Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-06-25
THE TIMES, TERMS
MAKING A STATE OF NEW MEXICO,
Declared, by authority, to be a part Of the Rresi


dents Policy.
The slavery question has assumed new phase
Heretofore, the contest has been, whether the
Wilmot proviso shall be applied to the Terrific
ries. The Senate has settled that point by its
memorable vote of Wednesday, the 9Th of June.
1850, when hiry-ttree voices in the negative,
against hoeny-three in the affirmative, consigned
that infamous proposition to the political tomb
The North finding itself foiled in the purpose OF
excluding the Southern people from the Terrific
tories by direct Congressional interference, has
fallen back upon an equally efficient mode of ex-
clujng them by indrection. TO conuert The Ter
ritorieS into States, before the South has chance
of gaining foothold in them, is now the policy
of the advocates of Free Soil. California has an
,icipated their wishes by setting up as State, on
an independent footing, until Congress choose to
admit her into the Union. The tremendous in
fux of American population into that Territory,
and her being left by the laches of Congress with
out any civil government, give her application
notwithstanding its Irregularities, some degree OF
force. The South might afford to grant her de.
mand, and even concede the boundaries which she
has undertaken to prescribe for herself, provided
finality were satisfactorily given to the other
branches of the slavery controversy. But the
antislavery leaders not willing to stop at the
admission of California. Her example shows
them way in which New Merico may be made
Free Soil as readily as California, and in which too
she may very possibly maintain her boundary
claim against Texas They are now, accordingly,
uniting upon the scheme of forcing her (for she
has declared that she does not desire) to become
State. And in placing themselves upon this plat
form, we are constrained, by unquestionabe evil
dence, to believe, that the opponents of Southern
interests have only adopted the policy of our South
ern Wing administration
The President said in what is styled his Cali
fornia message, of January 21st 1850:
&c" did not hesitate to express to the people of these
Territories california and New Mexico my desire that
each Territory should if prepared to comply with the
requlsuons OF the constitution OF the United States
torn plan OF State constitution and submit the same
to Congress, with prayer Tor admission into the Union
asa State"
Whatever excuse the neglect of Congress, and
the unhappy condition of California and New Mexi-
CO, might have furnished the President for Civ
ing the important and unprecedented invitation
here avowed it was not to have been supposed,
that after the people of New Mexico had debe-
rately considered the matter, and declared them
selves mol prepared to comply with tie requi-
sitons of the constitution of the United States,'
the policy of taking them into the Union, nolentes
poLentes, would still be persisted in. But the in
PRODUCTION of Mr. Duers bill, with the avowal that
it embraced the Presidents plan, satisfied us that
the Administration had determined to stake itself
10 ,ofo Jr
State. The recent special message of the Pre-
sident was very far from removing this conviction.
The startling Geographic report, that conven-
ton to form State constitution has actually been
called in New Mexico, by the Military Governor,
acting under instructions from Washington,
though it remains to be verified by authentic intel
ligence, is by no means in conflict with Mr.. Duer's
exposition of the Presidents policy But if there
is yet room to doubt, that it is part of that poll
cy to admit New Mexico into the Union as soon as
the people can be brought to give their consent
all uncertainty would be dissipated, by an article
which appeared in the Washington Republic of
Friday last, and which was transferred to the most
conspicuous place in the National ItelIigencer of
Saturday, with the following introduction
!" We readily comply with the request of one Of our
Oldest subscribers by transferring to columns the
subjoned article In doing SO, would add that the last
annual message of President Polk to Congress 18th De
cember lS40) contains the whole platform of President
Taylor for proposing which, President Polk lauded
by the whole Democracy whilst for proposing the very
same thing, President Taylor is strongly condemned
from the quarter"
The article of the Republic, was headed, "The
Presidents Plan and the Unions Opinions" and
opened with these two important paragraphs:
"It is known that the recommendations of the Presi-
dent in relation to the territorial slavery question: are
comprised in two simple suggestions of advice: First,
that California shall be admitted into the Union as a
State, with her constitution she presents herself
secondly, that Ne,o Merico be admitted, ,ohen she
shau torn State constitution conformably Nth the
constitution of the United States and present herself
as an applicant tor admission In the mean time, the
people OF the Territory might be left under the protec-
uon OF me military forces OF the United States, be
governed by their own local laws and usages to which
they are accustomed.
he immediate admission OF California as a State,
S,a me prospective admission Of Ne.o Merico
oed.e-the contingency Of her admission dependant
only upon her APPLICATION Nth constitution IN her
hdna, an conformity pith the constitution of the Uni
Yea otdteS-THEsE ARE TWO FEATURES IN FACT
WHICH CONSTITUTE THE WHOLE OF TuE PRrsmpNTS
POLICY IN RELATION TO THE TERRITORIES"
The remainder OF the article consists of citations
from the Union, showing quite conclusively that
in the early part of l849 that journal was in ia.
YOUR of "the admission of the Territory in the form
of States" that being what was then proposed by
al bill introduced by Mr.. Douglas of Illinois, which
it is perfectly well understood that President Poll
was exceedingly anxious to see passed. But, a
we care very little whether the Union is consis
tent or not we do not think it necessary to cop
the Republics proofs on that point
We desire to call Southern attention to the dis
tnct statement of the latter journal, that the ad
mission of California with her present constitu
ton, and the admission of New Mexico, wheneve
she shall form State constitution and ask to b
admitted, constitute the whole of the President
polcy IN relation to the Territories. Since tn
recent change in the editorial department of tn
Republic, and the circumstances that attended il
it is impossible to doubt that this declaration