The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-07-11
THE ALTERNATIVE.


read as plain as printed book. That book will
show the two alternatives we have mentioned
the one disuDion, the other the exclusion of the
South from the Territories Will the South
submit TO that exclusion She will not. Sup
| pose she did would not there be conflict be-
| tween Texas and New Mexico2 And would not
the fret blow struck in that contest be the begin
ming of civil war which would call to arms
every State in the Unionl Surely it would and
we therefore earnestly but respectfully appeal to
every patriotic man to do his duty in the great
exigency which the whirlwind has brought upon
the country Washington Union.
The present aspect Of the subject cannot be
mistaken. We must meet it at once boldly in
| the face Reject the basis Of, the CqpDromise.
! t.,fa fas JAZZ ~ oaniUfhix NJ once without
the slightest equivalent Then she will lose
every foothold in New Mexico, unless not only
reject her as State, but prevent her new State
| Constitution, or q Territorial Government
| formed by herself, like that of Oregon from OPP
| Grating against the South, with anti slavery pro-
visions And there is no other mode of counter
acting this inevitable result but by Congress or
ganizing Territorial Governments for New Mex
| leo and Utah. which shall be restricted in passing
any law establishing or prohibiting African
! slavery Choose We between these alternatives.
! Will the South surrender California without an
| equivalent land shall We, rejecting all compro-
misses as the Missouri Compromise cannot be
obtained cut her off from every inch Of territory
which she may be disposed to claim for the settle
ment of her slsves1 We speak plainly upon this
subject-not as metsphys icians-not as men who
revel in mere distractions, but as plain, practical
men, who Judge from the circumstances that are
before us, and come to the best conclusions Of
which the whole case is susceptible. Will the
South abandon everything except an efficient
provision for the restitution of her fugitive
slaves 2--or will she call upon Congress TO pros
trate the Wilmot Proviso, and organize Terrific
rial Governments for New Merxico and Utah,
which will throw open these Territories to the
fair experiment of the adaptation of slavery 10
the soil and the climatel-B.
The organ of the Compromising Party is high
ly edifying on the subject Of the Compromise.
We hope Northern men disposed to vote for it,
will carefully ascertain its bearings laid down
by the Unior Reject the Compromise, and the
free State of California comes in "rukom an
! -Y-rrur,w:- ne punry or tue compromise bill,
then, is, TO secure some benefit TO slavery, as q
price for the admission Of free State This is
orthodox Democracy, is it not Reject the Com
promise, and you lose New Mexico, unless we
not only repudiate her as State, but prevent
her State or Territorial form of Government from
operating against slavery, Reject the Compro-
mise and you cut the South off from every iuch
of territory, she may be disposed "to claim for
the settlement of her slaves Accept the Com
promise, and the Wlmot Proriso is proarafed and
Territorial Governments are organized in New
Mexico and Utah, "rhieh nil ihrop open these
Territories 10 the far experiment Of the adaptation Of
Sldue,y 10 the soil and climate!n This is the Ian
guage of the Uniou-this is its theory of the Com
promise bill-by such argument does it urge its
adoption. We hope the Representatives of ILL.,
nois Indiana, and Pennsy lvania, will take notice
and we hope their constituents will also take
notice
The Union asks-will the South submit to be
excluded from the Territories, by the act of the
People in forming State Governments, and pro-
hibiting slavery and it answers, "she wM not"
And whyl Will Shareholders insist upon carry
ing their slaves into a Territory, whose People
have decided against itl One year ago, the
Union, on the induction Of Mr.. Burke as its as
socate editor thus stated its position on the SUBJ
ject of slavery in the Territories
awe propose the ground Of SoS.ISTKRvKNrIoS :;
by which We mean that Congress shall abstain from
oil legislation III relation 10 the subject Of sidrsry IN
The new TerThorise; ledping Il 10 The psopis Of The
Territories thems.lu,s 10 make the necessary prorisoa
for thar sreaiaal admission INTO The Uaion aud 10
regulate thar internal concerns IN thar omH nay.
"Ths position is in accordance with the great
fundamental principle upon which all free gov
eminent is founded, viz the right Of the people
TO establish the political institutions BY which
they shall be governed. Ii is the principle pro-
claimed in the Declaration of Independence, and
recognised in the Constitution Of every State in
the Union. 1t is the great American principle Of
liberty. And IS the eAJoymsat Of this priaeipls
Thch ne mould secure 10 the eti-ens of the ne Ter
raO,ks acquired from Marco and i they, or either
OF them, SHOULD APPLY To CONGRESS FOR ADMISSION
As SOVEREIGN STATES INTO THE UNION WIN A
FREE CONSTITUTION, WE SAY ADMIT THEN. lfthey
come with Constitutions establishing slavery, we
should Say the same, Just as would insist that
Congress should not now compel the people Of
Massachusetts to establish slavery, or the people
Of Virginia TO abolish IT,"
The present position Of the Unon is in direct
antagOnism to its position one year ago Then,
it insisted that Congress shond h0re ~ 10 he peo-
pie Of The Territories thsmselres, to make the neces-
sary provision for their eventual admission into
the Union, and to regulate their concerns in their
own way mot that Congress should make pro-
vision for said admission, but that the People
should do it for themselves-not that Congress
should regulate their internal concerns, but that
the People should do this IL ,h>ir onn rOy
Well, the People of California, in accordance
with the Non-lntervention theory Of the Uaion
have made "the necessary provision for their
eventual admission into the Union and in regu-
la,ing their own concerns in their own way,
have prohibited slavery And what says the
Non-lntervention champion Let California
come in, but, not ruhOn an eqnraiem," Ad-
NIT her not unless slavery be allowed to 90 into
New Mexico!
Yes--after having solemnly declared in its
prospectus enc year ago" it is the enjoyment Of
this principle which we would secure to the citi-
Iens Of the new Territories; ahe principle of
regulating their internal concerns in their own
way, and making provision themselves for their
eventual admission into the Union and if they
or s1her Of than, shosid apply 10 Congress for ad-
nalssioa as sssere,gR SAFES mio The Uaion ruk
a free Constitution, ne say, admu faem u amer
having solsmnly pledged itself to this prin-
cipls one year ago, where do We find it now ,
Fighting for q bill which positively torbads the
People Of the Territories ito regulate raeu inter-
nal esaeens IN their swn wey"-hshtins AGAINST