Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-02-05
RICHMOND ENQUIRER,
,--------,- -
MONDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY I. 1850.
mr. c'ay's Resolution. OF "comproml.e" In tho

"r' eiay's Resolutions OF 'Compromisc" In tho
=. y. Senn:o, upon tho subject o Slavery
"clay these Resolutions before our readers to-day To
t'se'her with the deeply interesting and excited dcbat
"eh sPrans up in the Senate upon their introduction "
invite Tor both the resolutions and the debate the most car
ues erusal and attention We free To confess that on
orchodings for some time have becn gloomy enough upo
'ls SUBJECT, now So earuly agi,ang the Union--but al
e 'nss OF northern lnnacs together with the aggressive
spirit constantly exhibited by Congress put together hav
moi filled onr minds with such feeling of dcsrondencv
these Resolutions Of Mr. Cays trumpeted forth as they
have been Tor ue the great measure of safety an
deivcrancc
lhere not controvertcd question between the Nor
and the South, which is fully surrendered to the No
by the terms Of these resolutions Mighty indeed mus,
the pressure Of public opinion the free States and univor
sal the spirit OF Aboltonism amongst the masses when Mr.
Clay noted as he is for reckless and determined spirit
could under this pressure, bring himself offer such hu
miang terms to his own gallant State, and the entire
savehoding interest OF America. Every claim the par
Of the North is allowed by the of this compromise
every right of the South deliberately sacrfced with tho sol
ltay exception OF the slave trade between tho States VIZ
hazard nothing in saying that there is scarcely substantial
difference between the powers conceded Congress and
the North by Mr. Clay and those forth in the Buffalo
platform by the free soiers themselves The only right
the South under the Constitution explicitly Sc, forth is the
right of the States to regulate Slavery within their limits
This with equal ccarness admitted By the free socrs
themselves.
Can it be possible that Mr. Clay, upon the verge OF
the grave when exhausted nature remind him Of his
near approach to ta, hour when the thrills Of ambition
be sted yet looks anaiously from the Senate Chamber
the other end of the ayonuc Can be possible that the
royal purple still and dazzes his unsteady vision D
j. il the mnttudnous of the free States resounding
the continent which has whispered in his ear tie terms
of this insulting compromised For the honor of
could hope not And yet without this key his actions
We left altogether in the dark the motives which
have prompted his course.
lie declares that slavery does exist by law in thc
territory acquired by the United States from the Republic oi
Mexico and that il is inerptdient for Congress provide
| by law Tor its Introduction exclusion Why,
should like know does slavery exist in the territories
acquired from Mexico Surely there is nothing in the
treaty which justes this assertion II is the common pro-
pcrty OF the whole Union by the arms Of ALL paid for
BY the money Of ALL and is held under the Constitution
| which is the law common nl. There is not one
uc upon the satuebook Of Congress touching the sub
Jcct; and. where then, in the OF sense,
does Mr. Clay find warrant for his declaration Will
he tell that the laws Of Mexico regulate
this question? that the laws OF country conquered
rendered and annexed override and control the Con-
stution of our victorious nation Shall we be told
that when have dsnemhcrcd that empire, and bottcd
ont portion oi il from the map Of nations the laws ohe
cxrngushcd government, 10 blot out and exngush
constitution and s authority? Yet such must be Mr..
Clays assumption before he maintain his position.
he relies upon the laws Of Mexico authority for the non
existence Of slavery in that territory then follows that the
Catholic religion is the established religion Of that and for
the laws o tia; country established that religunand Yet
The constitution provides that there shall be established
,l.
California alike swept away by The fortunes of
Their religious, commercial and municipal laws all alb
rogaed and tic Constitution and laws of tho United States
were substituted in their stead far they could be made
applicable the people and their condition
But declare that lit is insrpsdient for Congress 10
provide by law any regulation concerning slavery, is
to conccde that body the right lcgislate slave
ry in the District of Columbia and the Territories;
which is the full of the Wilnot Proviso For what
incypcdcn to-day may be deemed cSpcdient tomorrow
and then under the terms Mr. Clay rcsouton it would be
cxlent or Congress provide BY law lor the exclusion
o slavery rom any part the said territory" This great
paciicaor comes to then with his boased compromise,
which, from its very terms nothing more nor less than
the Wmo, proviso We will not cay is Insult 10 the
South because are bound believe Mr. Clay offered II
in sincerity and good faith But withhold the ex-
pession of our arazecnt the atuy which would Offer
as compromise which has been condemned and
rcpudatcd By the nearly unanimous voice Of the Southern
| population.
II is of no avail thar the second resolution proposes to
erect territorial governments without saying any hins ABOUT
slaycry the right OF Congress regulate ii is conceded
and il is declared By the resolution not 10 oAs IN the
| land.
Mr. CLAY in his no, haste to propitiao the North boldly
advances upon rights Of Texas and despite her treaty o
annexation and the faith pghed her therein spite OF
| bicIh hnrh hnuOl lnrp
r,ey defined and socmnIy sctlcdhc cuts huge great
c,n,e ont biz enough 10 make State larger than all New
Ennlnndand this pundered and dismembeed portion OF
sov.rcn and independent state Mr. Clay proposes To
embrace in that territory acquired by the United States
from the Republic of Mexico and which he declares Is
country where "slavcry docs not exist by law "A we
understand his proposition il is 10 dscnbcr slave oa'c'
and by an of Congress- abolish slavery in that portion
f be territory taken from the State. Ii Congress has his
rght in this case why not in any other why not dis
b- VIRGINIA Run n line on the top Of the Blue Ridge,
anil abolish slavery in the Wcs7 We do not mean to say
that there is danger this time Of any such ihng but we
do mem 10 assert if such claims to power on the part
e the Federal government are and promptly re-
nolod hey will result in the overthrow Of our liberties.
PM We have detained readers already too long from
Tho debate md we refer them 10 that with promise
rccur to this subJcct again, at more convenient 'e
will be seen that the Dictator much excited, thrown
from his balance and pursued dominecrng course
but he was brought his and proprey by the rm
vet dienifed bearing OF Mesrs Downs and Davis oil MIS-
sissippi The whole proceeding places Mr. Clay IN mos
unenyablc anc-and doubt that nf!e this ana
previous Strange acts bis former admirers IN this city ~ouo
cordially il practicable revoke the order for erecting mon
umen to such living at the capitol of Virginia.
General Bayly in his speech at Odd Fellows Hail. in 1870
said most happily that he willing TO vote any honor 10
General Taylor, as a military man, save monument. ms
he would vote TO no rng lest his subsequent aois
might tarnish his fair fame and those who erected The ohu
meot might at his DEATH wish recall the speaNng SOUP
ture Such we doub, not is the feeling in Virginia. Mr
Claws las, compromse seems To be universally repuda'eo
by his former worslippers.
Walkers (D1 ofcl majority for Governor oil LOUISIANA
as counted by the Legislature, is lol3. Pauehes (D) io
Ijout Governor 422 and Bordelons (W Tor Auditor ''
pena pcna, the cmarnt Mexican lawyer and cnisheh
ed statesman and President OF the Republic OF Mexico al
the close of the war with the United States has ast diea
| When our Commissioners assaied with shower q
stones hy the peros in the of Queretaro and when
mad desire nrovaed 10 procasnatc tho he made peace