The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-06-20

and the Wilmot proviso II contains is the Wilmot
proyiso passed and enforced by the legislation OF
Congress. Here then, is that exclusion from this
territory by the act OF Congress which almost every
southern State in the Union has declared she would
not submit 70, plainly and practically enforced by
this bill. free people cannot be satisfied with the
mode IN which they are deprived OF their rights.
| sovereign State will disdsin TO inquire in what
manner she Is stripped OF her property, and de-
graded from equality with her sister States II
Is enough that the outrage is done. The mode Is of
little consequence. There is, therefore, in the mode
of extending the Wilnot proviso the Terrific
| ry Of California presented by the bill nothing To
mitigate the Indignation of the southern States,
| to battle their determination TO redress the wrong,
| if inflicted. They excluded from the whole Ter
ritory OF California, territory extensive enough TO
| contain Tour large States
| If the constitution proposed by California
| tanned nothing about slavery, would the North
| allow her TO enter the Union! Such were the ter
ritorial bills proposed for California at the last Con-
gress; but they rejected them, because the South
was not excluded from this territory in express
terms. The inhabitants of this territory have been
left without any civil government, solely because
the South would not To be legslatcd out OF
them with her institutions; and, that this OBJ
ject is accomplished by the constitution presented
by California, these conservatives, these advocates
OF law and order, are eager to admit her, without
| right or precedent, into the Union We are aware
i OF the Inconvenience the nhabitants OF California
may have suffered for want OF a civil government
| established by Congress, and therefore are pre-
pared to yield much on account OF the circum-
stances in which they have been placed. In the
! resolutions we have adopted and submit for your
appreciation, you will perceive that we recommend
| you " assent TO the admission of California
i State certain conditions.
The next measure is in perfect keeping with this
first feature OF 'thc report IL takes from Texas
territory sufficient for two large States, and adds
/ them to New Mexico. What the bill contains with
respect slavery will be of little consequence; for
| it is designed that next winter New Mexico, thus
constituted shall follow the example Of California,
| and be admitted State, with constitution ex-
GLIDING slavery from its limits; for without suchex
cluson she cannot hope TO be admitted by the nom
slavcholdng States into the Union The effect will
he, that territory, which slavery now exists,
equal to States, will be wrested from the South.
and will be given up TO the slaveholding States
The preext is that there is some doubt as to the
boundaries Of Texas Texas by her laws, when
| she was admitted into the Union, had but
| boundary toward the West, and that boundary was
| the Rio Grande. Congress in the resolutions nd
| hitting her into the Union recognised this boun-
dairy, by laying down line OF limitation between
the slaveholding and non-saveholding States
tbeing the Missouri compromise line OF 360 80 par
alel OF north titude)-through that very part OF
her territory her right to which is questioned.
Her boundary Of the Rio Grande to its source alone
| gave her this country, and was thus recognised
and ratified by the resolutions OF annexation. To
vudicate this boundary for Texas, member Of
/ the Union, the Mexican war took pace and in the
treaty of Guadalupe Hidago, it was finally vindi-
Gated and settled, by clause in the treaty, desig
mating the Rio Grande as the boundary between
Mexico and the United States. Thus, by the laws
of Texas, by the Legislation of Congress- and by a
solemn treaty of the United States, the Rio Grande
is the western boundary of Texas. Yet the preten-
sion is set up that her territory does not extend TO
within three hundred miles of the Missouri COM
promise line where Congress in receiving her into
the Union determined that her territory should be
divided between the slavcholding and non slave
holding States. Texas is the only State in the
| Union which has the solemn guarantee of the Gov
eminent of the United States every possible form
| to her boundaries Yet this is the Government
which disputes them; and, under the pretext that
they arc very doubtful, proposes to take from her
nearly one-half OF her territory II Is by virtue OF
such pretcnsions that by the bill two States are to
be taken from the southern and given to the north
crn States; and this wrong is aggravated by COM
polling to pay for it, through the treasury of the
| United States.
1t is undoubtedly proper that Texas should be
quoted to her boundaries, but she should be
Quoted by law of Congress, plainly acknowledge
ing them. II, after her boundaries settled, the
General Government, TO carry out the purposes OF
the Constitution, in good faith to fulfil all the
obligations the annexation of Texas to the Union
requires, should think proper to purchase any ter
rtory from Texas, the arrangement may be unob-
jectonabe. But any arrangement concerning her
territories which leaves shade OF doubt as to the
right of the people of the South TO enter any portion
OF the territory which, according to the terms OF
| annexation, are now free 10 them, neither Texas
nor the General Government have any right to
make. The terms Of annexation constitute the
compact Of union between Texas and the other
States of the Con federacy this compact secures
rrcvocaby TO the people Of the slavehoding States
the right Of entering with their property all her ter.
ritory lying south of 800 80 north latitudeichtisf
from all her territory lung north Of that line they are
excluded The bill in the Senate makes no pro-
vison for carrying out these terms of the compact.
but leaves in doubt the right Of the southern people
throughout all the territory proposed 10 be pur-
chased, whilst many who support the bill declare
that, in effect 1t excludes entirely the people OF the
southern States from all the territory purchased
The least evil, therefore, the bill bring 20 the
people Of the southern States entering il will be
contention, harassment, and litigation.
But you will have a very inadequate conception
Of the importance Of the territory taken from Texas
by the bill, If you confne your views TO Texas IL
you will look at the map Of the United States, you
will perceive that the territory, proposed to be sur
rendered by Texas lies throughout its whole ex-
along the western frontier Of the Indian terri
tory. This is now slaveholding country, and
must be considered part of the South. Place
along their whole western boundary two nom
slavehoding States, and how long will the Indians
be able TO maintain the institution of slavery! II
, the agency of Congress Is not used, TO abolish
slavery in the Indian territory, this end can be
easily accomplished by the very means now in ope-
ration against slavery in the southern States, whch
the Indian will have but little power TO resist The
effect will be, that the Indian territory, large
enough for two States, will be controlled by
the non. slaveholding States. Thus, by these two
points in the report the South will lose four large
States in California, two in Texas and two in the
Indian territory. Nor is this all The non-slave-
holding States will be brought TO the western
boundary Of Missouri and Arkansas along their
whole extent, and will bound Texas her whole
northern and western frontier. Thus the southern
States will be hemmed in by the non slaveholding
States on their whole western border-a policy
, which they have declared essential TO the end OF
abolishng slavery in the southern States. What
eau compensate the South for such enormous wrong
} and spoation'
But this is the end Of your concessions by this
report We must not only yield TO the interests,
but 70 the prejudices Of the northern people. sla-
very existed ia the District Of Columbia when Con-
grcss accepted the ccsson of the territory compos
ing il from the States Of Maryland and Virginia.
No one can suppose that Maryland and Virginia
savebolding States then and slaveholding States
now, could have designed 10 give Congress any
power the institution Of slavery in this terri
tory. Independently Of the wrong TO the people o.
the District cmancipate their slaves, II would be
an intoerable evil 10 have District between them
: where emancipation prevails by the authority Of
Congress. Congress, in the bill reported as par
Of the so-callcd compromise, now begins the work
Of emancipation by declaring that, II any slave Il
brought into the District for sale he shall be "lb
Grated and free" II slave is liberated because be
is brought into De District the next step, 10 libe