The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-06-29
An Appeal 10 Arms.

An Appeal 10 Arms.
When the Union intimates that the entrance
Of New Mexico and Utah into the Union as
States, without the Intervention of Territorial
governments will exclude the South from eve
rs foot of the acquired territory, aud that s.no-
Thing eciH be left to her bat an appeal to arms"
we are compelled to acknowledge feeling Of
surprise at the meaning or the no-meaning of
such limitations.
That journal is anxiously devoted to the sup
port of bill which proposes 10 admit Califor-
MIA as State; which proposes TO organize Ter
rltoral governments in New Mexico and tab
with the ultimate view of their admittance also
as States, and which is supported by some OF
its most distinguished advocates on the ground
that, under the practical operation of the bill.
slavery will be excluded from every foot Of
territory acquired from Mexico" That bill
the Union supports with degree of zeal, we
think more than commensurate with know
ledge or consistency.
Let us look at some of the evidences which
ought 10 satisfy the Union of the unnean-
ing nature Of its daily talk on this subject That
journal, in February, l649, was warmly press
ing the admission of the California territory
as State, upon the very principle of the terri
lorial policy Of the PRESIDENT at this time. and
in full view Of the exclusion Of slavery by the
people of the territory in the constitution which
it called upon them to frame. The evidence
upon this point we take from the Union of
February Is, l849. thus:
''Wc understand that some of the southern mem
bers objccting to the bill. We have respectful
ly weighed their arguments but we cannot attach
the same importance To them which they do. win
YOU say they give up all southern claim at once
to California, and not only surrender her. but ad
nit her two Senator'S at the next session TO assist
the other Senators from the -slaveholding
States in fastening the Wilmot proviso upon New
Mexico We frankly, hare no idea
that California can become slapehoding State
Messs. X. }. WALKER, BUCHANAN, and CAss, in
their respective letters, oppressed the unqualified opin-
ion that IL could nerer become such State; that he
nature Of the soil and climate fo,bids IT, But indie
pendently Of these suggestions we refer to the
character of the population for the There
are very few negroes among them as laborcrs. The
great mass OF the people who already there,
and who are emgrating to her land, consist OF
American citizens and foreigners who are opposed
10 slavery. What benefit can the South obtain
from delay
The people Of California IRE hope. ,rdl proUe true
TO The Union IN srhic case they lcH form
gouerHne,tfor their protection and they triH call
u convention 10 frame a constitution They toiH
knock al 1e doors Of ns merit Congress for admission
STATE; and the strong presumption u.s. that she trH
then be admitted"
The Union, then, was prepared 10 see slave
ry excluded from California. The letters,
however, of the gentlemen whom it names
were not confined to California, with regard to
their views Of the Introduction Of slavery in the
Territories acquired from Mexico. They in
cuded the whole Of the acquisition obtained by
the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Is not the Union aware-does il not abso-
utely know--that the same clauses which
have resulted in excluding slavery from Cali
lurnia will be quite as operative under the prac.
teal action Of the compromise. 80 called. 10 ex-
clude il from New Mexico and Utah Mr..
CLAY is Of the opinion that they will be more
thoroughly operative in the latter case Cali
iornia, as all The recent territorial acquisi
lions from .uerico," says Mr.. CLAY in the
report which introduced the Compromise bill.
g ,eas that IN tchieh, u any ,ohere ,cithin then.
the introduction Of Slavery ,cas most likely 10
take place and the constitution Of Califor
mia. by the unanimous vote Of her convention,
has expressly interdicted it. There is The
highest degree Of probability that Utah and
Men .herico ,ciu, ,cien they come 20 be admit
ted as States. follo,c The example,"
General CAss is equally explicit In a re-
cent speech in the Senate he referred to the re-
srictive clause in the bill forbidding the Terri.
torial legislatures which the bill proposes To-
create from establishing or prohibiting slavery
"lf this clause remains,' said the Senator from
Michgan-and il does remain. after having
been deliberately voted upon--''lhe stains ono
Of slavery remains with it. and the existing
, condition cannot be changed This restriction
pas carried by the Dofes Of @ceral members.
rho had already poted for the Hiinot j,roviso.
: and upon the ground that, slavery not exist
ing in these Territories, il cannot 90 there I'M
less the people, when they come 10 establish
their State constitutions, should choose 10 in
troduce it,"
Mr.. WEBSTER, whom the Union has become
4 / iOhh W tAbpiibik ivhpoh1 WIN VII OBA1--
and we doubt not those eminent Senators APP
} preciaie its Communications at their full worth
Mr.. WEBSTER has expressed in the strongest
: language his convictions that slavery can never
be introduced into these territories
In the face Of all this evidence as 10 the
views aud opinions Of the most distinguished ad
vocates Of the Compromise, the Union supports
measure which, in the belief Of those distn-
guished advocates, must in its practical opera
ton result in excluding slavery from the ac-
CURED terriiories--from New Mexico and from
Utah-while at the same time the same Jour
nal, assailing the territorial policy Of the Pass.
IDErr, makes il the ground Of its assaults that,
in its opinion, if the PREsIDEEr's policy shall
prevail, as il is very likely to do in our opin-
ion, the South will be excluded from every
foot Of territory acquired from Mexico y and
then il adds, with warlike soemnity, g No
thing will be left but an appeal TO arms !"
a. A.. al. A.