The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-01-30

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Congress. SO far this resent session. pre-.
sentssa very ssringe anonoiy. A seeming
dread on the part of.the Northern men,bers,
consequent 10 the determined position assu,n-
eddy the South. TO press the passage of the
Proylso, coupled with the extraordinary
methods adopiedtopre California into the
Union in the guise OF state. The question
now seems to have entered new phaze-
that OF territories generally, and at the pres
ent time there are three plans before con-
gress for the settlement of the vexed ques-
ton. The first is that of is Gen. HoUsToN,
which has been presented in the form of a
preamble aud resolution, declaring that as
the Congress of the United States possesses
no power over the subject of negro slavery
within the limits Of the Union, either to pro-
hbit or interfere with it in the States, Terri
tories or Districts, where, by municipal law,
It now exists, or to establish il in any Ter.
| ritory or District, and that as the people in
Territories have the same Inherent right OF
sey-gorernn'ent as the yeop!e in The !ytd,es, il,
in the exercise OF such inherent rights the
people in the newly acquired Territories, by
the annexation of Texas, and the acquisition
Of California and Mexico South Of the paral-
lei of 38 degrees 30 minutes of North lat-
tudc, extending to the Pacific ocean, shall es-
tablsh negro slavery or prohibit il, such es-
tablishmcnt or prohibition OF negro slavery in
the formation Of their State governments,
shall be deemed no objection TO their adn,is-
sion as State or States into the Union, in
accordance with the Constitution Of the Uni
ted States The Objectionable features Of
this bill is that it delegate powers TO certain
portion Of the inhabitants Of n territory whilst
it denies the assembled representatives of the
whole Union, in Congress the same powers.
The Second is Mr.. Benton's bill. by far the
most important one as far as the South is con.
ccrned. 1t makes simple profession Of re.
duc,lon in the size Of the Stale of Texas, so
as to form three new territories and consc-
quently engraft rec-solism in slave hold
ing State and in the midst of the Southern
country. II assumes ".hot all the territory
included in the Texas annexation 10 the
North OF 36 30 was subject TO the restriction
which was applied to Oregon, and which the
Free Sorlers arc attempting TO extend to
California. The following arc tho principal
provisions Of MIR. Benton's bill:--l. That the
State of Texas shall reduce her boundary
on the West TO the one hundred and second
degree of West longitude, from the mcreiian
of Grecnwch; and on the North to The Maia
or Salt Fork OF the Red River, between the
parallel of one hundred and two degrees OF
West longitude. 2. That when the popula-
ton OF said State shall equal or exceed 100,
00G souls, West OF the line formed by the
95th 'legce Of West longitude, and by the
river Colorado, from its mouth to its interscc-
ton by said parallel, then the State OF Tex
as will further reduce her Western bounda.
ry to that line; and the part of Texas lying
West oi that line, as reduced by the first ar
ticle OF this agreement, shall be and remain a
separate State, entitled TO Immediate a,imis
sion INTO the Federal Union, OH an equal foot
ing with the original States.
3. The State OF Texas 10 cede TO the Uni.
ted States all her territory exterior To tho
limits To which she reduces lIcrsefby the first
article ofthis agreement.
There are three other s,ipulatons, rrovitl
ing for the REIMBURSEMENT OF all CLAIMS upon
the United States for liability OF the debts
oi Texas, and for compensation or dcmnitv
for the surrender to The United States oi her
ships, ports, arscnals, &c which became th,
property OF the United S,atcs At the time o,
annexation, and the United States in consiL
Grafton OF said reduction OF boundaries, ces
sion OF territory. and rclinIuislincnt of claims,
wi pay t., the State OF 'rex..s the sum al
fifteen mil ions Of doiiars, in stock bearing 5
per cent interest, redeemable at the end OF
fourteen years.
The following explanations from Mr.. Ben
ion accompanied his bI!l:-" ;'lic bill makes
proposal TO Texas for The reduction of her
limits She covers sixteen degrees OF lati-
tudc and fourteen of longitude. She extends
from 26 to - degrees oi North latitude, and
from 06 TO 10 oil West Longitude; tina, is TO
say from four degrees south OF New Or.cars
to near four degrees north of ST. Louis, and
from the longitude OF Western NJ ssour To
the summit OF the Rocky Mountains. She
has GILL frontier OF near a thousand mics
"a River frontier on the Rio Grfn,!e (par,
disputcd) oi two thousand mIies-an undl lspu.
| ted River frontier oi a Thousand miles on the
Arkansas, about FIVE hundred more on the
| Red River, nearly another five hundred on
| the Sabine frontier, and an inland frontier o.
| three hundred miles more between The Red
| River and the Arkansas. She has circum.
| ference of about five thousand miles and a
superficial extent Of three hundred and fliv
thousand square miles. Such State is too
large either for her own welfare as well as
that OF other States. She is large enough t.
make seven States Of the first class, and
ought, for her own welfare, as well as that O.
the other States, to be reduced to reasona.
BILE size "
=
The bill proposes TO reduce her, at once,
with her consent, inoa State OF about l5u, ,00G
squire miles; and, eventually, into two States
OF about 10000 square miles each. The re-
duciion is proposed on the principle OF leaving
all the present popuiai on and all the organic.
cd counties untouched, and cccding the un-
settled aud wild lands TO the United States
The Western boundary line retired to the
parallel of l02 degrees of West longitude
and the Northern boundary line retired &c
the Red River, would have this effect; and
! wnun Iaayn tho Slate in :. cnunac. firm,