Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1850-03-12
'UESDAY, MARCH. II, 1850.

tain suCh provsipn2 Is it merely TO obt. in
! victory over the States oflhe South 2 Or Is
/; for the purpose of estabishn" anrtiier preceden
| BY which To bind Us on some future dayf Or
| it because it has no confidence in the opiCion
81, boldly advances 2 One thing is certain, ta
slavery is either excluded frunl these IGFritorIe
khy this Mexican or local law, or il Is not. II
,tSSzsu excluded, there is no necessity To- eSclud
/ Il by act of Congress. II it is not So excluded
| such an act would he unjust as 1t would EITtuai
| Iy deny to one portion OF the COntedeTacy rish
| which il would confer upon annfhcr-the r'Si'
| TO enter upcn and POSSESS, ard cultivate tie put
| lie lands in those RosritOries.
| And what, sir, was the spectacle presented Il
| the nation, but the other day, when an alteup
was made to force through this House, withOu
debate, a resolution inStrUctiHg one OF our com
lnittees TO report bill for the admission nj Cail
foraa as State iutu ,ttis Union, aud expressly
prohibiting thai committee lf0m connecting ~ttt
that subjec any regulations provisions Spect
ing oir other territories! Yes, ,aithou.
mia claims TO cUme into this Union with bounIa
ries very bIe-her sea coast cNtcndIue
over nine hundred miles, reaching as tar aS from
Boston to SavanHalI-y"t under tins resolution
we we're not to be allow ed the privilege OF DIS
russnS the prnprety of admitting her with sHch
dispropnrtiOned limits we were not TO con-
slider whether this would be just uni jnst TO those
Of our citizens who occupy other portions oil thiiI
western territory. And although We lave good
reasons for smsvCCting that the Executive has, III
Connexinn with this California constitution, been
guilty of usurpation, and has arrogated to himself
powers which belorg to Congress alone, the re-
prescntarives of the Eeuple were 10 be prohibited
from freely canvassimg lis Conduct, and deciding
what measures the pubic safely demanded ~
protect our constituents from repetition OF such
unlawful attempts. The admission Of California,
the great measure Of the session, was 10 be iOrcec
through by denial of the dearest right ot this
body the right Of free discussion upon putl!c men
and public measures; and the representatives. o.
the people under the operation OF Il gag, were 20
be degraded into n!I mac hines tu register the
wiiI Of an arbitrary, nnreasoiiing majority. But
sir, the prOhibjOry clause OF that resolution eN-
plains everything. 1t shows that there are fac
zionist here unwilling 10 discuss public measures,
and fully as unwilling TO enter uPon an attempt
to settle the various matters Of difficulty and DIS
pute which divide us sectiOnallY, producing alarm
and uneasiness tlIruughou the country, and caus-
ing many a patriot To fear that the sacrlnceS we
made for liberty and for union i'll years that have
passed, were made in vain.
Mr.. Chairman, | had intended TO make some
comment upon the great revolution in the public
sentiment of the North upon this slavery question,
which the last lew years have brought about. /
had intended To have brought to your notice the
public acts and writings Of Van Buren,, Wright,
Paudng, and others, and to have asked Why tins
entire change Of 0piuion. But fear, sir, that l
am fltiguing both you and the committee.
Some twelve or fourteen years ago we had in
the North many gallant supporters and defenders
Df our rights. From all that | can learn, they
have one by one deserted Us, until now those still
true to us, and q say il intending no disresrcct
to any nne) silI true to the principles OF the Con
stituIion by the very strangencss of their attitude
more strongly mark the almost universal detec-
iiun. Whilst we regret the desertlon OF those
who once occupied 81 large space in our re-
CARDS, let us, with hooks Of steel" grapPle to
us The few yet lett
Arnongst|hcsc am sure may include dis
tingmisIed Senator from Michigan, Mr- CASs.
and "a no less distinguished Senator from New
Ymrk, Mr.. DICElSsON,l and / trust, that before
this session Closes many Northern representa-
ives in this chaEnJer will, for The sake Of peace
and to preserve the Union, range themselves with
us under The only banner beneath which con-
federated republics can safely form, the banner
nf EYH2'ity IF rights, and Of Abstinence from NE
ere,ciSe of all doubtful porerS.
News of the most cheering kind has already
reached us from The North. And let the tempest
rage here rs loud rs it may, shall hope on to
Tie last that that devotion 10 the Union, which
we arc told is wide spread feeling at the
North, will lead 10 more moderate measures here,
and be the means OF saving the Union.
But should l be disappointed in this hope
should aggression be accumulated upon aggrcs-
sion, and wrong upon wrong-it is not for ue 10
predict what uc of conduct Virginia will pursue
YHni is not within the province Of any of her re-
representatives. here. IEaf sine will determine tOr
herself in convention Of her people; and that de-
Termination cnce made Will be binding upon all
her sons.