The southern press., 1850-10-07

placing at their disposal fifteen hundred millione
worth Of property belonging to the Southern
States, and ask, is there any ground whatever for
the surprise expressed by the gentleman from In
dina, MIR GoRMAN,) at the steadfastness with
which portion of the Southern representation
stand up IN defence Of Southern rights Were he
a Southern man, know the sentneats he has ex-
pressed, would place him among the ioremost.aDd
to use his own words, "most unrelenting of us.
Why, sir, such seems 40 be the eagerness of the
anti-savery feeling to take jurisdiction OF the sub
ject of slavery within the States, that it cannot
wait for that amendment of the Constitution which
may ultimately be obtained; but under this free
soil Administrations blank petitions like that
have caused to be read at the Clerk s desk, are
being circulated IN the Southern States eyen TO
procure memorialiss in favor of project TO re-
move from the country, through the General Gov
ernment, such of the African race as :. are ready
and ioiib,g," as well slaves as free negroes, with
ont regard 10 right of property. And as 1t seems
from the Information o. the gentleman from Ala
bama who sits near me, MIR. lNeE,) and others,
like circulars have been sent them by their consti-
tuents, found also IN their post Offices, II may be
inferred that the scheme already in agitation is an
extensive one To bring the power of the Federal
Government TO bear upon the subject of slavery
w,ihin the States. And yet, in view of all this,
we told by many there is no danger-all is
cure. Sir, this syren song of security, when eve
ry Development goes 10 snow tbat danger is APP
preaching and thickening around us, will fear,
IN the end, prove fatal, not only the South, but
10 the Union, by causing the people Of the South
to omit the present favorable opportunity of plac-
ing both the rights of the South and the Union,
upon more secure foundation | entertain the
thorough conviction that non-say ehoIdlrg
brethren will not knowingly drive the South to eS-
tremles in the maintenance of her rights, but
believe the anti-slavery feeling is such, that they
will go far in their anti-savery policy as IN their
opinion the South will permit. They know the
value of the Union to them too WELL To every
portion of the Con'ederaey lis dissolution would
by great calamity, but 10 them, and particularly
To the North, II would be ruinous.
They are too sagacious mol 10 preceive this, and
too much devoted TO their true and substantial
interest not to upon it, it the South, by praise
worthy defence of her mos, sacred rights, shall
force them To choose between their true interest
and an obstinate course Of injustice and aggres-
sion, crafty ant-save prejudice and aboll-
ton fanalicism Already has the firm stand, taken
by Southern Legislatures during the last winter
caused an abandonment, by Northern Legislatures,
Of the Wilmot Proviso strongly urged during
the last Congress, and which it Is believed, is so
far abandoned here, that IT cannot pass either
branch of Congress. And no attentive observer
can fail to perceive, that there is not the same
disposition to do full and complete justice TO the
South since our divisions have become apparent,
there WAS at early period of the session,
when there was u reasonable prospect that there
would be little or no division among us. | cannot
believe that deceive myself when express the
opinion, that it is in the power of the South to
force just regard for her rights by union and be-
coming firmness. The sentiments of the gentle
man from Indiana, (Mr. GoRMAN,) so creditable
to his head and his heart; the sentiments contain
ed in his speech delivered at an early period OF
the session by agentleman from Pennsylvania, who
sits before me, Mr. Ross y the sentiments avowed
4 A..
CHARLES BRowN,s) from the same State, no longer
Mr.. BnowN, during the last Congress, upon
the floor of the House, said, "that, in contest
between the South and the North, should it occur,
his sense of justice would lead him to side with
the South"
a member, for whom have always cherished the
highest and sncerest regard and Of other dis
tingushed gentlemen here and In the other end OF
the Capitol, inspire the hope, that there is among
our Northern hrethern an mate sense of Justice,
which would ultimately ensure proper respect for
our rights, sooner than force us to eXtremtes.
Believing this, Mr. Speaker, and that the cause of
the South is no less the canse of the Union, will,
as far as my single action and vote can go, do
what think all Southern men should do, oppose
any farther surrender of Southern rights to North
ern Freesosm and Abolitonism. While such is
my determination, avow that it is my most aux
ious wish to this sectional controversy proper
| ly adjusted and put ut rest and am ready to
| concur in any measure series of measures that
will not add others to the too many concessions
which have already been made.
Is such the case with the bill under considera
ton. and the kindred measures rendered to us rs
an adjustment of existing difficulties, | think
not In addition to the bill before us, the othel
measures are the bill for the admission of Cali
fornia, the bill To establish territorial governments
| for New Mexico and Utah the bill prohibiting the
slave trade in this District, and the bill for recap
turing fugitive slaves.
Although Think the North has dealt unfairly by
the South in insisting upon the Wilmot Proviso
and in the opposition made to the Clayton Com
! promise, in which am sorry TO say ihev were
| aided by a few Southern gent'emen; and IN de
| fenting the Walker amendment for extending the
| Constitution and Laws Of the Uaited States tc
l California and the rest of the territory acquired
/ from Mexico, for fear that by doing so, and open
/ ing courts of justice, Southern gentlemen might
| he induced to emigrate thther with their slaves,
/ and although, as believe, Executive influence
| improperly eXerted, and deserving the severest
censure, contributed to bring about the existing
state Of things in California, whereby the slave
holding population has been excluded from it, |
would waive all objection to its admission, if its
limits should be contracted to what deem rea-
sonable, and portion of the Pacific coast be-
low 3t;o 80 should be left open to Shareholders,
as Utah and New Mexico are proposed to be, for
the sake OF quiet and repose 10 the country. But
l :
the slaveholding population of the South until
the race has been run, and, as they suppose, the
country acquired by emIgrants from the Norh
and foreign countries through the irregular forma-
ton of a State government, with limits embracing
the entire Pacific coast and about one hundred and
fifty three thousand square miles of territory,
enough for three large States, designed, no doubt
to exclude the South from the whole of the Mex
lean territory, by including all that portion Oft in
which there is prospect OF profitable employ
ment for slave labor, there is not much grace in
rendering us the non-intervent m principle in re-
gard to Utah and New Mexico, accompanied by a
measure for abolshing the slave trade in this Dis
ricf, as a concession the anii-slavery sentiment
of the North for the partial fulflment of a const-
uonal obligation for u e restoration of fugitive
slaves, and strenuous and unfiltering demand
for the admission of California wish its gigantic
limits, with the proposition contained in the bill
before US, vote millions OF dollars to Texas
as bribe-torture it as You will, that is the OBJ
ject and character Of the proposluon--tor about
forty five thousand square miles of her territory
south of $50 3O', not worth one-tenth, perhaps
! not one-twentieth, OF the amount.
Sir, the character of this arrangement evincts no
| departure from that encroachng policy OF our
Northern brethren | have already imperrectly
/ a III Al l..'f f.x,a "a. oil