Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1850-03-13

rWe promised in our last to give a eele-
bfated opinion, heretofore published, upon the
Wilmot Proviso. We havs to doubt it will
be read With great interest at the present time.
Here it Is:
The wi1nnot Proviso.
The Wilmot Proviso is simply this: In the
passage Of the money bill through Congress,
for the conduct of the late Mexican war, VIII
mot proposed to amend with a proviso, that in
whatever territory, conquered or coded, there
should be no slavery. It is an idle conceit-
empty of all else-but full Of danger and pro-
speetive Of Incredible mischief. It is an ire
gular ldea--that government In the United
States (even combined-co-ordinate Of execu-
tive, Legislative and judicial;) much less the L.
gislature alone, has any whatever-initial, in
stitutional, aboriginal fat ulties or powers, any,
where, or in any instance to preordain. In the
States it is essentially incredible, for they pre-
coded the Government-not in the territories,
for they were elimental States-no where
nor at any time-not in the territories, nor BY
anticipation, can the Government OF the U. ..
withhold OF abolish any new principle, or any
fundamental establishment-for this would be
to amend or impair the constitution by Con-
gress-qua tenus-i.e &. in that instance-Whe-
Their novel or antignated.
The constitution which may .ordain-preor-
dain Congress may not) has provided that ter
~ritories may become and be admitted new states
in the Union, with but one single. condition
this-the adoption by themselves, and the SUBJ
mission to Congress, Of a republican constltu-
ton. 1t is the duty Of the pretending territory
to adopt republican institutions-but neither
the duty nor the power Of Congress to say
what republican institutions are, but simply the
passive, negative faculty Of rejecting such as
are not, but no transcendantal right to say es-
pecially what are. If Congress had this right
the Proviso would be in the right line Of legis-
lation, and as would all other proyisos directory
to the territories of their constitutional adop-
tiqn-for the Wilmot Proviso can pretend to
no special favors-and then it is manifest Con-
gress might make the new State constitutions
by bills of particulars or at its pleasure by
wholesale. Observe the w. proviso asceYtaips
but one p~recision-that anti siayery-beyand
the generalization of the constitution to repub-
lican institutions: but mischief, like all things,
begets its hkc-it is procreative-another pro-
viso has the same license. There can be no
reason why Congress should interfere with the
instance Of the w. proviso, which would not
embrace all other provisoes-for It it must be
conceived to anticipate, it must be conceived to
transact--and if Congress can impose the linn
itation projected in the w. prnyiso, what prin-
ciple could withhold another proviso! for in
stance, one that would impose the property test
to the elective franchise-or any other whatev-
ever-for the nature Of Righteousness is when
abandoned to promiscuous intercourse-and
the constitution would thus become the mere
wantons of Legislation, OF no better than the
constitution Of England, which is made BY Act
of Parliament, o
The process is as easy asplying-by various
proyisoes, the different elements of a ~cpnstitu-
ton would be absorbed by Congress, and the
people, the only normal conception of a const'
~tutional organ, would thus be depriEed Of the
faculty Of making their own constitution, thus
made for them, and piece meal, and by the 60
yernment, and not by the people of the terrific.
nv, nor by any people at all. Is it not obvious
to any sense but that of a wrong-headed poll
tician, that the constitution either pretends thu
object of the proviso-or that it does npt--anl
; that if it do, tina provisO is better provided thar
by itself--and that if not SO by the constitution
that then the provisq is a new infusion into ~
constitution redor to the bill of the constr
tuition, as il. it were a vulgar act of legislation
Congress had but one passage in this line, ane
that to be made at but one time. The power
to reject the pretending territory, if its submit
ted constitution be not republican now arises
and not till now, the congressional reserve =
reject for want Of republican properties. TIT
proviso is conceitedly speculative--on natter
not only in esse, which may never BE-. Perad
venture the territories may never submit a con
s~titution Objectionable to the principles Of tn
proyiso, Should the conjuncture happen, how
ever, otherwise the question must be settled b!
that people and that Congress.
Sufficient for the day, &c. b.
Note-The w. Proviso, SO called, but proba
blv not Wilmot's, who only stole it from u
Webster, Black Dan, 80 called from his infer
nal complexion, or, j. e., as black as the Devil
The claim Of Black Dan is the better accredite
to this pescant matter, for il is thought Wilmo
is too insignificant to have originated anythin'
good, bad or Indifferent; whilst Webster is q
--* He has always sided with the put
lie enemies Of his country, in all her foFeig
, wars, but disappointed by her victories, he sti
strives to embitter the cup Of price at her lip
by an infusion Of domestic strife. There
, vet another reading-that the thing il neitht
! Wjlmots nor Dan's-but the devifs--may B
i so--he is the father Of lies.
+Could'nt make Il out.
. The Unos.-The following beautiful pa
sage Is from a Fourth Of July o~ration. delisert
1t Charleston, in 1906, by the late Thomas
: Grimke, then q very young man:
, The American, VIII can look forward wi
= calmness Ia the day o desperation, must be eth
e more. or less than 4 man. He must be 4
victim az ambition or corruption; q delud,