country and Lovely climate Tor the
slave labor Sir. il is time that the por-
ton Of the community, who sincerely opposed to the
extension OF slavery should look at this question in its
true aspect Ii they do, feel certain that they will
longer suffer themselves to be used Tor the purpose Of
promoting the selfish and political objects Of few de-
signing and ambitious Fanaticsm itself, 1t seems
to me- be convinced that slavery could even be
driven BY legislation. into the Territories OF New Mexi-
co and Utah.
Sir, do no, believe that slavery would, under any
circumstances, have been introduced into any OF the Ter
rtores acquired from Mexico. The valleys OF the Sac
ramento and San Joaquin, in California, were the only
places to which, by mere possibility, i might have
been extended But the Giyer of all Good, in whose
hands the destines of nations, has, in his infinite
wisdom so controlled human events, that every part OF
California is now, and will forever remain, free soil
The discovery of the god and the consequent rush of
emigration from the free States have forever closed her
doors against the admission of slavery Yes. sir Cali
forna is already free BY the unanimous consent OF her
own people, and that, too, without the aud or inter
ference OF the party OF The country Her soil will
be free SOIL whether she be admitted as State or be
remanded to territorial condition No legislative action
by Congress change her destiny Free she has be-
come by her own act and free she will remain; and
rejoice that she not her freedom 10 the free soil
party IN this House ! know that southern gentlemen
deny that the constitution Of California the yolun
iay act oil her people, and that they aege II was the act
OF the administration OF President Taylor Sir, concede
thst there was highly improper and unwafrsniable
interference by the administration IN regard TO Caor
na and that perhaps, without that interference, this
State government would not have been formed But il
is nevertheless the voluntary act OF her people,. al
though the suggestion to do that act first came from
the administration II II be not the voluntary act OF
the people, why is il that remonsance has been sent
up TO this House Why is Il that no complaint OF any
kind has been made by any one Because there Is
no dissatisfaction among her citizens in regard to that
act But | have other objections TO the admission
oi California as Stale y occurs cur 70 me, 'na y y were
ercses over the minds us all, notweny gentlemen could
be found in this House who would vote for her admis-
sion: The territory embraced by the proposed State Of
square miles which either New York or Pennsylva-
MIA possesses Pennsylvania has a territory embracing
psa forty Thousand miles and New
seeking admission with territory which may be es-
mated 10 contain about hundred and seventy thou
sand square miles; and she has seacoast OF nine hun
dred miles, hereabouts In addition TO all this, she
includes within her limits every harbor which we have
on the Pacific. Why, sir, admit her with her present
extended boundaries. and she will be an empire No
population will fill her borders, doubt what will
be her destiny. With her varied and rich mineral
productions, her splendid and unrivalled commercial
position with the trade OF the eastern and western world
falling into her lap, her population will increase with an
acceleration unprecedented in this country. That
formation out OF Territories west OF the Rocky noun
ians OF separate western coDfederacy. l am aware
that has been said that great part OF her soil s bar.
ren aud will be unproductve, and thai therefore she will
be incapable OF sustaining large population. Bu what
may the fact in regard 10 her SOIL s manifest that
with her immense valuable mineral productions, she will
sustain a population much larger than merely agrcu-
ponderaing influence OF large States In 1884, the whg
party felt sensbIy the weight Of the empire State OF New
York. whose hrysx electoral votes crushed their hopes
and destroyed their candidate And in l64S the demo-
cratic party, with candidate distinguished for his patriot
ism and sound American feeling for his abilities and long
tried services in the councils OF the nation and for has
pure and constitutional democracyI say, that with such
struck down BY the twentysx electoral votes oil Penn
syvania, which she cast for the nopafty President
The three States OF New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio,
poll nearly twothrds OF the electoral votes necessary to
elect President; and II we add Virginia, we find four
States Of the Upon wanting but two OF threeourths Of
the vote requisite to elect candidate Does not this
simple statement strongly exhibit the dangerous power
which belongs to large Staesi We have thirty States in
the Unon and OF these, four alone can, from their ex
tent of territory poll three fouhs OF the vote necessary
to choice. BY combination with each other, their
power, in every presidential election would be rresst
ibe. The peponderatng influence OF large States is felt
not only in presidential elections but the councils
government Of the country Sir think il is unwise to
extend this power BY admitting California with territory
nearly four times large any OF the four States
have named. The smaller we make the States on the