Democratic banner., 1850-03-11

else believes so or not, is ct to govern the
uhiverse-with ques.inns,particularly when
the answers to them, if given sccording to
truth, would open the eyes Of all the hon
EST men who are blind TO his tfeaehery.
This Compromise bill passed the Senate
by considerable majority, and that, tpo,
without inserting the Wilmit Proviso in it,
or striking out the words Stree white" and
inserting the 10Th section Of the Oregon
provisional law. And here let me remark,
that his friends harp good deal on the fact,
and attempt to excuse him fot his Stree me-
gro vote" ss they cscit, upon the ground
that be done it order to let the people of
Oregon do as they pleased in relation to the
right of suffrage and holding Office. How
consistent, then, does it appear in him and
them, when it is seen that he voted to in
sert the Wilmot Proyiso in the same bill,
by which, if it had passed, the people Of
Oregon would have been prahibited from
doing as they pleased.
This Compromise bifl, after passing The
Senate, was rejected in the House, and
separate bills for the three territories were
introduced in the House, containing the
slavery restriction, or Wilmot Proviso, Of
which ! will speak hereafter, if find il will
not make this letter too long; if so, then it
will be deferred, with many other things,
which will come out in speech delivered
in Fulton, in reply to one delivered BY Ben
ton in the same place, in which his treach-
cry will be shown up in full. ...
] will state, before come to the point
left-that is, the efect-of Benton's vote on
Hsle's amendment to strike out free white, ,
and insert the Oregon provisional law, that
at the time answered Gen. Parsons inter-
rogatory, in relation to Benton's vote to
strike out the words s'fres white," I had
not the Oregon provisional law before me,
and that law, or the 10Th section of il, be-
ing the insertion in lieu of the words ''free
Shite, " and not being on the journal, I could
not, therefore, at that time, give the effect
Of Bentpn's vote, and contented myself with
ssying nothing about the effect. and fefer.
ling to the Journal, expecting that the Cen
Ieral might probably find the provisional law
at Jefferson. !, therefore, at the time, made
no comment or charge Upon him in relation
to this vote, nor until Benton, in his speech
in Fulton, stated what the 10th section Of
this provisional lev was, and soon after, /
obtained copy from Capt. Stevenson, Of
Union, Franklin county, Mo-, friend Of
Benton, Of said 10th section, since which
time, have stated precisely what the facts
and record will show, as to the effect Of this
vote Of Benton's. And now let US come TO
the point, and If there is lie out, we will
see upon whose shoulders il will fall; and to
that end, I will here give the 10th section
Of this Oregon provisional law, to wit:
"Sec. 10. Every free male descendant
Of q tch,te man, inhabitant of the Terrific
ry, of the age Of 81 years and upwards,
Who shall have been an inhabitant Of this
Territory, at the time of its organization,
shall be entitled to cote at the election of off,
GERS, c,v,I or military, and be eligible to any
o6fce in the Territory, provided that all
persons of the description entitled to vote
BY the provisions of this section who shall
smigrste 10 this Territory, sfter the emf
grafton, shall be entitled to the rights of
citizens, having resided six months ii the
Territory"
Now, sir, how does Benton's reckless as
sertion and Thurston's letter stand BY the
side Of this section, according to its plain
tenur and import? And what was and
would have been its effect upon the right
of suffrage and holding Office in Oregon?
1t says every free male descendant Of a
white man shall be entitled to SOle, hold
office, &c. Is there any exception made as
to mulattoes, or to any Quantity Of negro
blood in the person less than ell? so thst
the portion Of white blood flowing in his
veins descended from white man, not any;
and, therefore, mulattoes, three quarters
negro blood, seven eighths negro blood, ff-
teen sixteenths negro blood, and thirty lone
parts of thirty two negro blood, so they
we're free, and their original male ancestor
from whom the white blood descended was
9 white man, were as much entitled to vote
and hold Office, under this section, as any
other person or persons in the Territory ;
and the judges Of elections were bound to
permit them to vote, if they applied, or vio-
late their oaths. And this Benton and
ThGrston knew, and, therefore, neither Of
them venture to give tbs 10th section Of
this Oregon law, in their communications.
They knew it would destroy their Joint at
tamnt In daceiye and humbua the peoHfe