Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1850-04-16

form, Of only and for wls;eh, AZ the
u Isl two sessions OF Congress, she has obtained
the entire southern vote the people OF the s9u' D.
ern States would haye gone there freely, and
have taken their slaves there in great numbers
They would have 56Be SO because the value OF
the labor Of that class would have been sngment-
ed To them many hundred fold. Why, IN the de-
hate which took place in the Convention IN SalI-
fornia which formed the Constitution. and wi'lch
any Senator can nov read for hitnstif, after the
provision excluding slavery was agreed upon, h
was proposed TO prohibit the African race alto
eether. Lee as vel as bond A ee5ste arnse up
on II and the ground Was distinctly taken, as
shown ia those Debates. that II the entire African
race was not excludrd, their labor wOnid be tond
so valuable that the owners of slaves would bring
them there even. though slavery were PFs'hibiied,
under a contract 10 Iianumit them IN two CT three
years And iliFegnireIl very little reasoning, ON
the part oE those ehpose9 70 this csss Of Pnplla-
tioa, 10 show that The pFpdac tseness oil them IA
Dor would be such as to cause That result. an
estimate was gone inIo with reference to The
valaeo of the labor OF tEis class ofpeople, showing
that Il would be increased TO such an extent IN
the mines of California, that they could not be
kept out. 1t was agreed that the labor Of slave
in any one of the States from which they would
be taken was not worth more than one hundred
or one hundred and tifty dollars year. and that
in California it would be worth from four 10 six
thousand dollars. They would work themselves
free in one or two years, and thus the country
would be flied by class OF free blacks and their
former owners have an excellent bargain IN tax
ing them there.
do not mean to 20 into what may besui;able
boundaries. L may do so when the question is
properly before us, and shall be disposed 10 deal
as literally as proper regard to the rights OF
others will admit. The people now in California,
have gone from every quarter of this cOuntFy.-
There are among them my nelghbors and trienGs
and in large numbers-in whose success and
welfare l feel a deep interest Those with whom
act can have no interest or object in defeating
or in delaying their elevation TO the platform OF
the States-no purpose TO interfere with any
policy they may deem most conducive TO their
welfare. But. ON their part, they can have no
Just ground of complaint, if, whilst portioning
them off in Independence, we retain for others
who may come after them reasonable share Of
the common property.
The question O: boundary, sir, is one not pro-
per to be left altogether to the interested party
Congress should determine it with due regard
certainly to the interests of those in possession,
but with an eye always 10 the rights and inter-
ests Of all the people of all the States.
But, SIR to come back 10 the matter in refer
ence to which principally have risen. The Sc
nator from Mississippi, AIR. FoorE, who has
taken this subject in charge, informs us that the
territorial bills in posture of legislative pre-
cedence, and that to act first on the California
bill will be to put them back in order TO give pre-
cedence to California.
The same effect will be produeed il we detach
the CalIfouit bill ftom the proposed drefercLce.-
suggest, therefore, that we take mp these terri
torial bills and pass them in the order in which
they stand and as they have been reported. And
that being done, the way ID open for the admIs
sion of California one OF the States OF
the Union, subject only 10 such notifications
of bnundary-as may be found right, or snch con-
diiour, II any b7 saseested, as tho-terrns et che
Constitutions may require