The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-12-20

Of the matter of most Importance transacted up
"a this moment by the convention, We issue in
the form of an extra the report of the commit
toe SO This has just been presented to the
convention, and may be accepted or amended
by that body. The general views of the report,
however, it is believed will meet the approval
Of the convention. We shall on Tuesday give
the minute details or the action of this great
semblage, together with the speeches and other
proceedings of the great Union meeting held in
the representative hall on "Wednesday and
Thursday nights last
The committee appointed TO prepare and re-
port for the consideration Of the convention
action appropriate to the occasion on which they
have as. embed, having carefully considered the
papers referred to them, and freely interchanged
opinions respectfully submit the following
REPORT:
The people of Georgia. responding to pro-
clamation of their Chief Magistr,t ), have met
in convention for the immediate purpose of de-
Hberatng upon law enacted by the Congress
of the United States, entitled :" An act for the
admission of California into the Union" Were
the action of this body limited to the considera-
ton Of that act, its duty would be easily dis
charged. But more extended survey of Con-
gressiona legislation and of our Federal posi-
ton, is not only allowable, but necessary to Il
just conclusion. We regard the act under con-
sideraton rs one in series of measures, EACH
capable of an independent existence, but all di-
recty or indirectly affecting the institutions of
slavery each deriving from that circumstance
its cardinal interest, and all in crisis of fearful
import, connected in scheme of pacific adjust
ment
Two of the acts in the series had for their OBJ
ject the organization of territorial governments
for portions of the vast domain recently nc.
quircd from Mexico. With them tho slavery
question became connected by two opposite
movements, the one proposing to prohibit, the
other to establish slavery in those territories by
express enactment-thc advocates of these eX-
IRENE measures being alike reluctant to leave
the result dependant upon the future adj udica-
ton of the courts. A distinct phase Of the
subject was presented by the application of the
people inhabiting one of those territories, to be
admitted into the Union as a State, under con
stitution formed by themselves, in which, for
themselves they had assumed the settlement of
the slavery question. The acquisition of this
territory, moreover, had involved the Govern
ment Of the United States in controversy of
boundary, pre-eXisting between Mexico and the
State of Texas, with which also the slavery
question was unhappy complicated. Thus far
it will be perceived, no one of the pending
measures was wantonly or gratuitously OBJ
truded upon the National Legislature for the
purposes of agitation. They resulted newt
ably from antecedent measures, in which both thu
North and the South were participant.
But the difficulties that embarrassed the &C
ton Of Congress are not vet all told. Just IL
the critical juncture, certain Representatives fror
the Notwithstanding States, impeIIed partly b.
appeals from the inhabitants of the District o
Columbia, and partly by the promptings of thci
immediate constituents, pressed with increased
urgency the suppression Of the slave-trade il
the District. To this WAS supe:added the propo
s'ion, fraught with far greater excitement, t.
abolish slavery in the District. Furthermore
the people of the South, justly excited by III,
taitIless and long continued denial of their con
stitutional right to the extradtion Of fugitive
slaves, demanded additional and efficient legisl,,
ton upon this vital subject. D.
This brief but truthful statement of the man
momentous issues, all surcharged with this on
peculiarly exciting element, and crowded into
single session Of Congress, and bare referenc
to the alarming agitation which, springing up i
protracted debate, extended beyond the halls
legislation and pervaded the public mind, wi
serve to indicate the peril of the day. and t
suggest that the only escape was in that spir
Of mutual concession, which gave birth to tn
Constitution, and which in times past had nd
justed more than one controversy threatenln!
dissolution.
1t is not proposed, at this time, to reopen tn
exhausted argument, upon the merits of thes
questions scverAlly or collectively. The resul
is that partizans occupying extreme local pos
tons i'll the country, aud holding diametricnll
opposite opinions upon tho slavery question i
all its phases, have We'd with each other in cl
morous Recommendations of the settlement 1t M
II H.. L.
tory Of the Republic, there dwcIls an ntcIige
citizen, whose judgment approves every pJrt o
each link in this extended cnain Of ad ustmpnt
Georgia, at least, findS in it matter for objection
and matter for approval.
But such is Likewise her opinion of our Fed
eral and State constitutions: so is she accustom
cd to Judge of the leading measures of ever,
Congress, and every General assembly, as each
in its turn, labors the difficult problem Of per
ttcting human government, through the instru-
mentality ofimpMfcc tind conflicting hum III rca-
son. 1t is not on this, more than on any other
occasion, the part Of wisdom, or Of patriotism,
TO subject Legislative acts, under review, to the
rigid test Of Welding either the full measure of
right or the fall trniton of antci plted benefit
The practical questions presented for cOnsidrra.
ton are these: May Gcor ,il consistently mih her
ho40r, abide by the general scheme Disqualification?
u Silc may, tlcl, uOeS ntF RitTeN lie III autle-
renee to it, or in resistance ! A brief reference
to few facts of recent occurrence will furnish
an affirmative answer to the first and most inte-
resting inquiry. The people Of Georgia were
fully appraised that these great issues were pend.
ing before the national legislature. Their gen
eral assembly, being in sesslon, and assuming to
represent their opinions, took them into con,.
derAtion-gave Il distinct expression of their
own views, and virtually required of the Con-
gress of the United States, conformity to those
views Numerous primary assemblies of the
people, passed upon the same questions, still in
advance OF the action of Congress, and whilst, in
many of these, the acquisitions of the general
assembly were qualified, in none, Git is believed,)
were they enlarged. These movements belong
to the history of re controversy, and were in
tended to exert an influence at the Capitol
Whether attributable in any degree to that in
fuence or not, the result has been strict con-
formity to the line of policy thus indicated, save
in one instance. That one is the admission of
California into the Union. Upon the expedieucy