Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1850-06-19

party TO make common cause with their
former political adversaries against their
natural allies Thus a state of things
has been produced which patriotic men.
in their refieciing moments. must now
and will hereafter deeply deplore.
Before disms,ng my illusions 10 the
National Convention. | will mention one
cause of Just complaint. which you and !
have. personally. In that Convention |
offered a resolution declaring that no one
should be entitled to the nomination who
was not fully pledged TO the maintenance
of Whig principles. You proposed one
declaring as the sentiment Of the Whig
party that slavery should not be extended
into free territory. Both were dete ated,
a portion of the Wing press and Wing or
ators as having. "Pon oHr Orn response
biIify, introduced resolutions insulting to
the Convention. You will we'll RENE nlber
that the resolutions were first submitted to
the Ohio dclega.es-were unanimously
approved bv them-and we were author
lied to introduce them; yet. during the
canvass. when we were SO denounced,
not one of our fellow delegates volunteer
ed to come forward and share with us the
responsibility which they in part put upon
US. or to relieve US from the unjust charge.
| did not regard this as magnanimous
then, and only alIude to it now, to say
that | have overcome the unkind feelings
which that course of conduct created at
the time.
In looking over the ground with view
to correct action in the future. we may
with great propriety examine the devel-
opments made during the present session
of Congress. so far as they relate 10 the
que stion of restricting slavery to its pres
ent limits. Knowing that you have not
been an inaitcntive observer Of our pro-
cceding,. may be brief. On the first
dav of the session, Messrs. Toombs and
others. the Southern members | have
named, who. at the National Convention,
and during the canvass of 1913, were
opposed to any positive assurance from
Gen Taylor, or his friends, that he would
not veto the Proviso, and who, at the time
of the inauguration. were regarded as
among the confidential friends and coun-
selors Of the President, evinced an oppo-
sition to the administration. Their oppo-
sition became violent,-was the means of
OBTAINING the House for several weeks
without an organization, and at last of
giving to the South. and TO the opposition,
the control Of the popular branch Of Con-
gress. This great change il, their con-
duct, and this Violent opposition to Gen.
Tavlor and his administration, was evil
IDENTITY founded in some cause. Let us
trace it out. During the canvass Of '48,
the course which Gen. Taylor would pur-
sue as TO applying the veto TO the Proviso.
was matter of speculation between
Northern and Southern Wings. But be-
fore the first day Of this session, the
Southern gentlemen named became salts
fed, no doubt, that if the Proviso was en-
acted by Congress the President acould
not reto Il. and that he and his Cabinet
we're not favorable to the enactment Of
any law which would give the power alb
solutclv or constructively to take slavery
into the territories. In this manner it
was demonstrated that, in all probability
we were to have precisely the same Erec-
utire action, touching the exercise Of the
veto power, to defeat the proviso if en-
acted, for which, in the National Conven.
ton and in the canvass, we required a
specific plrdge and that the Southern man
who had been forced upon the North by
these Southern members. would not defeat
our policy touching slavery restriction by
his veto. The opposition Of these same
men to the administration has been in
crcas:ng during the session. To show
that am not mistaken as TO its cause,
need but refer you to the speech made by
Mr. Toombs, few days since, on the
''Galphin claim. in which he avoweJ that
his opposition TO Gen. Taylor. and his
Cabinet grew out of the difference be-
tween his policy and theirs upon the
question of sfarery.
With such facts as these staring us in
the face; is it just to condemn those wings
who voted for General Taylor; believing
he would not exercise the veto upon law
the Proviso, and mho are still
consistent IN their support Of us Proris-
ions. especially when we reflect that the
most formidable of his competitors was
under positire pIedge 10 rcto 1t. and that
the other had not left behind him recori
presenting any very prominent marks of
sacrifices for the cause of freedom. Bu,
il is useless to pursue this train of facts
further. Your discriminating mind will
at once enable YOU 10 perceive that the
verv men who put US down in the Nation
al convention. believing that by the nomi-
nation of General TAYLOR. without pledg-
es. thew were carrying their point on the
slavery question. and were cheating the
North. have but cheated Their seIres.-
Nav we not therefore exchange mutual
that their disappointment
in the success of that political investment.
is in no manner chargeabc to wan, of
candor. frankness and fair dealing on the
part OF the Ohio delegation. and especial
Iv of those whom they denounced for in
sultinr' the convention. when they sought
10 have the matter fairly understood by
res olutions Of that body.
But. sir. what IS now our condition2-
What shall be done! How should we
proceed!
California is here with a constitution
prohibiting the introduction of slavery
there These men oppose her admission.