The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-07-25

concerning slavery he seems to think that 1t lie
safer and more honorable TO be found in the COM
pany Of Daniel Dickinson and Lewis Cas-, than
that Of John Davis and r. S. Baldwin.
Mr. Webster commented with more humor
than wisdom on the incongruous nature of the
opposition to the bill
"There are those do not speak Of course OF
members of Congress, and desire to be under
stood as making no illusions whatever, in what l
may say, TO members of this House or the other
but there are those in the country who say, on
the part Of the South, by this bill the south
gives I'D everything to the North, and we VIII
fight II to the last !; and there are those on the
part Of the North who say, this bill gives up
everything to the South, and we will light 1t to
the last; and really sir, strange as 1t may seem,
this disposition to make battle upon TINS Dill oy
persons who never agreed on anything before un-
der the light Of heaven has created sort oil TEL
lowship and good feeling among them. Laugh
ter One says, give me your hand, you are
good fellow renewed laughter you mean 10 90
against this bill to the DEATH because it gives up
the rights of the South mean to 60 against the
bill to the death because it gives up the rights OF
the North! So they shake hands and cry out
down with the BILL and then unitedly raise the
cry
day or hour Of virtuous liberty
Is worth q whole eternity in bondage"
This is amusing, but it does not prove anything,
.zeept that Compromise which satisfies the
demands Of no principles, must always encounter
opposition from the friends OF principle Besides,
the argument, with whatever force it may have'
applies to the supporters of the bill. Never was
a measure sustained on more opposite grounds, by
men of more homogeneous opinions. IL covers the
Wilmot Proviso with infamy says one it abOl'
ishes the Mexican laws prohibiting slavery, il
opens the way for its introduction into the Terri
tories Under it, says another, the Wilmot Pro-
viso is rendered unnecessary for all that measure
aimed at is secured in another way; the Mexican
laws will continue in force and Slavery cannot 60
intot the Territories. The laws of physical geOg.
raphy expressly forbid it, says the former they
allow it, insist the latter. And what can equal
the " good fellowship" which prevails among the
supporters Of the bill, some Of whom have never
agreed on anything before under the light OF
heaven7 Daniel Webster holds sweet commu-
MON with Foote, and Henry Clay is found in
loving embrace with Lewis Cass. Conservatism
and Progress meet together; Protection and Free
Trade kiss each other. Most happily has Mr.
Hale, 90 sa2-- - 3 wyss sc Se.g -va~'S~
ridculed this beautiful conjunction of contradic-
tons .s .,.5-.
Mr.. Webster attempts to show the North that
she will gain much that is substantial, and lose
nothing Of importance, should the bill pass. She
gains, he says, the admission of California as a
free State; the quieting of New Mexico, and the
Texas boundary question; and the restoration of
the Government to the exercise Of its ordinary
functions What does all this amount to Cali
fornia is already free State, but not by the ac-
ton of this bill and if she is admitted she would
be admitted on principles, as loudly protested in
one section of the country as the other The
new State is added to the Union not to the North
and her admission is matter of right, not of IA
vor
AS to the quieting of the New Mexican Cues
ton and the Texas boundary, that is quite as i'm
has no peculiar interest in it and at all events
If it be gain to the North, it is gain purchased
1t the cost Of ten millions Of dollars, paid for
claim, and at the cost too of great
Measure of policy, sacred and all important in the
Judgment of the North.
Mr.. Webster considers that there is no value
n that measure, or "Wilmot," as he contemptu-
'usly styles it and yet this, he says, is all the
North loses by the bill.
-" What they do sacrifice is exactly this, the ap-
olication of the Wilmot Proviso to the Territory
If New Mexico and the Territory of Utah. Now,
what is the value Of that sscrihce2 What Is the
value Of il Ia o reasonable man's estimate The
value Of it depends upon its necessity. II in any
reasonable mans Judgment, the necessity Of the
parent, why then there is value in it to those
who hold that the further extension of slavery is
TO be resisted as matter Of principle. But il it
be not necessary, If circumstances do not call for
IL, why, then there is no value in the Wilmot
Proviso, and no sacrifice made in refusing to APP
ply it, or declining to apply it. That is the
question:
Mr. Webster presents no new considerations in
support Of his assumption that the Wilmot
Proviso is unnecessary 30 that it is likely Mas
sachusetts will continue unconvinced, retain.
ing her faith in the necessity of positive law
in favor of Freedom. She will remember that
Slavery has never been abolished in this country
Or limited, without the enactment of positive law
that it has always gone, where it has not been pro-
hibited; that there is no latitude, no climate no
soil, in which it has not prevailed. She will re.
member that the great question in controversy
between Slavery and Freedom, since the time
when acquisitions from Mexico were first medi-
ofal baap q
Webster claimed as his own offspring two years
.go, but now repudiates If the North sac.
'ifice this measure now, she sacrifices all that
he has contended for, and she does SO in view of
he fact that the slaveholding supporters of the
Compromise urge as one great reason in its behalf
hat its passage will secure to them the privilege
# testing the adaptation Of slave labor to product
We pursuits in the Territories That is not all.
Abandon the Proviso let it be understood that the
North can be compelled to give up its policy of Sla-
1ery Restriction and where is our security against
he spirit of slavery-spoliation and propsgan-
lism2 II the Shareholders can prevent the ap
,lication Of the Ordinance Of 1887 to New Mex
co and Utah, what check would then exist upon
heir further aggressions on Mexico or their sim
ster designs upon Cuba and Hayti7 Let the
North stand firm, yielding assent to no measure,
which, like the Compromise bill, permits Slavery
% End its way into the Territories and il will be
ong before slaveholding politicians will plunge
he country into war for Territorial acquisitions
Let them see that every foot Of soil acquired from
Mexico is to be consecrated to Freedom, and they
will cease to regard with longing eye, the pos
sessions of their neighbors; the Wilmot ProvisO
will prove the most effective antidotc to the spirit
If war and conquest.
Some Northern Senators would be glad to
AXE their stand with Mr.. Webster, but they
ire restrained by instructions. The People
md Legislatures Of their respective States have