Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1850-08-22
National Politics.


The Compromise Bill having been defeated,
as we predicted the prospect is now fair that
the various subjects embraced in it will have
the prompt and favorable action of Congress
The most important measures,-the settle
ment of which has involved the greatest diff
culty-have already received the sanction of
the Senate, which was the arena in which the
great battle on the sectional issues has been
fought-and the appearances are, notwi,h-
standing the protests of the Southern ultraists,
that they will meet the approval of the other
branch of Congress.
This must be highly gratifying and satisfac-
tory to every moderate thinker in the country.
The friends of freedom cannot but be encour-
aged in the prospect of the separate admission
OF CALIFORNIA, in the peaceful adjustment of
the Texan boundary question, in the territorial
government for Utah and New Mexico. and
perhaps the adjustment of the slave mart in
the District of Columbia. And the moderate
men of the South cannot but rejoice at the
prospective harmonious settlement of questions
which result, to say the least, is not calcu-
lated to be prejudicial 10 them.
But the ultraists of the North or South, it
would be futile to attempt to appease. There
seems to be regular combination of ultra
shareholders, free soilers and free soil wings,
for the purpose of defeating all of these meas
ures-Benton, with his colleague, but bitter
enemy Atchison Chase, of Ohio, and Butler,
of South Corolina: Dodge of Wisconsin, and
of Ho1o Sc NJ, II I,
and Barnwell of South Carolina; Ewing of
Ohio, and Mason of Virginia Seward of New
York, and Soule of Louisiana; Walker of
Wisconsin, and Yulee of Florida, all are found
voting together in the Senate-and in the
House, the appearances are that the same in
congruous medley will be witnessed.
Already an expression has been attempted
by the ultraist Toombs, ct id omne genus A
Standing Committee of fifteen, embracing
about their entire force, has been raised, and
recently called a Caucus, at which resolutions
were adopted, and system of tactics to be
adopted by them, was discussed. A motion
was made that the scheme of action agreed to
shall be enforced by resort to the parliament
tary expedient of calling Yeas and Nays, but
this was not adopted. 1t is quite probable that
this meeting was intended rather for an ex-
preston of opinion on the subjects of the reso-
buttons, than for the object of binding the men,
bers to any particular course of action-for it
was explicitly stated by the chairman of the
meeting that the members present would not
be bound in their legislative capacity by any
vote taken then.
The Resolutions adopted were as follows II
1st Resolved, That no citizen shall be de-
prived of his life, liberty or property, except
by hejudgrnent of his peers and the laws of
the land, and that the common law, as it exist
ed in the American colonies on the 4th of July, |
l776, and the constitutional laws of the United !
States applicable to our territories, shall be the
fundamental law of said territory.
I'd. Resolved, That in the event that nom
lave-holding states object to put the life, lib
erty and property of all citizens under Ameri-
can laws, we will insist upon division of the
country on the line of SO deg 80 min. with
distinct recognition, and protection of property
in slaves.
Sd. Resolved, That we will not vote for the
admission of California unless the southern
boundary be restricted to the parallel of sc 60.
4th. Resolved, That we will not agree 70
any boundary between Texas and New Next |
portion of territory south of the parallel of &c
deg 80 min north latitude and west of the Rio
Grande, prior to the adjustment of the terri !
torial questions.
9Th. Resolved, That the representatives of
save-holding states will resist by all usual leg
islation and constitutional means, the admission
of the State of California, and the adjustment
of the Texas boundary, until settlement Of
the territorial questions is effected.
Rth. Re If rtb raco1yad that fba yo,r
ers and duties of the committee of Is be con-
tnued until the further action of this meeting,
and that the chairman of that committe by the
concurrence of any three members thereof NAV
at any time call a meeting of the representa-.
tives of the slave-holding states.
The first proposition puts the right to hold
slaves in the territories on the common law, as
i, existed in the American colonies on the 4th
Of July, 1776, and the Constitution and laws
of the United States. Now what was the com
mon law of the colonies? Prior to the indie
pendence, it was certainly different in each COL
ony. The common law Of the colonies was not
the common law of England, either-for thc
feudal system was recognized in the latter.
The common law of the colonies, under
which slavery existed, consisted of nothing
more than the law of common consent-but in
Virginia. it existed by stronger tenure, that
of an Ordinance of the King. The Resolution
is intended. doubtless, to apply to New Mrxi-
co, in abrogating the Mexican law, prohibiting
slavery, which, it is claimed, still operates over
that territory.
As to that clause referring to the Constitu-
tion and laws of the United States. the subject
of slavery is not in any way affecied-inasmuch
as it is neither established nor prohibited by
them-but is understood to be simply mu
nicipal institution, requiring the support of
positive municipal law.