The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1850-05-28

.H . -- N-
aftHle umts. 50 with property iu sa'~
bat species 81 property ezislrj m utar on
he Staies leiof 20 the formation OF the con-
t..utlou. aud i mhy Doe temafsed that DO b.
iLe ony species ~ofpr1pcay recognized thec'
iu with b. boz .Hs State tho gruH1i govern
mtuf las u0tl.ug fo Do, ug Direct iasa
ton .hou'J be lo-Il.i Oh. gui 'aat eag
BADLY be- called proieelion But when
slave property passes beyond the IIults o.
the States. the general government both by
H. direct and indirect powers, il 1Ouad 70
protect IT,.
In the territories, the common posses
sion'or al the States, on the high seas,
at the seat of government, in the docks,
arsenals and navy yards, exclusively
under the jurisdiction orthe govern
ment. and in the non-slavcSolding
States. when slaves escape thereto. the
general government is bound in good
faith 10 the tull bent of its constitutions
al powers. 10 afford as ample and full
protection to property IN slaves as It
does to any other species Of property OF
any OF the States in the Union.
But Il large majority in the non-sia1e.
holding States contend, not only that
The protection and beneficiacy powers
Of the general government shall not be
exercised lavornb'y to slave property,
but that they sail be used adverse
thereto thus, at the same time, deny
ing and asSailing the constitutional
rights ofthe slaveholding States.
Yet, Mr.. Clay says, that this enor'
nous assumption is IA dPbateable mat
tor on which men may "h%onorably and
fairy" differ. and no matter how de-
cided, should afford no cause for dis
solving the Union.
The constitutional powers of The
general government, welded in a
course of adverse and hostile legisia-
ton, and in AN unconstitutional spirit,
are sufficient to depress and destroy
any great interest in the country.
Take for instance manufactures; let
Congress place all fabrics made in This
country onrihe free list and increase
the duties on our manufactures, and
in one year the work Of detruction
would be complete, and every shop in
the United States would cease opera
tiOnS.
Our commercial marine could be
broken down in the same way aud
agriculture itself paraIyzed and pros
tra!ed under he banciuI influence Of
adverse treaties and legislation; and 50
with slavery. il we once concede this
attacking over to the general govern.
ment. ltthis ground is net abandoned
by the northern States il i positively
certain that sIaveyy and the Union IAN
not long continue 10 exist together I;
one or the o her must give way.
No compromise, no temporising adj
iustlneut can he OF the least validity.
which leaves Il dominant northern ma
iority at full liberty 10 construe the con-
stitution us they please, and WELD the
constitutional powers thus construed
adverse TO the great and vital interests
of the s~Eaveholding s ates. The posi-
ton Of .IIr. Webster is not less danger
Gus than that OF Mr.. Clay. although it is
more covert, and may be considered "A
IA master piece Of poll ical strategy.
Mr.. Webster's policy is To preserve the
Union, and at the same time. secure
northern ascendency in the Union.
There is this which is common ia
both these great men, that the north
must acquire aud The south lose every
foot Of the vast territory conquered
from Mexico.
Mr.. Webster would be content with
this for The present, provided the nor.
thern States cOucpde no principle f0l
which they have heretofore commended
we'll knowing that a tier oil non.slave.
holding States on the Pacific seaboarC
and in the Rocky Mount,ins will secart
such an ant~i-sla'ery a%scendency as will
forever place the slaveholding States
in n deplorab|e minority and make
them humble suppliants at the foo'stooI
of northern power. TO co 1prehenc
fully the scope and bearing of Mr.
Wob,ter's policy. it may be well 10 takt
a short view OF the state ofafairs a,
tie lime his speech was delivered.
When it became apparent that ter
ritory would be acquired from Mexico
the northern States placed no reliance
on climate or the laws OF Mexico-bul
they insisted on applying the WiImoi
Proriso 20 all the terri cries so acquir-
ed. AS an earnest OF their determine.
ton so to do, they even forced the
proviso into the Oregon bill, notwith.
standing The south protested no desire
to carry slavery there. The south
resisted the proviso and offered CON
promise they we're willing TO extend
the line of the Missouri compromise &c
the Pacific; this the north rejected
then when it was first said that the
; laws OF Mexico excluded slavery. thu