Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-07-20

Southern States ooud co operate ,oh the Wings TO repe,
the acquisition Of territory. was disappointed in this
sonabs expectation When the House voted on the resoiu
ton offered by my friend from Georgia. every Northern
Southern Whig voted for it eUsy Northern and Sohe7
Democrat poted against IL.
Mr.. STEPHENS. No; Mr.. Com, of Georgia, vote,
with
Mr.. GENTRY. friend informs me that Mr.. Com, 0
Georgia, voted with the question which refer
ring If my friend is correct in his recollection do tina
gentleman the justice 10 say, that he stands SOLITARY anC
alone" honoaby isolated from his political party In the
Senate Mr. BERRIEn introduced resolution similar tha
introduced here and the vote upon precisely like tha
in this House every Wing from the North and the South
wilh perhaps, exception, voted for il and every Demo
erat from the North and South poted against il!
Mr. Chairman what have produced the present
Of things What policy Who is responsible, Is il the
President The nconrovertibe truths of history which
have presented vindicae him from that false and unjust i'm
puaton, and fix the responsibility where honorable gen.
eman from Mississippi Mr. THOMPSON more candid than
of those who have spoken that side of the House,
says il ought to rest.
That gentleman, in speech which he made few days
ago. claimed for the Democratic party Of which he is
ber the glory Of annexng Texas the glory of the which
followed that event and the glory Of adding the Terrific
ries Of the United States California and New Mexico And
he admitted, that all the responsibilities resulting from these
achievements rested upon the Democratic party and that
therefore, that party is bound the and
ticae the Republic from the difficulties and dangers which
Democratic measures hare inpolred 1t.
1t has been my aim prove the correctness Of the adms
sions canddy made by the gentleman from Mississippi,
and show beyond the possibility Of doubt cav that the
policy and opposed by this side Of the House, and
supported and carried through by that have brought the
country into its present dangers Come what may, skirts
clear the political equilibrium between the slavehold
ing and avehoding States lost to be reganed
if the properly of the Southern States thereby rendered in
secure If faction and discord reign where patriotism and
dom ought to rule if the Union, and the liberty and happ
which it guarantees, mperled, the which
have produced these evils manifest and the good Of
the country will correctly decide where responsibility rghtfu
ly rests
But though, as have shown cam this side Of the
House, justly claim TO be free from all responsibility for the
present state Of things, hold that every patriot equally
bound himself the country from the dangers by
which it is environed. The Wilmo provso, which
reared its front in this ball whilst the with Mexico
raging has appeared at every period since the treaty Of
Guadalupe Hidago when attempt has been made to
deem the obligations which this Government assumed by the
spuatons of that treaty and the faith which soemnly
plghted TO Mexico yet stands unredeemed Meanwhile
if to prepare the hearts Of the people for bocdshed civil war;
and dissolution Of the Union, agaors, fanatics, and fac
onss the Northern and Southern States have been busy
and successfully engaged in nfaming and rousing into ac
witty sectional prejudices, passions and hoes, whose loud
borne by every breeze that from the
North the South, BODIES nothing but evil to the republic
Six months Of the session of Congress have been spent in
angry debate what Of legislation shall be adopt
ed with respect to the territories which have conquered
from Mexico and there little prospect Of union and
harmony that question the beginning of the session;
and has been distinctly threatened that in certain specified
contingencies faction will display itself here to defeat
the appropriation bills and thus arrest not destroy, tie
Government. ." IN.
Mr. Chairman this is deporabe, humiating, and dan
gerous state of affairs calling mperousy upon all to hold
passions and preudces strict subodnaon to patriot
ism and reason may devote ourselves with effective
energy to the service of the country What shall we do
To what remedy shall resort Where is the path that
wisdom bids us tread What line Of policy will shield the
country, and it harmless from impending dangers
What measure founded in justice and wisdom, adopt
that will harmonZe nfcng interests and preudces, and
give quiet and tranquility this great family of States
The consideration Of Congress and the attention of the public
have been for time drested to three propositions lst
That recommended by the President; I'd, the compromise
bill reported by the Committee Of Thirteen in the Senate and
3d. the Missouri compromise line. ..."
The last mentioned proposition supported chiefly by those
gentlemen from the Southern States who have heretofore been
jealous and vehement insisting upon the constitution
al right of the savehodng States to unrestricted parcpa
ton in the Territories acquired from Mexico and who have
denied the power of Congress prohibit establish slavery
or otherwise egisae upon that subject in the Territories of
the United States. have never in the Of my expe
rence, known garng exhibition OF Inconsistency by
intelligent public To understand the effect Of applying
the Missouri compromise the territory acquired from Mex
co be remembered that slavery existed by law in all
the Louisiana territory acquired from France, and that the
Missouri compromise abolished and prohibited slavery s
that territory north Of $50 0 Of north latitude, and permit
ted sauery south Of that line. 1t literally the enactment
of the Wmot povso north Of the line $50 30 and nonn-
ervenon south of that ne 1t distinct and ef
ctve assertion and exercise by Congress Of The power
gslae upon the subject of slavery in the Territories Of the
United States To extend the Missouri compromise line
through recent acquisitions to the Pacific, would be
the Wo proviso in about ouhs OF the territory,
and eaveh residue. south of that ne subject to the opera
ton Of those Mexican laws which abolished slavery previous
conquest, and which, according to the opinion of
large msority of urists, remain in full force and effect
that gentlemen distinguished for legal learning hold
that the Mexican laws null and void but whilst this
question undecided by competent Judicial authority, slavery
ectualy excluded if Congress had prohibited it by
express provisions Of law. No STAKEHOLDER would take his
slaves into that country with the certainty OF sutectng him
self long and expensive lawsuit that would most proba-
bly, eventuate the emancipation OF his slaves But no
believes that il is possible for such proposition to pass in
either House of Congress, and therefore It is waste of
time to discuss it. fair apporonment OF acquired territory,
between the saveholdng and onslavehodng States
sttutes the principle of the Missouri compromise, and to
apply this principle to the Territories acquired from Mexico
inasmuch as California has by her constitution prohibited
slavery all laws which prevent its Introduction IN the residue
Of our Mexican territory should be repealed by Congress
The compromise bill Of the Senate proposes to admit Cali
orna as State into the Union to organize Territorial Gov
ernments for New Mexico and Utah without the Wmt pro-
viso and to settle the disputed question of boundary bew
Texas and New Mexico by giving to Texas consideration
in money to reinquish her claim With respect TO the ad-
mission admission Of slavery into those Territories, it
adopts the principle of leaving the final de-
cson Of that question to the people when they adopt cons
tutions preparatory to their admission into the Union
States.
If it be true that the laws of Mexico which abolished
slavery IN those Territories remain in force until repealed,
then by The provisions of the compromise bill slavery will be
excluded from those Territories during the continuance
the Territorial Governments which proposes establish,
for expressly inhbs the repeal of those laws 1t does
secure to the :avehodng States what Of their public