The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1850-05-15


ultimately prove that The mss'm ,s enitei,
inconsistent with ntgri,y, and lie vii end
bv ss'zing 'binxs which belong 10 ano.her.-
No power IN any government, spd espec,sII,
10 gosernrrn, like cure, should be ~xcrc.
sed, the existence Of which power 10 deniec
oy meny, and the psoprieiy Of ~hnse exercise,
10 given case, 10 d0ub'ed by sill more, un.
less under The mG ,encs Of strons ress sous. and
Tor the accomplishment, Of jusl,6abe and an
po'ien, ends. If this proposition be tue, I
ssa upon ~ha, foo:,ne gentlemen can propose
20 epply tho WilDo, Pfcviso to the Terrific.
RES 20 which we hops to give form Of tori
torlal government. What 10 the importsnt
nd winch 10 10 be attained es o consequence
oi 4! Gentlemen tell Us on all hands lha, in
point Of fact, slavery cannot be established in
these Territories. Many gentlemen tell Us
that. IN poin, Of law. slavery nov stands ex.
c.uded from ,hose Territories. Well nov,
sir, ! have said, aoG | ssy i, agaio--for do
not conceal nuy v,e~s may entertain upon
this suijeet-strat | belong 10 th4, class of
public men who entertain the opinion, and
have very strong conviction Of its correct.
ness that the civil or municipal laws ~h,ch
prevailed in these ceded Territories at the
time they passed INTO cur hands, whether such
la ~ relate to tho existence or the non.exis
'ence Of slavery or any thing else, continue in
iorce-that they are not repcslt d by any silsn,
and necessary operation Of the constitution,
end iha, they continue until the conqueror,
until the United States, acting through the
Legislative department Of the government,
shall thiik proper either to repeal or modify
those laws. or 10 commit 10 subordinate leg.
isls,lve authority the power Of dong ii. Bul
there are many geulemen-perhsps the ma
joriiv Of southern sa,esmen-who entertain
= d'fferen, oplnIon from that which have cx.
pressed upon this constitutional question:
They lhnk that these laws are superseded by
the silent operations Of the constitution, or at
any rate, If nothing is done by Congress 10
PuI lhem III force, they fall as being part Of
those political regulations III The COZ quered
countries inconss'en. with the general scheme
of our fundamental law.
Now, cir, in this sta,s OF divided opinion
ss to tho legal right to consider slavery sub.
sisting institution. recognized uud protected by
us H Asss s5sasdya asssAysea Ts
that there is tao Likelihood, IN pom, of fact
iha, slavery will ever reach tho.e Territories,
~bat motive can be ss'gneJ-whai reason
which addresses itself TO the nind OF The
Statesman can be urged Why this P.oriso
should be adopted II is not a provision which
Is 10 accomplish any oi jet which is TO exc.ude
by i,s force from the Territory what would
otherwise be found there. There 10, there
fore, no end 10 be accomplished for which il
.s necessary there is no result TO be produc
I'd BY II that will not conc without 1t. There
can. therefore, tie no strong or JIslIfsbIe rea
son iur spp'y ing 1t to these Territories. And
then, # am correct-if the general view
which have undertaken TO lay down as TO
The proper qualification upon .ae exercise OF
disputed powers, or even sdtnItisd powers, Is
a mode exceedingly y dlslasie!ul TO large por.
iien OF the coun,ry-u would seem 10 follow
clearly lha, this Wilmol Psovlso on > h, 20, to
be passed. Why, SIR. mus, II no, DO under
stood, and cannot gcn.lemen see that II can
not be otherwise than understood hy he south
e,n people OF the United Sra,es, as an eser
c ise OF power for the nee purpose of mani.
testing superiority, as aaD,on doug Of that
which Is elusive and at the same time use
less--as involving IN itsslf a species Of InsaI,
u I'D mdignliy to lhose whose wishes upon this
:, For one, ,hink II would be less oF,n
si,e to southern people If il were an admitted
fact, that, according to the law Of Mexico,
African slavery existed in these Territories
and the Wlmol Ptov,so should be adopt d.
That would be dong US what We shou d deem
a wrong but tor /, some reason might bs as.
signed, and there would be an ol ct accom-.
p,shed by II. You might say. 1--WE deem 1t
of hi.h Importance that slavery should no,
exs, IN these Territories; but 1t exists there
now. and, without prohibition, will continue
to ex,s,; aud however disposed We may be to
Crafty your feelings IN thus matter, We can.
not sacrifice What We deem an Important and
oyerrulng consideration to accomplish that
purpose" But now the adoption Of the P,o.
viso stands without reason and wI'hou. excuse.
Il 10 q mere assertion of superior,, II seems
to involve 10 1t somethin. Of launt Of insult.
|. conveys 10 southern people an impression
Of unwI!iugness to CRAFTY their wishes, or
save their feelings even, when, BY SO doing,
nothing 10 lost to The maj,riiy and no ad.
vantage is gained BY Us. II is idle for gentle
men to say 1--WE mean it no, as an insult
II is unnecessary, il there is DO reasonable
ground for supposins that any thing will be &C.
complished BY it ,ha, will not be accomplished
wi,hou, il and. since you know how we mus.
regard It, patriotism, statesmansh,p. the re.
cosnised obligations Of good neighborhood,
require you 10 iorbsar.
Now, Mr.. President, supposing this Provi.
so to be adopted, the question naturally pre-
sents itself, how would i, be received by the
people Of the southern States! OF the south.
ern States generally undertake moi TO speak.
OF their sentiments and opinions know no.
thing, except as gather them from what is
aa.d hv lAnsaaaniaiix here and see ihem