The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1850-05-29
Washington. May u. 1850.


Mg DEAR SlR:-L hare just received
yeur note. asking my opinions upon The
measHres reported TO The Senate by the
commiliee of thirteen and. in reply, L
have nohesiiaiion Whatever in expressing
my approval of those measures. with enc
or two notifications. as basis. aud. in
nv judgment, the only basis. upon which
the questions which now sgiiAe She coun-
try can be settled. What The Sonih de.
sires is either a seiilcmen,. and final one.
or an lssne. confess li,ai should pre-.
fer the latter TO any adjustment that is no,
complete. and which. 10 use an expression
of Lord John Rnsses,. will no, give . e.
nally" 10 all these questions.
The South cannot and will not permit
a perpetual agitation TO these dangerous
topics and we Can never be better pre-.
pared with /" miads and means" To
meet such an issue Than we are now. |
am one Of sl.ese (aad lhey ase not a
Few in the South) who have no great
fears on that issue. let lis result be what
ever il may. Bni desire an Issue
which will and ought TO unite all our pco.
pie. Will such state Of things exist II
The measures referred TO are rejected. and
by Southern votes! A conclusive answer
10 this question viii he feand ia she fact.
that those measures will receivc the sup.
por, Of large majority Of the members
from the South, and those not Me least
prominent and spectacle for patriotism,
Intelligence, and frinness. The state oi
things. then, will be. lha, measures Offer
ed as compromise by the North, and
which majority Of Southern members
~erc satisfied with. were defeated by a
portion Of Southern members. Under
such circumstances. will our people. or
ough, they. TO unite in an extreme ssuel
The limits allowed me wiil Roi admit
Of even a glance y, rhe reasons for my
opinions /; and il would indeed be unnecrs.
sary, il no, Presnmptuous, TO Offer them
af,er the able. the unanswerable speech Of
Mr.. Clay yesterday. will, therefore.
only say that have always looked a, this
question from one "stand-poini," and that
ia. that in the whole Of the country TO
which il is proposed 10 give territorial 90.
vernments. slavery is impossible. IL all
restrictions were rea,osed, and preniian,
Of $500 for every grown man offered TO
take slaves TO New Mexico aud keep
them Ven years. no sensible man would
take one there. for the single reason that
there is no possible employment Of his la
Dor by which his expenses could be paid,
and in the ten years he would earn in The
South al least $4,000. For what. then.
are we contendng! For The peini of no.
nor, or for something mareimporiant and
substantial. (if, indeed. TO an individual or
a nation anything can be more important
than honor)-ihe constitutional point!
What is that point? Why. The right of
Congress 70 impose legislative reslrie.
tion. This is conceded to us in the only
way il can be, short .ef q constitutional
amendment, BY the refusal TO exercise
such power.
With the most perfect respect Cor those
Soulhern members who entertain differ.
enl opinions. have not felt al liberty TO
withhold mine. 1 have little hope thai
these questions viii ever be settled AMIGA
bly,, if il is not done at the pfesen, SEES
sion; and am just as well satisfied tina,
BY the adoption Of the measures propos-
ed, political aboliiioaism will receive its
destl,.blow. Before the Mexican war.
,hsl foul thing was dsaiag Cor wan, Of food;
The acquisition Of new territory has sup
Ti,ied that food; and if the questions grow
ing on, Of that acquisition are finally sell
lied. ii will certainly not lorg survive.
II, however, an effort is then made 10
organize that pesiilent faction upon the
QUESTION Of abolition in the District, aud
Of die internal slave trade. these are issues
upon which there would he NO division in
the South.
With ereatrespecl and esteem, faithful
y. your friend,
WADDY THOMPSON.
Hen. II. 5. FooTK.