Democratic banner., 1850-03-11
sUS1rEp VIZ Sr.sp-DIv1pED VIZ FA.t.'

include free negroes or muIattoes, and such
was the understanding of its trainers: and
such the practical construction put uPonit.
To my knowledge no contested case ever
arose under it, for the very reason, as be-
lieve, that its meaning was fully understood
as have stated. There were few negroes
and mulattoes-a very few-in the terrific
ry under the provisional government, but
none Of them ever voted, or thought Of it,
or any one for them. None but voters hold
Office. To conclude, then, answer your
inquiry unequivocally in the negative. I
am, sir, yours, respectfully,
s, SAMUEL n. THURSTON.
This is the proof adduced by Benton, to
sustain himself in his charge upon US Of
telling lie upon him, and to justify him.
self in his vote upon the following motion
Of Hale:
ssOn motion, by Mr. Hale, to amend the
bill by striking out section s, lines one and
two, the words ssfree whites" and inserting
after the word act, in the 4th, sand quail.
fed to vote by the existing laws now in force
in the territory Of Oregon, under the au-
thority of the provisional government es-
tablished by the people thereof."--[See
Senate Journal, lst session 30th Congress,
p. 499. -. .. ...
Upon this motion the yeas and nays were
ordered, and those who voted for the mo-
tion were:
"Messrs. Baldwin, BENTON, Clarke, Da-
Wis Of Massachusetts,, Green, Hale, Up
ham,.
Those who voted against the motion were:
"Messrs. Allen, Atchison, Aiherton, Bad
ger, Bell, Berrien, Borlsnd, Breess, Brad
bury, Bright, Butler, Calhoun, Clayton,
Cor,oin, Davis Of Mississippi, Dayton. Dir,
Dickinson, Dodge, Douglas, Downs, Felch,
Fitzgerald, Foote, Hsmlin, Hannegan,
Houston, Hunter, johnson Of Maryland,
Johnson of Georgia, King, Lewis, Mason,
Metcalf, Miller, Niles, Rush, Sebastian,
Sturgeon, Turney, Underwood, Walker,
Wsstcott, Yuiee."-44.
give the entire vote upon this motion
that the reader may see what company Ben
ton kept in the Senate, and especially his
vOkO OPOh ktiS IuOtUus aUu uOk OuIH
this case, but will show, (if cannot in
this letter, without making it too lengthy, }
hereafter, that he has been found in
company with tlss rankest Abolitioniits and
Free Soilers in nearly; if not quite ell his
votes given in the Senate during the last
two sessions Of Congress, upon the slavery
question. 1t is said q tnsn is known BY the
company he keeps, and here Benton is found
in company with six others, whose votes
and conduct show that they are in favor of
putting the colored races upon q common
level with the white race as to the right of
suffrage and holding Office. It will also be
seen by this vote that Corwin, Dix and many
others of the northern Senators, who, on
many other questions, vote with the Aboli-
tionisfs, could not swallow this motion of
Hale's-it took BENTON, HALE, and the
five others, to swallow such q nauseating
dose. But the reader will want TO know
more particularly the effect of this vote of
Benton's, in order to see whether he hes
convicted rs ofa lie, by Thurston's letter &
Sustained himselfin the truth. will, in order
to complete understanding of the matter,
state that the bill to which this amendment
Of Hale's was proposed was e compromise
bill upon the subject Of slavery, reported to
the Senate by Mr.. Clayton, the chairman
Of special committee appointed for that
Ipurpose-that thu. fifth section of that bill.
like the constitutions of nearly all the states
10 the Union, confined and limited the right
of suffrage, or voting, and holding Office, to
free white male inhabitants or citizens over
the age of twenty-one years-thst the bill
proposed the Organization Ofterritorial gov
erments in the territories Of Oregon, Call
fornia and New Mexico-and that it not
only limited the right of sffrsge and holding
Office to the free white male inhabitants
over twenty one years Of age, but, as COM
promise, left the subject Of slavery open, that
is. it did not touch it, leaving il with the
people ofthe several territories 10 determine
that question for themselves, and when
readyy to apply for admission into the Union
% States, With or without slsvery, as they
should think proper. And notwithstanding
this just and equitable proposition, by way
Of compromise, fepoied by a special COM
mittes Of eight. sppointed for the purpose,
In ofder to Settle this vexed and dangerous
Iauestion--to stop it's sgitation and prevent