Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1850-02-15

Mr.. Cars speech in support of his compromise
resolutions is very ongquitc long, if not longer
than Gen. CAss's speech upon the WiImot Prosiso.
1t dls some eighteen columns Of the National Intel-
'gencer Of course we could not pretend to publish
it. or even any considerable portion of ii. In our
Congressional summary, have striven to give and
we believe have succeeded in giving pretty accurate
y the leading points and positions which Mr.. CLAY
assumed. In expressing any opinion in regard to
this effort would wish to be guided solely by what
we conceive to be its merits apart from any partizan
bias. As party man, we have ceased to regard Mr..
Clay as the possessor of any real power influence,
beyond personal popularity, which is rather monu-
mental and retrospective in its character. All par
ties praise HENRY CLAY pretty much upon the same
principle that people always find many virtues in
the dear defunct he is politically dead and his ap
pearance upon the stage of public affairs is sort of
mental ghostdom-a posthumous existence, which is
perfectly harmless to his opponents and useless to his
friends, This ghostly and unsubstantial character
is remarkably apparentin his resolutions and speech
Not one of his resolutions asserts bold and decided
position, with the exception of the last not of
them pretends to be founded upon principle not
one of them grants iota to the Southland more
over, not one of them settles anything definitely The
first says that California shall be admitted with
suitable" boundaries Does the term suitable set
tie anything in regard to the boundaries The Sec
ond is equivalent to the Wimot Proviso without da
ring openly to say 1t says that whereas, slave
ry does not exist by law, being, Mr.. CLAY says
already abolished by Mexico, Congress should not
interfere with the subject. Now what is this but
solemn decision by Congress that slavery does not
exist and must not be introduced into the territories
ha& ii ooAT -.
shall surrender her claim to all her territory with
in the bounds of New Mexico This territory is
South of Sc 80, and while belonging to Texas is by
virtue of the treaty of annexation slave territory,
but, when separated falls under the operation Of the
second resolution, by which it is virtually provisoed
The fifth resolution declares it inerpedient to abol-
sh slavery in the District unless upon certain con-
ditons. If the people of the South satisfied with
this we wiki be much surprised. If the mere asser-
ton of its inexpedency puts stop to Northern agi
aon in regard to it. we will be still more surprised
We can no objection to the sixth resolution
which declares expedient to prohibit the slave trade
in the District, provided, Mr.. FooTE observed, it
is done without the appearance of insult. 1t should
be remarked that in this it is again the South
which is called upon to make the concession. The
fact asserted in the seventh resolution that more eff
fectua provision should be made by law for the re-
covery of fugitive slaves has already been recognized
by the Senate, and bill brought in in accordance
Herewith.
The eighth resolution, which, by the BY is the
y positive in the bunch, asserts that Congress
has power to interfere with the slave trade be-
tween the States. 1t would be difficult to see how
much compromise this contains, since it merely
serts constitutional truth, which is not seriously
called in question by any respectable number Of peo
pie.
The speech partakes of the character of the reso-
lutions Mr.. CLAY seems stranger to % the sweet
slumber of decided opinion" Like Mahomets cof-
fin, he to be suspended between two magnets,
of which, however, the North is the powerful,
and, to all intents and purposes, draws him as it
pleases. Like the lover in the song, he could be