The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1850-02-23
CASroN, Mss, Feb 90, 1850:

CANTON, MISS, Feb 20, 1850.
To the Editor of the Creole:
At your earnest solicitation | give you a
written account Of what saw and heard al
the three political meetings which took place
at jackson, recently, to consider the new
phase oftho California question, as presented
in the letter of the 2Ist ofJanuary last from our
Senators and Representative in Congress.
Being invited to attend a Wing meeting TO
be held ON Friday night, the 18th inst, en-
tered the spacious hall of the House OF Repre-
sentatives. l found the meeting already or
ganized, and about the time | took a seat, |
heard she President announce the names Of Is
individuals, among which was mine, as a com-
mittee to draft resolutions expressive OF the
sense Of the meeting.
The letter Of our members in CongtesS sub
mitted "the single fact to the people and Leg
%islature, that California will most likely obtain
admission into the Union with her constitution
al prohibition Of slavery; !" stated that they ire
gard the proposition to admit Cal fornia as a
S,ate, under all the circumstance les ofher appli-
cation, as an attempt TO adopt the 'Wllmot
Proviso' in another form;'' that the President
had earnestly recommended it; !" and requested
tsuch an expression of opinion bv the Legisla-
lure, Governor, and il practicable,by the people
as shall clearly indicate the course which
Mississippi shall deem it her duty to pursue IN
this new emergency" $50.
yhe Governor had already expressed his
opinion upon this question in lis message OF
the llth ofFeb., 1850, to. the Legislature. In
this he said that the "violent agitation OF the
slavery question, which commenced even be-
fore the treaty with Mexico was ratified, and
which has been kept up ever %since," has de-
tered the people of the southern States from
'hastening to share the lrdits OF our golde!
conquest; :" that Tin the midst of This ogitation''
President Taylor sent a special agent to Call
fornia swith instructions to urge the floating
population Of lha, newly acquired territory,
composed Of persons Of all nations, to form a
constitution and claim admission into the
Union as q sovereign State ;" that this floating
popuIation-this "unorganized community OF
adventures" &c. accepted the ''Aattering PRO-
position" that they chastity assembled, and, as
was anticipated by the planners of the moves
ment, adopted as a part OF their organic law, q
rrovision, excluding forever the slave property
of a large portion of the States from The extern
siye and rich territory t US assumed; )" and that
"now, while yet the broad and deep stream Of
emiOration il still flowing into that country,
the admission of California into the Union as a
sovereign State, with a restriction against sha'
very is demandedw
The Gov. said further that he 'dld not deny
to the people ofaa organised territory the right
10 provide for themselves a State constitution
excluding slavery; and that "when their ful
period of maturity for admission as a State
shall have arrived" he would not oppose theil
will. But that equal justice to all the State'
demand that California ''should be open fol
emigration to the citizens Of all the States; :
that this has not been permitted; and that he1
hasty admission is now demanded for no othel
purpose than 10 exclude slavery from her lin
its - and that it is not Just that this "landful o
= adyenturers' shall he permitted Spiritually e
10 exclude the citizens Of one half Of the State
Of the Unien from the privilege of settlement
and occupation" The Governor recommends
Ga firm remonslrance against the present ad
mission of California as a State with the restric
ton against slavery;' stated that if C%alilorni
is thus admitted we may expect to see
chain Of States encircling our ~Southwesfer
border, who, il they should imbibe the hostl
4 spirit d splayed in the resolutions and acts
soms OF the notthern States, would becom
more dangerous to our prosperity and rePos
than foreign States; - and concluded by sayln
h nwe may safely submit this subject to the Co
|. vention about to assemble at Nashville"
The said committee of fifteen were oppose
unanimously to the "Wiimot Proviso !" but
) oaFSenators and REPRESENTATIVES in Congrct
had said that they "regatded the proposition
admit California as State, under all he CT
g cumstancss Of hsr application, as an attempt
n adopt the sWilmot Proviso' in another form.
without communicating 10 us phGt eircunlstal
= ces induced them so t%oregard it, we could n,
Coincide with them in opinion. Perhaps
: they had 81 en- to US full Information Of all ii
q facts within their knowledge, III committe