Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-09-03


My view of the resolutions annexin Texas the United
States Is This: Texas admitted claiming certain bounda
res the United States had care how large they were
provided no injustice was done to other nations III ieSh
had claimed TO the Salt Lake. and other nation had set W
counterclam she would have boon entitled Ia retain thos
boundaries Mexico did set up counter claim portion
OF the territory claimed by Texas and the United State
representing leNas, had authority 10 make concessions
Mexico in adjusting the boundary with her. And here he
power ceased she did not exercise that power ana cose
ueniy the claim OF Texas remained just us hc onitet
States had not reserved any such authority over her limits
II was in effect contract between the United States ant
Texas stipuang that Texas should have the territory s
claimed unless upon particular condition some OF II shout
be given This condition, however, never having nap
pcned the contract is left absolute But apart from all 'hls
the annexation resolutions provide for territory III ieka
North OF 81 deg 30 min this plan of adjustment cuts he
down TO abou, 81 deg. II takes indeed for New Mexico
great deal Of territory, which was by The maps never ncu
dcd in That province while part of the Mexican Repuoic
Nor does stop here its of adjustments IL conten
plates adjusting away sum supposed to be about heei
millions OF dollars, of which the South pay her share
To this, ihen All the territory acquired iron
Mexico given up and not content with that two Siitts
large as Mississippi Of Texas South OF 36 deg 3U nn
are given up aso and for :his privilege Of being thus
eeced %eare 10 pay part Of fifteen millions ot dollars
But the tale OF our wrongs is not yet told We are also
permit the slave trade be abolished in the District of Co
umbia by allowing Congress 10 iberae slaves on certain
conditions. The power abolish slavery in the District
would thereby be conceded utterly because the condition
mere matter of whim, and can be varied any me-
As TO the fugitive slave BILL proposed part OF this plan
OF adjustment The best thing that have heard said in its
favor Is that 1t leaves still the law Of 49, which we have
all along had. does take that away. II it did, and
left solely to its provisions we should be badly of
indeed And such be the end of State resolves OF
our brave declarations and Of Nashville Conventions
Though said thousands Of times before were more a
cabc the words Shakespeare 0h most lame and impoteni
conclusion When the King Of France, with forty thou
slnd men, marched NJ the hill and han marched down again.
he made credabc performance brilliant maniu're, in
deed, compared 10 what this would be-
Ny objections Ia voting for The admission o California
as State under her prescn; constitution not absolutely
insuperabc are very great Ii the citizens Of that territory,
q .tiprb pT
suance Of prescribed or had made constitution cXclu
Ing slavery could but have acqesccd. Bat this consti
tuition is based upon usurpaion aud revolution ~ the RI
tiicaon ot the treaty of Guadupc l!ago. the sovereign
~ this territory passed into the people Of the several
States. They cou! have cedcd il or any past "i IT, away
aga Immediately o raise tle money be paid IL Mexico.
From them that sovereignty could pass except by
their consent giyen By their by revolution Their
has been gvcn but the contrary has been
refused, expressly nj the time when the Inst Congress re-
fused 10 pass bill 10 allow the people of California 10 form
a State Constitution 1t is then oi revolution. And
made by whom! Ii by citizens owning the soil and regular
settled in the country il might extent tc paiatcd
Bu has been considerable extent hy wanderers and
soourncrsmen who had temporarily left their homes else
where repair their fortunes out OF tn gold o! The niied
States, and then 10 return again Many o them have re-
turned To the United States already A. understand. am!
doubtless had the intent 10 do while string in The Cali
fnrnia Convention Such persons usuring m authority
not granted Ia hen have undertaken 10 inou! The organic
aw Of the country which they wandered, ,n Of Innch
more that they had scen and in m"gln@ the organic
aw have excluded our rights therein And doubtless ore
consideration which operated induce them % do 81,
ie fear that ctlcrws. northern majority would not adnlt
the State into the Union. So that revolution there, with
agitation ana threats here, will have eiicuar excluded Es
from country acquired Ivy the common blood anG treasure
ard peculiarly adapted al present IL Institutions Mr..
Clay says truly in his report introducing his compo-
mise "Ciio,na, u: all recent territorial acquisitions
from Mexico, that in which, il anywhere within them,
the introduction of slavery likely take place
And will add the opinion, derived from information consi-
deed good that now il all improper restraints and in
uences were Withdrawn, the introduction Of slavery there
would take place orbear 10 draw any picture OF IL. e.
/, Is rnr ,hi, i, would be highly beneficial.
Now sir needless for 10 argue that this territory,
being property Of the people of the United States il was
for their Representatives 10 determine when and by whO
and how much of that territory authority should
established 1t was for Congress TO say when State
Constitution should be formed in California; who should be
voters and what should be the bounds of the State.
Gentlemen talk geada about the right OF the people ere
govern themselves. Did they 70 there of them,
10 occupy deliberately territory which hry knew To
al the people of the United Staes But unless defined by
law who shall say who the people that should govern
themselves? Shall be included, boys, foreign
crs idiots the nsanc Ii these classes be
cluded who excludes them unless the competent nakins
power? Did the first hundred who went there constitute a
people who could exercise sovereignty the whole c-ri
tory? As applicable 10 This subject bee leave rofuo,c
passage from speech delivered by The Hon. Daniel Web
s,cr in l9iS in the Supreme Court Of the United States
| the Rhode Island case. He said:
lis obvious enough that men cannot gct together
and themselves and many hundreds and
many thousands, and Judge Of their qualifications
and call ihc:selve Tie feo ana sotup government -
what is this but anarchy?'
Well sir neither the President Of The United States nor
General Riley had authority take the place Of the aw
king power II does no, in the slightest degree tend 10
concie me this revolutionary that il has been
approved and encouraged BY the President OF the United
States Ii lie whose duy To the extent Of his
;hur,y maintain the rights of the United States, has
couragcd their nvasionif when Congress- the proper
thoy had refused 10 the people of California the right
take sovereignty that territory he encourages them
10 do so-if AT time when every man OF reflection in
the country might have known. and al least member OF
lis Cabinet believed, tlat the verdict would be against the
South he encourages BY which the verdict
necessity be rcndcrcdlhen sir these considerations tend
rather increase than diminish my objection 10 snciioning
this movement
Omtng the question of the powcrof Congress 10
admit State with two representatives, without
on of her inhabitants 10 prove that she is consituonaly
entitled them think have shown strong grounds OF op
position 10 the admission OF California. Indeed fear il
Sacon all this rregularity and usurpaton Congress
may surrender all authority any territory hereafter 1t
would certainly therefore, require some strong equivalent
TO make me willing sanction it, and il is needless for Inc
say that such equivalent is not given I'M series vi
each of which in itself should be opposed This is
my estimate of this compromise and must act.
shall not complain if other gentlemen view differently
Some for whom have high respect 10 do They
must upon their views of proprety. Bu; if they
seek by the power Of pcnacty by The weight of author
ty to compel us TO act upon their convictions instead OF
own tell them for myself for ALL their labor is in
vain. Gentlemen may They ray roll upon
the hundcr of the pess they flash before eyes the
fictitious lightning Of made-up public opinions they may
pile up their letters mountain high; they may heap Peion
upon Ossa and Ossa upon olympus until they scale the
| heavens-my is clear Anchored upon u consccn-
ious conviction of duty, will shake me, and
pcrls There is voice that shall respect
When voice shall from my constituents, and
think WILL requiring my support for such measure
it will then he time enough Tor TO decide whether shall
obey seek in retirement and in the walks Of private life
that self-respect which could hope retain if
yielded my honest convictions of duty to any
weight Of influence whatsoever. have spoken of this
compromise as Isl how may be altered OF course know
not and consequently cannot say what effect those acra
tons may have upon my Judgment. To gain my support
for the measure they must be neither unimpara trivial
am willing 10 vote for any fair compromise, but am not
commissioned 10 make surrender. / sincerely desi-
rous if possible to the question settled but it is too
much ask that the South should be sacrificed by her
When you ask for that, say, once II don't go
for it" think have shown that every plan under
consideration for settling the question of slavery in
newly acquired territories is based upon the idea that the
South is 10 get nothing, and the North everything.
Now, Mr. Chairman if you ask whether there has been
aggression, refer you 10 the general understanding of the
country few years Was universally understood
that the line of 36 degrees 80 minutes was 10 be the line
adjustment and division this subject between The free and
slave States until very few ago ask the Norhcrr
gentlemen if it with the Northern people! Even
as late February 1915 the distinguished gentleman
from Massachusetts, (Nr Wn,hrop in speech delivered
here, and quoted again by himself few days since said
speaking in relation Oregon territory coming strict
y under the express terms of the Missouri Compromise
'I seems be understood that this institution is 10 be
limited hy the terms of the Missouri Comnromise and is