The Madisonian. (Canton, Miss.) 1850-1855, 1850-09-05

arc the traitors within her limits.
The Protest to thc Passage of
the California Bin.
The followingis a copy Of the pro-
test against the passage Of the Califor-
MIA bill, presented by Mr.. Hunter Of
in the United States Senate,
at the opening of the Session Of the
I4th utimo:
We, the undersigned Senators, deep
ly impressed with the importance Of
the occasion, and with solem sense
of the responsibility under which we
are acting, respectfully submit the fol-
lowing protest against the bill admit
ting California as State into the
Union and request that it may be ems
tered upon the journal Of the Senate
We feel that it is not enoughto have
resisted in debate, alone, a bill so
fraught with mischief to the Union,
and to the States which we represent,
with all the resources Of argument
which we possessed, but that it is also
due to ourselves, the people whose in
terests have been entrusted to our care
and to posterity which even in its most
distant generations may feel its conse-
quence to leave, in whatever form may
be most solemn and enduring memo
rial of the opposition which we have
made to this measure, and of the rea-
sons by which we have been governed,
upon the pages of journal which the
constitution requires to be kept so long
as the Senate may have an existence.
We desire, to place the reasons upon
which we ale willing to be judged by
generations living, and yet 10 come,
for our opposition TO bill whose con-
sequences may be so durable and por~
tentious as to make it an object of deep
interest to all who may come after it.
We have dissented from this bill, be-
cause it gives the sanction of the law,
and thus lmparts validity to the unau,
thorised action of a portion of the in.
habIants of California, by which an
odious dlscl imioation is made against
the property of the fifteen slavehold'
ing States--the Union, who are thus
deprived CT that portion Of equality
which the constitution so mapifestly de-
signs, and which constitutes the only
sure and stable foundation on which
this Union can repose.
Because the rights of the slavehold'
ing States to a common and equal en-
ioyment Of the territories of the Unior
has been defeated by system Of mea-
sures which, without the authority o.
precedent, of law, or Of the constitu
ton, were manifestly contrved for thai
purpose, and which Congress must
sanction and adopt, should this bill be
come law.
In sanclioning this system of meas
ures, this government will admit tina
the Inhabitants Of Its territories, wheth
er permanent or transient, whethe
lawfully or unlawlully occupying tht
State, may form q State without thu
previous authority of law = wltbou
even the partial security of a terrific
rial organization formed by Congress
/. without any legal census or other Ell
} ficient' evidence of their possessing
+. the number of citizens necessary t.
, authorise the representation whicI
{ they claim, and without any of thos
: safe, guards about the ballot box whic
. can only be provided by law, and whic
: are necessary to ascertain the tru
: sense Of people.
: 1t will admit, too, that Congress
$ having refused to provide a govern
Q ment, except upon the condition of OK
: Guiding slavery by law, the executiv
branch of this government may, at il
y own discretion, invite such inhabitanI
9 to meet In covennon, under such rule
t as it or its agents may prescribe, an
\ to form constitution affecting not onl
j their own rights, but those also Of fl
}, teen States of the confederacy, by il
$ cluding territory with the purpose :
g excluding those States from its enio!
ment, and without regard to its natur,
e fitness Of boundary, or any Of the COZ
$ sIderations which should properly d,
! termiHe the limits of State.
b 1t will also admit that the CONVEX
7 tion thus called into existence by tn
n executive may be paid by him out {
5 the funds Of the United States, withoC
i the sanction Of Congress, in violatio
q not only Of the plain provisions OF tn
n constitution, but Of those principles {
y obvious propriety which would forbi
e any act calculated to make that con
It yention dependent upon it.
IS And last, but not least, in the serie
e of measures which this governmen
+ must adopt end sanction, in passln
$ this bill, is the release of the anthorit
Of the United States, by the executiv
s alone, to government thus formed
l. aud not presenting oven sufficient eyi