The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1850-11-26

" NetN. Ate utAutNlitl was te1 aPf&Chttl
Even It's principal sponsors did not in the
commencement, venture to advocate thei
proposition alone. Tobreak the force OF the.
blow, and to pallia,e Us effects. they con-,
necied il with other measures, some Of them
and Others practically useless
aud mnateriai. Il was saiiesi eeaaf...-,c
mise, an adjustment, and many patriotic
men in the South. were no doubt. misled
by the false, hollow. and deceptive sPpliaH-s
ces, which were. without scruple, resoued
to, to holster up and sustain it.
Such was the state OF the controversy at
the period OF the adjournment of our Legs
lature. Il was still hoped that tbs outrage
would not be eonsumma,ed at any rate,
the Legislature did not think fit to antici-
pate so important a contingency. but deem
cd the precaution sufficient to leave il, with
other causes OF complaint, to the consdera.
ton OF the Southern Convention, then short
ly expected to assemble at Nashville. The
Legislature indicated no disposition ts fall
back from the positions which had been as
sumed by the October Convention, adtoca,'
ted by both great political parties in the
State canvass, and maintained with great
apparent unanimity in numerous popular.
meetings. Those positions were, that we
were entitled to just participation in the
use and enjoyment OF the Territory conquer
ed from Mexico. and that we could not.
without dishonor, submit TO be excluded
from It, The Nashville Convention, whose
determinations were by anticipation, adop-
ted by our Legislature, had most formally
insisted upon these territorial rights, and
had only, ior the sake Of peace and union,
agreed to acquiesce in division Of the ter
ritory by the line OF 36 deg. 80 min. with
the express declaration that this was to be
the extreme concession OF the States therein
represented
All these protests and denominations
were before Congress, and would probably
have commanded respect, and secured the
rights of the South, had the same firmness
and unanimity been maintained, which
marked the commencement OF the contest.
But unfortunately for the peace of the coun-
try, deiections from our ranks occurred, the Z
attitude OF the south ceased 70 command res
pect, and the obnoxious measures, which
had been debated by Congress for nine
months, became laws.
by these means, the slave-hoding States
have been absolutely excluded from che
greater portion, and by far the most valua-
BILE part of all the territory acquired from
Mexico, comprehended within the limits Of
California, and comprising the whole coast
Of the Pacific, the gold mines, and an area
large enough for ten states of medium size
and although the less important territories
of Utah and New Mexico, have been organ
lied without the Wilmot proviso, yet in
both these cases, the majority In Congres.
expressly refused to repeal or suspend the
Mexican laws, which were supposed TO in.
terdct the introduction Of slavery into these
regions. The doubt and danger, therefore,
which surround It's introduction into these
territories, amount TO an actual prohibition,
and SO it was considered by the majority in
Congress- who stood ready, had the emer-
gency required it, TO stop the extension OF
slavery by positive prohibitions
May | not, then, be justified in asserting
that by these measures the slave-holding
states have been virtually excluded from the
use and enjoyment OF every acre of the vast
public domain acquired from Mexico!
Even this is not all we have to complain
of. by one of the bills Of the series, ten
millions of dollars of the public monies rais-
ed by taxation from the industry OF the
country, have been voted, to purchase from
Texas a portion of her soil, for no other ap-
parent object than TO convert it to "free-soil
purposes Would it be greater stretch
of power to apply the Federal treasury to
the purchase of their slaves, to make them
free
| will not, however, dwell upon these in
cidents. My purpose leads me to examine
the act Of Congress admitting California,
with reference to its character, its bearing
upon the political destiny of the country,
and its effects upon the Southern States in
pecuniary point Of view. To commence
with the last. The value OF slaves depends
upon the demand for their labor. The his
tory Of the cultivation Of our great staples
shows, that this value is permanently en-
hanced by the opening OF new fields Of la
bOA' aN AhAhANAsS PAbheS "NiAh h@sN ohH
still continue to reward well directed indus.
try in the gold mines Of California. exceed
ing those which have ever flowed from mere
labor, unmixed with capital, or mechanical
skill, woSld have furnished demand for
the application of slave labor, inexhaustlbls
in exteut and infinite in duration. Had this
wide field for investment been open TO the
slave labor Of the Southern States, wages
would have risen, and consequently the
value OF slaves at home would have been
greatly enhanced. Many hundred millions
Of dollars would have been added to the cap
ital Of the Southern States, had they been
merely permitted to avail themselves of the
benefits to which they were entitled under
the Constitution Of the United States. Had
the common territory, acquired by joint val
or and purchased by joint treasure, been
honestly and fairly open TO their use and