The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-05-30
THE NATIONAL ERA WASHINGTON, D. c., MAY 80 1850.

again Mr. Whitcomb voted with the Slavery EG-
tensionists, against the Slavery Restrictionists.
The extreme Southern men objected to the
bill chiefly on account of the 10th section as fol-
lows:
SEC TO- And be II, &c, That the legislative
power of said Territory shall extend to all right
full subjects Of legislation, consistent with the
Constitution Of the United States and the provi-
sions of this act but no law shall be passed inter
fering with the primary disposal of the soil, nor
IN respect 10 african Sapsry"
Suppose the bill passed with this section, slave
holders might take their slaves to the Territories,
and the People through their Legislatures could
not interpose to prevent it. And yet MIR. Whit
comb was in favor of the bill. But, neither could
the Legislatures pass laws enforcing the rights Of
shareholders who might immigrate to the Terri
tories or police regulations for keeping the
slaves in order; and on this ground, the section
was obnoxious to the Pro Slavery Party. Col.
Davis Of Mississippi therefore moved to amend,
by striking out the words nor in respect to Afri
can slavery" and substituting the words "nor
ruth those rights of property which grow out of
the institution of African Slavery il exists in
would prevent the Legislature from excluding
slaves, but permit it to protect that kind of prop
erty when introduced.
.Snhsnoneptlv 10 nreyent all instrumentation be
concluded to let the words ~ respect 10 AJrIeQH
Slauery" stand, with the following amendment
"Propided, That nothing contained in this sec
ton shall be so construed to prevent the Ter
ritorial Legislature from passing such police or
other laws, or providing such remedies as may
protect the 0ipaers of African SHARES III SAID Trr1o-
| ~, or mho smy renoue TO sad TERRITORY, ga Ms
jIytaesn Of such rights as ,h>y ay possess wder he
Constitution and larrs fths United Sates!p
| He held that this would give sufficient pro-
lection to the holder of slaves in the Territories
The design of the amendment was palpable-
viz: to procure an implied recognition of the le-
gal existence of slavery in the Territories. The
special friends of the bill began to tremble for its
fate. The adoption of the amendment would
scandaze the North-its rejection might alien
ate some of the extreme Pro-Slavery men, In
this dilemma, Mr. Whtcomb, who had pledged his
influence and vote for the passage of an act pro-
hibiting slavery in the Territories, came to the
rescue of bill, not only containing no such pro-
la consultation with Mr.. Foote, he drew up an
amendment, which, after having been acceded to,
as we are informed by MIR. Poote, hy .Sssnatnrs on
all sides was presented by Mr.. Pratt of Mary
land, as follows:
Mr.. Pratt said, 81 propose, instead of the
amendment offered by the Senator from Missis-
sippi, TO amend the tenth section thus to strike
out the words in respect to- and insert to in
troduce or exclude 80 that that part Of the sec
ton would then read:
"'That the legislative power of said Territory
shall extend to all rightful subjects of legislation
consistent with the Constitution of the United
States and the provisions Of this act but no law
shall be passed interfering with the primary dis
posal of the soil nor to introduce or exclude Afri
can slavery
81 propose further, after the word slavery to
insert the following;
"tProuided, That nothing herein contained
shall be construed to prevent said Territorial
Legislature passing such laws as may be necessa-
ny for the protection Of the rights of property Of any
kind which may haue been or may he hereafter ia,rjd
ly* introduced Into SAID Terruory'n
The plain meaning Of the Proviso, coming i'm
mediatey after the clause concerning slavery,
being, to authorize the Legislature to pass laws
for the protection of what is called "slave prop
ertyn The implication would at once arise that
such property might lawfully be introduced and
held in the Terrtory-the very implication which
the extreme Southern men had been struggling
for The sole advantage of this amendment Of
Mr.. Whitcomb, was, that it enabled them to
reach their object in way so covert as not to be
glaringly offensive to some Northern men, Col
Davis Of Mississippi promptly adopted the amend
ment, remarking-
"On former occasion changed the language
of my amendment to accommodate it to others,
because it not the terms, but the right, that
was struggling for. So now | will modify the
phraseology of my own amendment, or accept that
of the Senator from Maryland, if it be preferred,
with the utmost pleasure, because belteue means
as much or more, and leads MS TO the same end
ale further explained that his object was only
to strike from the BILL as it was introduced, an
odious feature, which, by special discrimination
against slavery, restricted the Legislature from
giuuig that protection to Slape properly which they
were authorized and expected to give to all other
property. That bsmg my object, Fused mords mhnh
seemed TO me plainly 10 express u. But | am entire
ly willing to adopt any language which is more
acceptable to others, and mhich wiH hare tie same
fGtct. Uony shrink from mere wordS rhO are neuer-
theIess disposed 10 prouhe for The interests irish 10
potea, surely will not retain or insist on an OBJ
stacle so very unimportant to me-"
So he adopted the words framed by Mr.. Whit
comb.
This gentleman may give different construc-
ton to the amendment. If so, as an honest man,
he will say so, and not suffer Mr.. Davis and his
associates to be deceived lie and his friends
either concur with them, or there is game
afoot in which honorable Senators are trying to
overrcach one another
Mr.. Whitcombs silence will justify the infer
ence that he understands the amendment as Mr.
Davis does. However this may be, it is now man.
ifest that instead of cooperating with the oppo-
nents of Slavery Extension, so far as he has acted
at all, he has lent his countenance, votes, and
counsel, to the opponents Of Slavery Restriction
What is true of him, is true of Messrs Cooper,
Webster, Cass, Dickinson, Bright, and Sturgeon,
and will be true of every man who shall give his
| vote for the Omnibus Bill.
The word ia,ctuLy was subsequent stricken ont.
WING STATE CONVENTION OF OHIO.