The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-01-10

acquired from Mexico not comprised within the
State of California, and prohibiting Slavery
therein
Two Territories, Deserct and New Mexico,
had taken steps for an organization, and their
applications were ready to he referred to the
Committee on Territories That Committee had
been packed with view Of suppressing All action
in relation TO Slavery, being constituted of five
decided Slavery men TO four Anti.Slvery men
so that without positive instructions, no report
containing the Wilmot Proviso could he expected
from IT, Besides nearly a month had passed
since Congress commenced the People of the
Territories were suffering for want Of regular
government a prorlcted discussion was inevi-
table whenever the bills were reported; so that
the sooner they were hef0re-the H9Yse IAe-hettcr,
Several insidious movements for compromising
the whole question so as to secure the ascendency
of Slavery, were in contemplation in the Senate
it was expodient to check these at the earliest
moment. Every moments delay exposed the
ranks of the friends of Freedom TO influences
calculated to discourage and distract them. Hence
the proprety of committing them all forthwith
on the right side Of the question for it is the
first step that costs the greatest effort. Add to
all this the fact, that the President had thrown
his weight in the scale against the policy of any
action by Congress, independent Of that of the
Territories, and it is at once manifest that the
sooner it was ascertained whether Congress in
tended to take his advice, the better it would be
for the country.
BY awaiting their action, says he speaking
of the Territories. "all causes OF uneasinoss may
be avoided, and confidence and kind feeling pre-
strgq3 With q vi. "a 9f maintaining The bar
mony and tranquility so desirable, we should
abstain from the introduction of those exciting
topics of Il sectional character, which have hith-
erto produced painful apprehensons in the public
mindn
The plain meaning of this is-abstain from in
PRODUCING any Territorial bills prohibiting Sla-
very, or any hill for the abolition of the slave
trade in the District of Columbia-do nothing in
regard to the Territories till the People there
have settled in their own way the question of Sa-
very.
This advice was in entire concurrence with the
views and position Of General Cass, whose non
Intervention doctrine the Northern Wings had
denounced as tire son to the cause of Liberty. 1t
was right that the country should know whether
the Northern Democrats who had voted for Cass
under protest against this doctrine, and whether
Northern Wings who had stgmatired it as
treachery, were honestly and fairly represented
in Congress by men willing to rebuke such doc
trinc when inculcated in the annual message of a
Wing President
The resolution of Mr. Root, then, was Just the
thing needed and it was moved precisely at the
right moment Such, we understand is the uIg-
ment Of the friends of Free Soil throughout the
country The editor of the Nm l0rk 7IibUne,
who will not be accused of any disposition to en-
barrass the Executive, or to approve premature
action, especially On the part of a Frcc-Soiler,
thus refers to the resolution:
"Thcre was one good sign yesterday, and that
was that a resolution of MIR Roots for the org n
ization Of the Territories this side the Sierra
Nevada, with the Wilmot Proviso, could not be
shirked by means of an adjournment, or laid on
the table This is "a il should be- There is
nothing TO be gained by trying to dodge the ques-
ton II must be met and dccided- fairly and
sauarcly. The North says, too that it must not
North is in earnest, though it does not buster
as much ~ is the fashion IN some quarters
Mr.. Stephens of Georgia moved to lay this
resolution, so important to the interests Of Free
Soil. on the table The motion, had it prevailed,
would have been final disposition Of the resolu
ton. In view of this fact, eleven members from
the free States voted for the motion. We repeat
their names: BlssrLl McCLERNANp, RIcHAUD-
son. and YorNG, of Illinois Mann and GILMORE,
of Pennsylvania MILLER Of Ohio; GoRMAN Of
Indiana-eight Democrats; and BRooKS, CLARK,
and DrER, of New York, Wings From McCler-
nand. Richardson, Mann, and Miller ,oihing else
could be expected. They are all incorrigiblc
offenders, veterans in the cause of Slavery
guiltless of n single vote we believe, in favor of
Human Freedom Bisscl, Gilmore, German.
and Young, have doubtless been sent here by
constituencies AS thoroughly prO-slavery as any in
the South NIessrs. Duer, Brooks, and Clark,
have chosen their company. We shall know here
after where to find them MIR Duer published
card in the R,pu5hr on the day following his vote,
for the purpose of explanation We rarely see
that paper, and knew nothing Of his card till
our paper had gone to press Last Friday for the
first time it fell under our notice, aud it il but
fair to lay it before our readers:
HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVES.
Domber 81, 1919
GENTLEMEN: resolution was offered in the
House of Representatives thig mqgning, instruct
ing the Committee on the Territories TO report
forthwith bill or bills establishing Territorial
Government or Governments in that part Of the
recently acquired territory of the United States
living east of the Sierra Nevada. and prohibiting
slavery therein Upon n motion being made TO
Law that resolution on the table, voted in the af-
frmativc Not having had an opportunity to eK-
plain the grounds of my vote in the House. de-
sire TO 10 So with great brevity through the col
umns of your paper.
The resolution in question embraces the region
known as New Mexico As | understand our
treaty of peace with Mexico the inhabitants Of
that country have now strong equitable claim
20 he admitted into the UuiOn az State In the
absence of any rclinrlc information whether they
desire 10 NC so admitted or not ahall not vote to
imposr r,,on theraN, '"eYTitSsia a. c-:lmess 2oa-
trnrv perhaps 10 their will and, IL 50, in viola
t,on Of the spirit of a solemn treaty. Their WISHES
are nj least entitled to respectful and deliberate
consideration and, for myself if they shall in
dicntc a preference 10 come iatO the Union imme-
diately in the slue manner rs California, ! am
prepared To accedc TO their request. will say
further. that it ~ my wish and hope, AZ it seems
90 me il ought Ia he OF every lover of his country,
that this latter course may he adopted 10y them;
and shall consequently, oppose any precipitate
action by which such course shall be frustrated
am aware that vote against laying pr0po-
siion on the table is not equivalent TO an al,rma
tive vote in It's fivor, and that the difference
urob thly between myself and many of my politi-
cal rvnd4 il one rather of form than Of sub
stance TO avoid misconccpion, however, this
EXPLANATION is not. perhaps, wholly unnecessary.
need scarcely add. that il a Territorial Gov
ernment shall hereafter appear 10 he necessary
lud proper agl. M always have been, in favor
Of the insertion, in every bill for that purpose, of
-. ,l.u., chibitiur slavery