Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-07-08
~ SEE FIRST PAGE.
Letter from Hon. Jno. NJ. Bots.

HENRIco, July 4th, 1850.
To the Editors Of The Richmond Times:
Whilst rather regretted to see that any apollo
gy was deemed necessary for the publication of
my peech, lately delivered in Powhatan, in your
columns, yet do not complain of any structures
You may feel yourselves authorized to make upon
my arguments; that is all legitimate, especially if
you will take the pains TO point out the they
may contain. But you say:
Ihrotuing out of uie,o the constitutional argu-
faent, we cannot see how any Southern man bring
himself to acknowledge that the North would fairly
and Justly, if it excluded slavery from these territories
which are the common property OF the whole Union,
for the avowed purpose OF securing preponderanee OF
Free States"
How can you raise an issue with me on this
question ?-tor entirely concur with you that if
YOU throw out of view the constitutional argu-
ment, that is based on the constitutional power,
then there would be no constitutional right, and
consequently it would not be just, unless the
North might choose to put it the ground that the
negotiation of the treaty for the annexation Of
Texas expressly put its admission into the Union
on the ground of the extension and perpetuation
of slavery-whch was of course to give the pre-
ponderance to the slave States.
But it was not to discuss this question that
have takenmy pen in hand, but TO call your atten-
ton to another still more remarkable passage in
your structures, which is of much more moment
to me, as it would involve me in most cupable
error if not corrected-for one should always first
inform himself before he undertakes to inform
others. You add:
Mr.. Bolts forgets the free State of Iowa when he
that tree State has been formed out of
territory acquired by the United States
could not have forgotten what / never knew
The writer of these structures, apprehend, has
himself fallen into somewhat common, but very
egregious error, which he oughtto have examined
more carefully for himself before he undertook to
convict me of SO inexcusahle mistake. Let me
refer hlni to authority which doubt not will salts
fly Linn that he labofs (tor the want of close per-
senal exaEnlnation) under as great anerror this
ss7bect as ne does in regardtot sAe CONSTITUTION
fsYwsOf Tres w llmesSss iyiso. r. ~ sNsse
S)n INC eth of My, 1900, an act was passed
entitled an act o9ivide he territory Of the Uni
led States Nortt1eas s the Ohio into two separate
governments, by which. act the territory of India.
ma was established. (See United States Statutes
atlarge, vol I'd, page 49, On the 18th day of
January, 1905, an act was passed entitled san
act to divide the Indiana territory into separate
governments; and by the first section of that act it
Is declared that this division of the territory shall
Tor the purpose of temporary government, consti-
tute separate territory and be called Michigan -
See United States Statutes at large, vol. I'd, page
300.
On the 18th of December, 1882, a resolution
passed the House of Representatives, directing at
committee to inquire into the expediency of crea-
ting territorial government for Wisconsin out
OF part of Michigan. And on the 10th of April,
1886, an act establishing the territorial govern
ment OF Wisconsin (taken from Michigan) was
passed and approved
On the 18th of December, 1885, resolution
directing the Committee on Territories to inquire
into the expedency of establishing the Iowa ter
rltory out of part of Wisconsin, passed the House
of Representatives, and on the 18th of June 1888,
an act was passed entitled
An act TO divide the territory of Wisconsin, and to
establish the territorial government of Iowa." and by
she first section OF that act it is provided
That from and after the third day of July next all
shat part OF the present territory of Wisconsin which
lies West OF the Mississippi river, and West OF line
drawn due North from the headwaters or sources of
4he Mississippi TO the territorial ne SHALL for the pur
poses OF territorial government, be and constitute Sc
perae territorial government by the name OF Iowa"
Omitted States Statutes at large, vol 9Th, page 1857
On the Sd OF March, lS45 an act was passed
for the admission of the States of Iowa and Flo
rlda into the Union, the people of these two terri
tories, as recited in the preamble, having formed
for themselves Constitution and State Govern
ment
Thus it will be seen that Iowa was taken from
Wisconsin, Wisconsin from Michigan, Michigan
from Indiana, and Indiana from the Northwestern
Territory provided by the ordinance of 1887. You
VIII therefore do me the favor gentlemen, to ac-
knowledge the error you have committed in un-
dertaking to correct me.
And obige, very respectfully,
your obedient servant
JNO. M. BOTTS.