The Yazoo Democrat. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1850-11-27

le common territory. The transient and {
oating population which had poured into
le country, were instigated and encour.
ged to usurp the sovereign domain of the
est and most valuable portion Of that
ountTy, cut off the Southern states, from
II participation therein & TO demand from
congress the sanction of their illegal pro.
and admission into the Union as /
State. Encouraged by the Federal ad-
in the way Of whose political
chemeS these questions lay as stumb-
ing blocks, this stupendous plot to defFaud |
he Southern States by an abuse Of the
power 10 admit new States, notwithstand-
ing It's monstrous injustice, was beginning
10 develope its progress during your last
session of the Legislature. So palpable did
its real purpose appear to those vino had
closely watched its progress, shat both our
Senators in Congress, and all our represen-
in an official communication adj
dressed to me, to be laid before the Legis-
lature and the people, declared that they
regarded this measure, the admission Of
California, as the -Wilmot Proviso, in an
other fotm., .It .was teo rossly unjust to
be urged as . measure ~ Itself. The de-
formity was too Apparent. Even its prin-
cipal sponsors did not in lie commence
ment; venture to advocate the proposition
alone. To break the force Of the blow, and
to palliate its effects, they connected it
with other measures, some Of them obiec-
tionable, and others practically useless and
immateral. 1t was called compromise,
an adjustment, and many patriotic men in
the South, were. no doubt, misled by the
false, hollow and deceptive appliances
which were, without scruple, resorLed TO,
20 bolster up and sustain it.
Such was the state Of this controversy at
the period Of the adjournment Of our Leg
islature. 1t was still hoped that the out
rage would not be consumated; at any rate.
the Legislature did not think fit to antici.
pate so important contingency, but deem
ed the precautlon sufficient to leave it,
with other causes Of complaint, TO the con-
.ideralon of the Southern Convention
then shortly expected to assemble at Nash.
vile The Legislature indicated no dis
position to fall back from the position
which had been assumed by the October
Convention, advocated by both great po.
litical parties in the State canvass, and
maintained with great apparent unanimity
in numerous popular meetings. Those
positions were, that we were entitled TO q
Just participation in the use and enjoyment
of the Territory conquered from Mexico
and that we could not, without dishonor
submit to be excluded from il. The Nash
Vile, Convention whose determination!
were by anticipation, adopted by our Leg
slature, had most formerly insisted upon
these territorial rights, and had only, 70
the sake of peace and union, agreed 10 &C
quiesce i'll division of the terrltoty by tn
liue OK 36deg. 80 min. with the expires
declaration that this was to he the extrem
concession of the States threin represent
ed,
All these protests and determination
were before Congress, and would probabl
have commanded respect, and secured ii
rights Of the South, had the same firmnei
and unanimity been maintained, whic
: marked the commencement Of the contes
But unfortunately for the peace Of the couI
try, defections from our ranks occurred ii
: attitude Of the South ceased to commau
respect. and the obnoxious measures whic
had been debated by Congress for mir
months, became laws.
By these means, the slaveholding State
, have been absolutely excluded from III
> greater portion and by far the most valuI
bic part, Of all the territory acquired froI
, Mexico, comprehended within the limits
California, and comprising the whole coa
Of the Pacific, the gold mines, and an are
large enough for ten Stases of medium siz
and although the less important territorit
of Utah and New Mexico, have been O
ganized without the Wilmot Proviso, "
in both these cases the majority in Cons
ress expressly refused to repeal or suspeu
the Mexican laws, which were supposed |
interdict the introduction of slavery mi
; these regions. The doubt and DANCE
therefore, which surround its introductio
into these territories, amount to an actu;
prohibition, and so il was considered b
the majority of Congress, who stood read,
had the immergency required it, TO ste
the extension of slavery by positive prohiI
ition.
May | not, then, be justified in assertin
that by these measures the slavehodip
States have been virtually excluded froI
the use and enjoyment of every acre of th
vast public domain acquired from Mex
co.
: Even this is notall we nave to complain o
: BY one of the bills of the series, $4,000
600, Of the public monies raised by taxa
ton from the industry of the country, hav
been voted, to purchase from Texas POI
ton of her soil, for no other apparent obiec
than to convert tito "Eree soil purposes.
Would it be greater stretch Of power t
apply the Federal treasury to the purchas
of their slaves, to make them free?
will not, however, dwell upon these il
ciden:s. My purpose leads me to examin
the act Of Congress admitting Californi;
with reference to its character, its bealin
upon the political destiny Of the country