The southern press., 1850-09-03
Washington, Tuesday, September B, 1850.

was a KIND OF music they liked 10 hear from the
North. There was in it more Of the gentle harp
and less Of the war bugle than they had been ac
customed to from that quarter.
MIR. BROOKS said, it appeared after all that
there no essential difference between them.
Mr.. BROWN. So far as this Congress is con
cerned, we ask nothing more than that we shall
be treated equals, and that insulting discrim-
against slave property. If the gentleman agress
to this, there be essential difference between
us.
Now, Mr.. Speaker. to the subject of the Texas
boundary. Is there one man in this House, or
throughout the nation, who does not know that but
for the question OF slavery there would be no such
question as that of the Texas boundary. Sup
pose, sir, that Texas and New Mexico were both
as clearly slaveholding countries North and
South Carolina, how long, sir, do you think, it
would take this Congress to fix a boundary be-
tween them? Not one hour-certainly not one
day. OF what consequence could 1t be to the
North, whether Texas extended to the 32d or to
the AID degree, or to any intermediate point:
Take out the question of slavery, and of what
consequence is it where the boundary Of Texas
may be fixed? Does any man suppose that the
money loving men Of the North would vote ten
millions Of dollars from common treasury to buy
a slip of soil from slavehoding State, simply to
give it to slaveholding Territory? No, no. We
all understand this matter. If the country is left
in the possession and ownership of Texas, it
must be slave territory, and if it is given up to
New Mexico, you mean that 1t shall become free
territory, and you do not intend to leave any
stone unturned to accomplish this end. We
know this, and we govern ourselves accordingly.
Let Northern gentlemen speak out on this subject.
The thin covering, that they want to do justice
between Texas and Mexico, furns;.e es poor dis
guise to the real purpose. We all know that
slavery restriction is the lever with which you
are lifting the title Of Texas off this country,
and giving up to New Mexico; and we all know
that you are attempting to do this without right,
or color Of right, to perform such an act.
Mr. McCLERNAND (Mr. BRowN yielding)
said, that Texas claimed the Rio Grande for its
whole extent to be her western boundary. BY
the resolutions annexlng Texas to the United
States, slavery is interdicted north Of 36o 30
within he professed limits. The amendment pro-
posed by the gentleman from Kentucky MIR.
| BoyD provides that slavery may exist in any
portion Of the territory west of the boundary OF
Texas, as proposed by the Senate bill, between
800 and $50 north latitude, east of the Rio Grande.
That is the amendment provides that slavery may
exist in any part of said territory, according
as the people inhabiting it may determine for
themselves when they apply for admission into
the Union So that to the extent of so much of
said territory now claimed by Texas, lying be-
tween $50 3U and $50 north latitude, the South,
according to the test Of my able and worthy friend
from Mississippi, stand upon better footing un'
der the amendment proposed than she does uhdei
| the resolutions of Texas annexation.
Mr.. BROWN resumed. If we are left in thai
condition in which we were by the annexation re-
solutions, we are satisfied. What we ask in re
gard to Utah. New Mexico, and California, is,
that the North will not, by means direct orndrect
disturb then in the quiet enjoyment of our pro-
perty. What we ask in regard to Texas is that
you will abide by the resolutions Of annexation
We are satisfied with the contract, and we are
opposed to making any other. This contract
| gives us all South Of $50 30' slave territory
and dedcates all North of that line to free SOIL
We stand by this. fgentlemen want to bu,
from Texas her territory North of 36o 3O, lie
them do it. They had his full consent to give he
ten, twelve, or fifteen millions Of dollars. H
should interpose no objection. But when it cam
to selling out slaveholding Texas with view O
enabling the North to made New Mexico a non
slaveholding State the more readily, he felt it hi
duty to interpose by all the means in his power
He never meant to give his vote for any proposi
ton or combination of propositions which looke
to the deprivation of Texas of one inch Of he
rightfu soil. He wanted to deal fairly by al
parts of the country. lie trusted he should be n
ready to act fairly by the North as by the South
but he invoked the vengeance Of Heaven if eve
he gave his vote for any bill or proposition to bu
the soil of slave State to convert it into free soil