The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-04-22
the Tsrrisor,.I Question and Mr.. Preston

The TerritortaI Question and Mr.. Preston.
The opposition presses are assailing the
Presidents recommendation Of MONACO
tion-which the Union once described as a
plagiarism on the non-intervention policy
of General CAss--on the ground that il
comes from members of his Cabinet who
lean to the northern view of the slavery
question, and who seek to throw the
"weight and influence of the Admins.
tration on the side of the Free-Soilers
and Abolitionists against the South. "
The only objection to this theory is, that
there is not word Of truth in it. The
principles on which the California mes
sage of the PRESIDENT was based do not
proceed from the Northern members of his
Cabinet they are of Southern origin.
But little more than a twelvemonth since
they met the general if not the universal
appreciation of Southern men of both par
ties in the House of Representatives.
They were all developed at considerable
length, and with much felicity of argu-
ment and illustration, by Mr.. PREsToN,
of Virginia, the present Secretary of the
Navy, in his speech delivered in Commit
tee Of the Whole on the seventh day Of
February, lS49, and reported in the Con-
gressional Globe for that year, page ATT.
The bill under consideration was the
Fertilization Bill. Mr.. PREsToN moved
to strike out the first section of the bill,
and proceeded, under the rules of the
House, to speak upon bill which he pre-
sented contemplating the admission into
the Union Of the territory acquired from
Mexico, as State, under the name of
California. We were present in the House,
and heard the speech with much interest
and pleasure. 1t was Mr.. PREsToN's first
congressional appearance, and produced a
favorable impression of his ability. The
Southern gentlemen listened to the speech
with more than ordinary attention, and
saluted Mr.. PREsToN with congratulations
of more than ordinary ardor. 1t was in
tended to be satisfactory to his Southern
friends, and was so considered at the
time.
Now it is in that specialize speech of
Southern man, now member of the
Cabinet-that the whole policy of the
Administration is developed. There is no
finger of a Northern man in the work.
The Southern members, it is to be pre-
sumed, acquiesced in Mr.. PREsToN's
views. 1t was to forward them, as far as
was consistent with propriety, that Mr..
KING went to California, and we know
that Mr.. PREsToN was looking anxiously
to the successful termination of his mis-
sion, as an event that would remove all
difficulty from the solution of this compli-
Gated question. He considered that, this
mode once pointed out of settling these
matters Practically by the creation of a
State government in California, Con-
gress and the American people would
thereafter be ready to remit them in all
other instances to the people of the Terri
tories 10 settle Tor themselves.
In the speech to which we refer, Mr..
PREsroN took the ground that the terrific
rial power of this Government is but a
secondary power or trust; and that it
ought to be resigned at the first moment
at which the trustee could possibly dis
charge himself of it. His bill in the first
clause declared that the people of Califor-
MIA should be at liberty to make govern
ment for themselves. "The bills of the
committee" said Mr.. PRESTON, SNAKE
governments in these halls, and send them
in imperial power and strength TO reluc-
tant people. The bill which advocate in
vites the people of California, and affords
them the facilities for the creation Of a
government founded upon their own will.
II renounces the exercise of your terri
torial authority and jurisdiction. II re-
cognises the great principle Of popular
supremacy and popular government.
Sir, in that it but acknowledges the truth
which is ssen and felt at this moment all
over the earth-the great truth that
popular constitutional government is the
great self-sustaining machine of this
age-possessing within itself all the yir-
tue, all the strength, all the wisdom ne
cessary for its creation, its preservation,
its perpetuation. 'T am Virginian,
and come here representing communi-
ty intimately connected and deeply in.
terested in the peculiar institutions o.
the South; but upon what do they rest
Shall keep this territorial question here
that, under the exercise of this arbitrary
and tyrannical power-this power O
making governments here for a people
Abroad may carry my institution,
there' Why, if there is any thing greal
and venerable in the mast. and IN The 70