Democratic banner., 1850-02-11

IDASAh '!.ta ! IL -, AeoO' ,al3 - LNO'4s'
know my opinions. And. first, ttsyr may
see them in my public acts--in nay Propo.
sails for the admission of Texas five years
ago, in which proposed to limit the wes-
tern extension of slavery by a longitudinal
line, ! believe the one -hund-edth degree Of
west longitude" Here we see that Col.
Bento6's principles would make all Of Cal
ifornia and New Mexico, and about half of
Texas "freesoil;" and Wiimct's proposftiSn
which is called 'Wilmot previso,' wo11
make California and New Mexico "free
sol;" and the only difference is. that Ben
ton goes little further than Wilmot him-
self. Both are in favor of excluding slave
Iry from the Territories acquired by the
treaty with Mexico; and il. one deserves
to be called Free Soiler, on account Of
his opinions, the other is equally entitled to
bear the same epithet.
Eighth: Col. Benton also says, that we
may learn his opinions by looking at his
votes on the Oregon bill. Well, what aIe
they? When Clsyton's Compromise bill
was pending before the Senate, designed 10
give governments to all the Territories a.
bove mentioned and Oregon, and based on
the principles of acknowledgements ,''ISena1
tor Clarke, of Rhode Island, moved to
amend this compromise bill, which had been
drawn as a "peaee measure" by inserting
the Wilmot Proviso TO the part relating to
Oregon. This was en- independent propo.
sition, not necessary to procure the pas
sage Of the bill, but rather an attack on the
bill, and CoL Benton voted for ii. This is
a plain, naked, unqualified vote in favor of
the 'proviso." None bu, Free Soilers voted
with him; and, taken in connection witb
the facts above given, it is conclusive as to
his opinions on the subject Of the sproviso.'
He also voted 10 recede from, the Missouri
Compromise, which had been added to the
Oregon bill, in order to settle the whole
Question in all the Territories. Indeed, it
would be difficult to find any member of
the Senate whose votes, on this question.
have been more obnoxious than Colonel
Bentcn's. - q
Even the proposition of Mr.. Hsle, made
in accordance with the petition Of John
Lewis, saegxo of -I.hilsaslP91s,, 20 ame6d'
the ssGtiose eof the bill fixing the qualities
tons Of those who should cote and hold
96fce in Oregon; by which all mulattoes,
and all negroes who had drop Of white
blood in their veins, were to be placed upon
a perfect equality with whites-even that
received the sanction of his vote. So odi-
Gus was the proposition, that many Free
Sellers would not vote for il |; and none but
six of the most ultra anti-slsvery men would
vote with the Colonel. Their names are:
Baldwin, BENTON, Clarke, Davis, HALE,
Greene, of Rhode Island, and Uphon-l
and every other Senator present (forty -four
in number voted against it.
Colonel Benton points US to these acts,
that we may learn his position on the slave
question and we find him not only in fa-
vor of free soil, but actually voting for one
Of the fist movements designed to place q
portion of the negro race on terms of po-
litical equality with the whites. But have
not space to refer you to all the evidences
against him, and will now very briefly state
a few of the points of objection to the evil
mot Proviso." ! object to it, '''.
l. Because it is an act by Congress, the
common agent instituted by all the States,
iOI bIc pTUtcCtiOu VI ali dIikS Oh tne pIln"i II
ciPles Of perfect equality, which would
against the property of nearly
one. half the States forming the Union.-I
Every discrimination against any kind of
tends to depreciate it, and is to
That extent an absolute destruction of the
rights Of property which the Union was
formed to pr0tect. -.E s.f .E.a '-f
2. Because it in effect appropriates the
whole territory purchased by the blood
and treasure ofoH the States, to the exclu.
i've use and enjoyment of the non-slave-
holding states. 't = -r,ri"
g. Because it limits and confines slavery
10 its present bounds; and as il continues to
increase by natural generation, that species
If property must decline in value; and as
/ declines in value from superabundance,
lie wages of labor must and will decline
n the same ratio; and hence double in
ury is inficted-to the owners Of that
Kind Of property, and also to white labor :
,rs, and ell others who earn their living by..
lOnest industry. '.1'.
4. Because il establishes dangerous /.
PRECEDENT in the Government, which, un- :