The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-09-13

make rery great mistake. Ihe feeling OF the
quiet millions their secluded farms and in their
busy shops and factories is the same now as in
1920 or in l847. II is dscidedly, rnequirocally
actirely hostile 10 any extension Of siarry. II
The North.acguiesces IN the adjustment just eff
fected, IL is toih he clear understanding uta.
slapery IS not 10 spread orer one inch Of our ac-
quisilions from Merico beyond the now settled
limits Of 9eras. Lei slavery adrance one foot,
and all wM be in com,notion again.
The following, from the Albany Erening
Journal Expresses the sentiment Of a majority 81
The Wigs Of our STATE, as tested by he roles q
heir representatives in Congress. We do not
see all the facts in precisely the same light with
the Journal, but we entirely accord with its
avowals of principle. II niua eperyiohere be an
derstood thai all acquiescence Of Northern Wings
in the adjustment just effected is based on and
measured by the contraction that slavery is not 10
be ertended beyond It's present Hmits The righi
and The duty Of prohibiting Us extension by Com
gress, whenever necessary are firmly maintained
by nine-tcnths of he Wings and hreeJourihs d
the pople Of dte Free States. Cannon may not
always express precisely public conviction, but
Ballots are less equiyocal. Hear The Journal
ANOTHER TRrumpH ron SLAVERY Freedom 5
Banner trails in the dust at Washington! Slavery
| has achieved another triumph. Twenty-Five thou
sand square miles Of Free soil have, in the last
half Of the 10Th century, by an act Of the Ameri-
can Congress, been surrendered 10 slavery! And
amid the canklng Of newly forged letters, we hear
the craven voice of exultation! Yes, Northern
threats are hoarse with rejoicings at the victory
obtained by slavery over freedom! Oh that some
avenging angel would blot out the disgraceful rec
ord, that our posterity might be spared the morti-
hcation of blushing at the degeneracy Of their Fa-
| theirs. A
Texas, from the moment that Tyler, Calhoun,
Upshur, &c. conceived the project OF Annexation,
! has been root OF evil and bitterness. In coming
into the Union, Texas brought debt, slavery and
war as its train-bearers. Texas, in and Of itself,
was curse, for ii added another slave State to the
Union. Independent of that, we were compelled
to fight out It's war; and now we have given Sl0,-
| 000O0O to appease the spirit of rebellion!
THIS ingorious concession to slavery does not,
like others, owe Its success to the fears Of the
| North. Another element has been at work. Ten
millions Of the worthless bonds OF Texas were
aloa. These bonds, in anticipation Of this result,
were purchased at from fifteen to thirty cents on
the dollar, Gen. Taylor frequently said that Texas
bonds were far more to be dreaded than Nashville
Conventions. Without the aid of this insiduous
but powerful argument, the Texas iniquity would
mot have been perpetrated
1t was the duty Of Congress, holding the free
dom of New Mexico and California in trust, to
have protected both against slavery. Upon the
North especially was the duty sacredly enoined
4
five thousand square miles of territory have been
cursed with slavery, and $l0,000,000 have been
given to Texas spectators under pretence OF
saving the Union. t tgtassg
g But the :" deed is done" The responsibility
4 of it is with those by. whom it was consum-
mated. We discharge painful as well as hu-
initiating duty in saying that slavery has extorted
an unworthy concession from the North. We
i mpugn not the motives Of individual members
We know men who voted for this bill whose per-
sonal integrity is above reproach or suspicion
| But the influences and atmosphere which sur
rounded them were malign and deleterious. They
/ yielded to false alarm. @ atSd =
/ Our purpose, however, is more TO thank and ap.
plaud those who have been faithful, than to re.
proach or reprove those who have faltered With
us devotion to free-soil has been sentiment All
that we have said has been meant and felt To
unsay it now, because others have changed thei,
views their course, would be pusilnnimous
We do not intend to give offence, but this journal
is pledged, hand and heart, to the cause Of free
soil. and cost what may, it shall speak the truth
! learessly.
There has been too much of aggression from,
| slavery, and more than enough of concession to
that power. We would not yield /" the avoirdu-
pos of a hair" to the threats of dsunionists
We would not surrender acre, one rod, nor
one inch Of free-soil to the demands Of slavery
Before suffering that peculiar institution to ex.
tend its dominion or to agument in power, be
would join the issue they so often and so insult
ingly off r.
i The Governors and legislatures of the Whis
States of the North, stand solemnly committed
against the extension Of slavery. The Whie
party in the free States, through its conventions
and its press is solemnly pledged to protect thu
soil Of New Mexico and California. Congress
has given $4,000, 900 to Texas ostensiby TO sat
4 isfy its claim on New Mexico, IN q bin which
robs New Mexico Of $4,000 square miles Of terri
I tory.
| Having believed firmly in the necessity, the es
pedency, and The restraining virtues of the Viii
mot Proylso, we cannot, even in Difference to tn,
!, opinions Of those who have modified their views
forego an expression Of deep regret that the pro
viso was not cngrafted upon the bills giving ter
ritorial governments. Piblic men have acted
however, upon their convictions, and we lcav
them to the judgment Of their constituents.
We are not among those who rejoice at tn.
" settlement Of the slavery question upon terms
alike injurious and discreditable to freedom. We
would have stood like adanant upon the admis
sion of California, ard the organization of New
Mexico, 0. egon and Utah, with the JefTersonian
or Wilmot prohibition Of slavery. We would
have stood there's because it is right in the sight Of
Heaven and earth TO uphold FREEDoM; and be
cause it is wrong in the sight Of God and of man
to extend slavery.
Thus then the State Of Maine re-asscrts the
Wimot Proviso. The Democratic Convention
of Ohio, generally behind the Wings of tina,
State on this question, lately resolved that New
Mexico is already entitled to admission as q
State. And here are the New York Tribune
the Albany Erening Alias, and the Albany
Erening Journal, which speak the opinions OF
large majority Of the people of the Empire
State of the Ncrth, all pronouncing for such a
construction and execution of the late flnciful
compromise, as will make it identical with the
Wilmot Proviso in all its effects-and all for
more agitation.
And then we have Mr.. SEWARD already
moving in the Senate for the abolition of sla-
very in this District, followed not merely by
Messrs HALE, CHASE, DODGE and UPHAM, but
by Messrs. WINTHROP EWING and DAYTON, the
three latter only not thinking it polite TO make
that movement no,c or yet.
1t is in vain, therefore, to cry peace-peacc--
! when there Is no peace.