The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-03-14


put an end to II in twenty yes WINE TINS
! Convention sat at Philadelphia, the Congress OF
the Confederation in session at New York pas'eu
the Ordinance Of 1857. excluding Slavery from
tho only Territory under the jurisdiction OF the
confadsra,ed States. lie believed this was done
with the full concurrence OF the Con'en''oh
rror these facts from the careful exclusion OF
the forms % slave and slavery" from the Con
s,i,nt;on and from the celebrated opinion oil Mr.
Madison, that he thought IT wrong ior 'He wi"
stituton to recognise the idea that there cOu'u "'
property in man. he inferred that there was sen.-
20, evacuation that Slavery would soon run OUT
and that there was a prevailing disposition 70
restrain il within its existing limits
We take pleasure in commencing TINS POiN0"
the sneech. Though not novel, the views were
iust and forcibly presented But what use ala
he make of them Was 1t not reasonaoi' "
argue from these premises, that good iai'h oe-
tween both sections required an adherence 10 Tue
nol;cv of the trainers of the Constitution-that
the subsequent extension of slavery into new terri
tory was in violation of this faith-that in de-
handing the restriction of slavery now within It's
nresent limits. the People Of the North were only
asking for return to the principle OF 1887,
merely insisting upon policy to which the Peo-
pie of all the States were committed at that Pc
riod?
But il did not suit Mr.. Webster's purposes to
frame such an argument. RE presented just
view of the policy of the Congress Of the Confed'
Grafton and of the Convention of 1877, but for
bore to derive single argument from it in favor
If Freedom. What then did he do2 lie paused
for n moment to contrast the sentiment Of 1887
with that of 1850. The feeling of the North
against Slavery had strengthened; that of the
South had changed 80 much, that now the system
was spoken of as an institution to be cherished,
supported, extended
One might have supposed that real opponent
of Slavery would have taken occasion to lament
this change-to show that, while the North had
kept pace with the spirit of the age, the South
had refrigerated and tina. he would have asked
with some emphasis, whether this change in one
section of the country from the principles and
policy of the fathers of the Union, were good
reason why the Government of the Union should
also asstcaon them? But if such thoughts were
r..
Here, as in every part of his speech, he seemed
anxious to abstain from doing or saying anything
that could strengthen the position of the oppo
nents of Slavery Extension, or offend the deli
cate sensblities of its advocates.
What. he next inquired, was the cause Of THU
change of sentiment in the SOUTH The up
rising and rapid growth of the cotton-plantinl
L. 81 al ka<u h.
interests of the South had become involved in thu
maintenance and extension of Slave Labor anC
under the control Of these interests, new terri
tory had been constantly sought for the purpos
of enlargug the area of this kind of labor II
this cause mainly he attributed the purchase o
Louisiana and Florida, and the annexation o
Texas.
But did he eensure Southern men for thes
acts? Far from it. He was rather at pains t
show that they were controlled by REASONABLE
motives, interested to be sure, but not dishonest
Not word in denunciation of their policy es
caped him. But, he was not so tender in dealing
with the Northern Democracy Instead of show
ing how barbarous was the policy of seeking to &C
quire new territory for the purpose of propagat
ing slavery, how prominently disgraceful in
Republic professedly founded upon the Rights o
Man, he lost sight of these high consideration
in paroxysm of party indignation. He charged
the Northern Democracy with aiding in thu
accomplishment Of the scheme of annexation
-. .soy nnr ". .-rJ s-rrreury 10 DO anneA CT
would come in as slave territory. This was no
all In their lust for territory they voted agains
all resolutions opposing the acquisition Of terri
tory from Mexico, by conquest or purchase the.
sought such acquisitions, and then, resolved to ap
ply to them the saving grace Of the Wilmot Pro
yiso! Yes-and after voting for the annexation
of vast, illmtabe Texas, with their eyes wild
open to the fact that it was slave soil, they wen
home, and became the devoted advocates Of Ere
Soil and No Slavery!
After holding up to ridicule the strange incon
sistences as he deemed them, of the Northern
Democracy, Mr. Webster referred to his Owl
course He had steadily opposed the annexation
of Texas-opposed the acquisition of Mexican
territory-avowed his opposition to the annexa
ton of any territory Slave or Free; and in thi
connection he caused to be read extracts from sew
eral of his speeches at former periods to show hi
opposition to the admission of any more slav
States or territory,
All this discourse on the Inconsistency Of tn
Northern Democracy, and his own consistency
was evidently designed to prepare the way for tn
essential part of his speech, that in which h.
pledged himself to sustain the admission Of for
new Stare States IN The terraOrgof TsrQs, n'hen the
a.ould be ready for admission and in mhich he for
nally renowned The policy Of the Wimot Proris
IN its application 10 The Territory of Mem Merico
Yes-the Wimot Proviso, which Mr. Web
ster in his Springfield speech, in ls47, claimed al
his thunder, he ridiculed in this Senatorial speech
as A WmNoT!" Twice, in his speech, 1--WE Dc
not know whether he is so reported) he con
temptuously nicknamed the Proviso "A VIII
NOT whereat the Senators from the South
seemed greatly pleased
But, let us return to our analysis of this singu
lar performance.
The object of Mr. Webster was to avow him
self in favor Of the admission of four new slave
States in Texas, TO renounce openly the Viii
mot Proviso in its application to Territorial
Government for New Mexico, and to pledge
himself to the support of the Slave Bill of Mr.
Butler Of South Carolina. All these things might
have been done, briefly, without preliminary
without the exordium or peroration of formal
grafton. How easy for him to have said
Senators, | hold that, under the resolutions o.
annexation, four new slave States may be formed
in Texas, with the consent of that State and, fol
one, intend to vote to receive them when they
apply. | have come to the conclusion that the
Wilmot Proviso, in other words the Jedersonian
Ordinance of 1857, whilom my particular thun.
der il In relation tn Now Mexico A. VI,not-