The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1850-04-24


ems. NOT 10 people who are insensibie 10
The claims Of humanity or 10 tilS powerful
though gentle influence of~onr religion;
but 10 people as sensible TO such claims.
as ready 20 acknowledge them. as prompt
10 discharge them. n cisim nothing naie
for them Than for our friends and fellow-ei-
tizens who live in the northern portion Of
the Union,) as any people on earth. For
all this which we ask. we have the guar
aniy Of the constitution. We rest not our
claim upon The generosity or magnanimiiy
merely of our northern brcihren-lhough
/ feel thar we might safely rely upon
ihese-but we rest il upon strict right
We demand il. and appeal 10 their sense
of juslice. pledged 10 us in the fundamen-
tai law Of The land. II seems 10 me that,
upon every view Of the subject. this
measure should meet with the decided
opprobztion Of all The friends Of The con-
siiiuiion. thai there should be no slfempl
to clog the provisions with such arrange
menis for delay and expense as must in
The ordinary course Of things render The
measure utterly Inefficient; useless 10 US
for any practical purpose. and calculated
only to irriisie and inasme the sore and
excited feelings Of the South by false
show Of granting wha, is 10 fact denied.
Mr.. President. with regard to the Will
mot Proviso, | will endeavor 10 redure
what have 10 say within a.narrow COM
pass.
In the first place, ! will remark that
my own view with regard 10 The proper
manner OF arranging this difficulty is, and
has all along been. that we should adopt
aud carry TO the Pacific ocean the Mis-
souri compromise line. have thought
that il IN itself was just and reasonable
settlement. commended TO ms, besides. be-
cause IL is an old measure--a measure.
heretofore adopted with practical results
of peace and quiet 10 the country, and hay-
ing therefore as much Of that kind Of re-
verence which belongs 10 old things ascan
well be found in nation Of so recent
origin as ours.
have preferred il also upon another
ground. | believe that our country is too
large. | was utterly opposed TO the exlen-
sion Of our domains which resulted from
the ratification Of The treaty with Mexico
| did my best to get that treaty SO amend
ed as ioexclude al acquisition ofterriioryi
voted against its ratification, because ol
the acquisition, and for no other reason.
j And, Mr.. President, believing that our
danger lies in an indefinite extension Of ouI
+, limits, premature expansion Of our po.
pulaiion, weakening Of all the central
parts without adding real strength 10 the
circumference, | should delight in seeing
that Missouri compromise line applied,
because believe il would close the ac-
count Of acquisition Of territory, on the
part OF our government. forever. If the
character Of territory, which might be &C.
quired north or south of any given line,
were fixed so as to fall in with the views
or interest Of either one or the other por.
tion of the Union, a constitutional ma
joriiy, in my judgment, could never be
procured in this body for the acquisition
Of any territory, North. South, East, or
West. And, sir, mention this because |
intended 10 state frankly my own views.
! do not suppose il within the reach of
possibility that any such measure can be
adopted. have no ul,imatum to propose
upon this subject. Igo for The adjustment
Of this question. and for moderating and
letting down The excitement upon each and
every topic connected with it, so that, il
possible, moderate men. those who are not
extreme, those who do not insist upon
pressing their own notions in their ulti-
mate extent TO actual adoption, may meet
together upon common ground. Now.
il seems to me that. after what has been
said upon this subject by so many able
and distinguished gentlemen upon this
floor. and particularly afierthe observations
made the other day by the honorable Sc.
naior from Massachusetts,, Mr.. Web
ster. we ough, to be able to unite upon
a proposition 10 drop the Wilmot Proviso
altogether. The honorable senator from
Michigan r Mr.. Cass is clearly in favor
OF having no Proviso; but he meets the
Proviso upon the ground Of want Of con-
ssitutional power TO apply it; and as others
who may desire TO see it applied, do not
enter INTO and adopt his particular view
upon the subject, of course the opinion
and judgment which he gives do not
have upon this question the weight to
which his high and eminent character so
Justly entities HIM, But from the senator
from Massachusetts we have reason for
dropping this odious Proviso, which may
be received and acted on by every man.
whatever his views of the question of
power may be, without violating, In the
slightest degree, the notions Of legal right,
or appearing to surrender constitutional
authority. Now, sir, am one of those
who believe in the constitutional power.
| have had occasion to say, and have en-
,leavored, SO far as | was able, 10 prove
| il on the floor Of the Senate; have said
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