The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1850-06-25

been no aAMt.MANNM " HAM NHNHNAH - $3.50
policy. On the contrary, the majority
against the south j. greater In the present
Congrest than 10 the last, following the usu-
al couuse Of every successive election for
wears past. Nor have we seen IN the action
Of the States, with few exceptions, any proof
Of a returning sense Of justice 70 us, or OF
reverence for the constitution Several Of
them, lest false differences might be drawn
a. TO their position, have taken care lately 20
r%eiteTate in the most offensive forms their
declarations against our rights and when
a great Senator, representing one OF them,
anxious for the perpetuatiOn OF the Union,
has ventured 20 advocate something OF Jus
tice to the South, he has been rebuked by
the Legislature Of the State he represents,
and virtually denounced for his fidelity to
the constitution. This resource then, under
the ordinary operations Of the constitution,
is Of no avail. And how is it with the pres
ent Congress, the only other source Of re-
dress in the usual administration of the con-
stitution? For six months L has been in
session, and during this whole period of time
slavery he's been the absorbing topic OF dis
cussion and agitation. Yet nothing has
been lone to heal the discontents which so
Justly exist in the south, or restore a bleed
ing constitution. All we have received has
been bitter denunciations of our institutions
by many members Of Congress, and threats
to coerce us into submission. Although
nothing has been done, a report has been
made in the Senate by a committee OF thir-
teen members, which is now pending in that
body; and as the measures it proposes have
been pressed upon the south as worthy of
her acceptance, we deem it proper to lay
: before you a brief consideration Of the mat
/ tiers it contains.
= This Report embraces four distinct meas
ures--lst the admission of California as a
; State, with the exclusion Of slavery in her
constitution. I'd. Territorial Governments
I TO be erected over the territories of Utah and
: New Mexico, with nearly one-hali of Texas
Y to be added to the latter. Sd. The prohibit
V ton of the slave trade in the District of CO.
V lumbia; and 4th, provisions for the recap
t ture of fugitive slaves in the nop-savehold
ing States. TO understand whether these
n measures are consistent with our rights and
worthy OF our acceptance, each of them
r must be considered separately.
e The south is excluded by the bill from
II the whole of that part of California lying on
C the Pacific, including one hundred and fifty
0 thousand square miles of territory; and il
this is done by the legislation of Congress,
the mode in which it is done, is Of no inn
portance. California belongs to the United
States, and all action by the individuals in
that territory, whether from the United
States or from the rest of the world, appro-
priatlng the soil to themselves, or erecting a
government over it, is of no validity. They
constitute a people in no proper sense Of the
o term; but are citizens of the States OF coun.
tries from which they have come, and to
which they still owe their allegiance
d When therefore Congress attempts to carry
d out and confirm the acts of these individu.
l. ais, erecting California into a state and ex.
Q Guiding slavery therefrom, it is the same
thing as if Congress had originally passed Q
q law TO this effect, without the intervention
of these individuals. The exclusion O
slavery from California is done by the act o
n Congress, and by nc other authority. Thu
constitution OF California becomes the act o
Congress; and the Wilmot proviso it con
N tains, is the Wilmot proviso passed and en-
forced by the legislation of Congress. Her,
then, is that exclusion from the territory b,
the act of Congress, which almost ever,
southern State in the Union has declared
she would not submit to, plainly and practi
i. cally enforced by this bill. A free peopl
Is cannot be satisfied with the mode in whicI
they are deprived Of their rights. A sover
e eign State will disdain to enquire in wha
manner she is stripped Of her property, an
y degraded from az equality with her siste
a States. 1t is enough, that the outrage
done. The mode is of little consequence
There is therefore in the mode of extendin,
the Wilmot proviso over the territory G
California presented by the bill, nothing +
mitigate the Indignation of the southern
70 States, or to battle their determination to re
dress the wrong, if inflicted. They are ex
cluded from the whole territory Of California
a territory extensive enough to contain fou
large States.
If the Constitution proposed by Califor
n MIA contained nothing about slavery, woult
the North allow her to enter the Union
Such were the territorial bills proposed 70
California at the last Congress, but they re
y lected them, because the South was not ex
= Guided from this territory, in express terms
The inhabitants ofthis territory, have bee
LETT without any civil government, solel,
e because the South would not consent to b
legislated out Of them with her institutions
and now that this object is accomplishe,
by the Constitution presented by California
these conservatives-these advocates of Law
and order-are eager to admit her, withou
right or precedent, into the Union. w
are aware OF the inconvenience the inhabi
tants OF California may have suffered 70
o want OF a civil government established b
Congress and therefore, are prepared t
h yield much on account Of the circumstance
in which they have been pluced<
The next measure is in perfect keepin,