Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-03-30

"Resoved (fthe Assembly eOnsur That if any terrific
y is hereafter acquired by the United States or annexed
thereto the act by which such territory acquired aleed
zyateuer zach may be- should contain an .aera6Ie Ann
amental article PERCUSSION Whereby slavery or nyoluntary
except punishment for crime shall forever
| excluded from the territory acquired or annexed.
Resoed lift Assembly concur That the Senators in
Congress from this State be instructed and that the Repre-
senatves Congress from this State be requested to use
| foregoing resolutions"
These resolutions adopted the Senate of New York
the 9th Of January and in the Assembly on the st of
rebuary 647 being the first session Of the Ierislatre
after Mr. Wilmo had first introduced The nroviso into n
There is no room for equivocaon or doubt as to the
W nng OF these resolutions The Legislature Of New
A ao mol instruct the Senators from that Safe vote for
oDiaon Oh slavery In any territorial bill which Congress
might pass for the government of the Territories even in
oregon Nebraska and Minnesota much less in the terrific
| ries to be acquired from Mexico.
This resolution contemplates M sucb c.sa y xo;,..
that THE ACT By tchich such ferritoru r. anored ~ nm
nered whaerer such act may BE- should contain a., usAL
FusDAAEsTaI ARTICLE" &C. for the prohibition
OF slavery The prohibition was 10 be in the tr,at aco
ing The country and not in the territorial bills for its
ment The prohibition to be an unalerabe fundamen
tai article, whereby slavery should "5e roRryyR
GUIDED from ne territory acquired or annexed" was 10
remain in force moi only while territory but forever II
was to be unaerab that the people could not change
it, they desired to do so, after they became State of the
Union could if necessary, deain the Senate from this
tire until sunset in reading other memorials and petitions Of
the character show that this the common gene
raj universal understanding the Wmot proviso at that ay
But sir, there still another objection to the Wmot
o. an nsuperabs character entirely Independent of
the slavery question II would have had the inevitable effect if
indeed was not the settled purpose many of its original
supporters to have defeated the acquisition Of any territory
a. ALL requires no argument to prove, and but little faith
to believe that under IL California and New Mexico could
never have been obtained As the Senate was then con-
stituted the savehodng States had clear majority in this
chamber Iowa and Wisconsin then being
here Bearing this fact in mind with the evidence political
opinion in regard to the poso in the Southern sections Of
the Union which have witnessed and now witnessing
VINO can believe that constitutional majority of twothds
could have been obtained in favor of any treaty containing the
Wilmot proviso No can for moment suppose that
such treaty could possibly have been ratified. think
speak advsedy when Iepeat that could have received
the vote OF any one Senator representing avehodng State;
while that many Northern Senators would have felt
themselves constrained their conscientious CONVICTIONS en-.
ey independent of the question of slavery have voted
against upon the grounds have stated The probabilities
are therefore, that such treaty. instead Of being ratified by
vote, as required by the constitution, could not
have received the sanction Of third of the members of this
body knowledge Of this fact undoubtedly gave the pro-
vlso large portion Of its original support The Wings
party were openly opposed the acquisition Of any terri
tory whether slave or Free It will be recolected that the
Senator from Massachusetts, (Mr WEBSTER boosted of this
fact and cited the vote Mr. BERRIESs resolution as Off
cal evidence that was party question, the Wings being
opposed and the Democrats favor Of the acquisition of ter
ntory This being the feeling Of the Wing party they
seized upon the Wmot provso scheme well devised and
admirably adapted to defeat all acquisitions Southern Wings
even voted for the Wmo provsoome under the yeas and
nays, and many in the Committee Of the Whole where
no journal kept and justified their afterwards upon
the ground that they given with view the proh
bon OF slavery but for the sole purpose of defeating the
QUESTION Of any territory from Mexico Had the scheme sue
ceeded the hopes the Wings would have been fully realized
The pride and pudces Of the South would have been APP
Peasd to to withhold all appropriations for the prosecution
the wato compel the Administration, in dishonor and dis
grace TO withdraw the armies and terminate hosles with
out indemnity for injuries and losses in money or terri.
tory Support ofthe Wimo provso therefore, opposition
in the nsdious, dangerous and the acqui-
none other and without the slightest reference the ques.
ton Of slavery, hold that the duty of every Democrat
North and South-of every friend Of the late Administration
OF every supporter OF the Mexican and of every advocate
OF California and New Mexico 10 have opposed the Wmot
Provso with all the power and energy with which God had
invested him. We did oppose with rmness and resou-
ton, until defeated forever by the conclusion of treaty
Of peace without any such condition provision it. Cali
onia and New Mexico acquired absolute and
conditional title with the right dispose Of and govern
them the people might determine under the constitution of
the United States From the day which the notifications
OF that treaty exchanged by the two countries the
Wimot poviso became an obsolete idea," having died
an eternal death, without the hope Of resurrection Hav
ing acquired the country by absolute and uncondi-
onal title it became subject to the jurisdiction of this Gov
ernmen the Oregon, Minnesota Nebraska and the
Indian territories; and when to institute govern
mens for them, might might be deemed wise and
eIpedent incorporate in them the ordinance Of S7 the
amendment of Mr. Winthrop to the Oregon bill in ls45
could have voted for the Wmot proviso under any
emergency conceivable state Of facts and yet under pc
Their occasion, did vote for the amendment of Mr.. Win
throp in s45 and also for the Oregon bill Of l84s contain
ing similar provision under the Of the ordinance Of
49, The two entirely dssmilar, involving
different principles and deriving their authority from separate
sources of power The crude, digested scheme
for the attainment Of end deemed desirable in mode
authorized by the constitution and subversve Of the prnc
Piles and policy Of the Government; the other is a simple,
plain provision law older than the Government ITSELF and
in opinion entirely unnecessary at the time that
free from insuperabe constitutional difficulty with the
ton of pecedens under almost every Administration to
rant its adoption.
How these propositions should have become confound-
ed in the popular mind, the with the other, nd especi
ally how the of the Wimot proviso which has
received the sanction of any department Of this Govern
men should have become fastened upon the ordinance Of ST.
which had aega existence before the constitution adopt
ed and has since been frequently re-enacted problem
the solution of which would be curious and amusing. My
time will not allow to give history of will
venture to suggest however, that the purpose had been form
ed of organizing third party under the banner of the Will
mot poviso which would be able control the politics Of
the free States fnot the political desnes Of the whole
try The movement had succeeded admirably. The Legis-
latures Of several States, New York among the NUMBER had
endorsed in terms and there seemed be fair prospect
that the question could be kept open and the agitation
continued, this third party would overwhelm both Of
the other great parties Of the country and emboy under its
banner majority Of the voters in the Northern STATES But
unfortunately just at that point of time when the prospects
OF this third party were supposed to be the brightest and the
hopes of its leaders the most buoyan the question set
tied forever by the treaty peace without the Wmot poviso
The political disappointment great be submitted
to- The political temptation to keep up the organization
al II