The southern press., 1850-08-31

turning it over to "6ss-soil 20 This may be a
startling announcement. to some who have not
thoroughly examined the subject. And, vet, il
| is literally and emphatically true.
| We have seen, from the Resolutions Of An
nexaton, that, under existing legislation, all Of
| the tsfrilory Of Texas which can, in the worst
eontipgency (thai Of division the Staie,) pass
over 70 " Free-soil' Jurisdiction, IL that portion
Lying Morfk Of $50 30 north latitude-enough to
make one free State. Whereas, all of the territory
Lying seuh Of that line remains slave territory
or to the South. Now, not content with that con-
| cession which, in the same spirit Of harmony,
which, for the sake Of peace, sgnalized the course
Of the South, in 1920, induced US TO yield, as q
say, not content with this, this provision Of the
Bill-the I" Compromise Bill, before us, stretches
its grasping hand TO the distance of oo degrees and
a half farther down. to the south OF that line, and
robs Texas, and, through her, robs the South, of
at least lOO,0 900 square miles-enough TO form two
large States Stairs, il the present laws con-
tnue1'ee States il those laws be abrogated by the
passage Of this Bill!
What says this provision Of the Bill, in run
ming the boundary between Texas and New
Mexicol
/" Beginning at the point, on the Rio del Norte
| (Grande, commonly called FL Paso, and running
up that river twenty miles, measured by straight
line thereon, and thence eastwardly to a point
where the Tooth degree of west latitude from
Greenwich crosses Red river, being the South
west angle in the line designated between the
United States and Mexico, and the same angle in
the line Of the territory set apart for the Indians
| by the United States.
! Reference to the map shows that the territory
cut off from Texas, by the line, here described,
| lying south of $50 30, and which, as we have
seen, is now " slave territory, has an area, as /
have stated, Of at least loo, 900 square miles This,
the bill proposes to sever from Texas, and add to
New Mexico.
Now, it has been seen, the preceding provision
ofthe bill, giving territorial government to New
Mexico purposely and most effectualIy, excludes
slavery from the whole country which that gov
ernment embraces, and consgns it, irrevocably,
to g Free-soit All the territory, then, south Of
36o 3U, shown by the map to be- at least, 100 900
square miles, which the bill sewers from Texas,
and which is now " slave territory, (" in passing
to New Mexico, becomes " free-soil.''
! These facts, recorded in the bill itself, and
demonstrated by the map. No one can deny--no
one can controvert them. OF their value and sig
nifcance you are as competent to Judge, and as
much concerned in judging fairly, as am. In
view Of them, now appeal to you, ,if they do
not fully sustain the declaration, with which set
out'--that, bad the other tpo provisions are,
thisis far trorse! &
| But the mischief does not stop even at this
point of aggravation. There is yet another fea-
/
goes a stones throw farther in the career Of ag-
gression and injustice, which " our Norhern bretk-
rem aided by men with Southern commissions
| in their pockets-seem resolved to run against u.s.
sat all hazards and to the last extremity" This
| is in the shape of pecuniary compensation to
Texas, in exchange for the large territory, and
her sovereignty to boot, which, have seen is to
be given to New Mexico. In the bill, the amount
to be thus paid, not yet specifed-is left blank
to be filled up hereafter. The amount, however,
with which. and less, it is well understood, the
blank is to be filled, is fifteen millions Of dollars
(Sl5, 900 ,000!D rs
/ This feature Of the bill-the enormous amount
Of money it contemplates--the circumstances Of
its introduction-and, especially, the tanalizing
uncertainty of the sum, like s. round Of savoury
pork" dapggled beforet the jaws of u hungry sharx,
AL these are fruitfuy suggestive of thoughts,
alike, as to the motives Of its authors, and the
modus operandi by which its objects are to be ac-
complished. But of these, if l were in my place
in the Senate, it would be unparliameniary to
speak So, | viii, even here, pass them by, with
this single remark--that, in my opinion, they
mark the most despicable characteristics of the
whole bill; and yet to them mainly, if not alone,
it will owe its passage, should it ever (Which
Heaven forbid y become law.
! Mark This enormous sum, Of fifteen millions
| Of dollars, is to be paid to Texas Texas owes a
public debt Of something like an equal sum, which
she desires to pay, but, like other States has
/ not Lne means. Anu tnlS ueDt, III the shape oil
Bonds, is in the hands Of various, shrewd, specu-
lating, and needy individuals, some Of whom, in a
moment of blind enthusiasm, received them in ex-
change for all their possessions, while others,
again, have bought them up at from ue to ten cents
on the dollar, or obtained them on even less honor
able terms! We well know at how low rate the
Bonds of Texas have, for years past, hung upon
the market ! learn that, since this Bill was re-
ported to the Senate these Bonds have risen, from
the foot, by degrees, to respectable position on
the list Of Stocks; falling, or rising, with the
prospects 0 the passage of the Bill! Who
knows though some may guess, what specula-
tions have already been made-what profits re-
allied, what princey fortunes may be yet in
store, for dealers in stock like this, which, in
addition to its mere pecunary value on change,
has won place in the legislative halls of the
nation, and acquired political weight-so i'm
posing ar 9fiss
pass all this by, however, for what it may be
worth; and for such reflection as, in your better
judgment, you may choose to give it.
But, there is another view in this enormous pc
cuniary compensation proposed to be paid to
Texas, which addresses itself to our considera-
ton. And, first, of "Reminiscences which it re-
wives.
We all know how expensive, alike, in men and
money, the war with-Mexico was found to be-
To the cost ofthat war, to all other expenses Of
the government, the Southern States contributed
more than an equal portion. Apart from this gen
eTal expense, WHICH altOSetneT, cannot nave Deen
less than $l00, 900 900 in money more thanhalf Of
which the South have paid apart, from this, we
know that, as one Of the conditions Of peace, we
(unwisely, as have ever thought,) paid to Mex
leo, the sum of fifteen millions Of dollars! More
than half of this, also, the South have paid
To say the least, then, forthe territory acquired
from Mexico, the South have already paid
81, 100000! And row, | ask you, what has been
done, or is proposed to be done, with this terri
tory, thus, in halfat least, paid for by the South
This bill answers the question
Already, have horde Of adventures, from all
nations, and of all colors, seized upon much the
largest and most valuable portion of it--that por-
ton extending about thousand miles along the
Pacific coast, and still greater distance inlaad; !;
and, by an unexampled political fraud, have ex-
cluded the people Of the Southern States from all
participation in its possession and enjoyment!--
This monstrous pretension-this gross outrage
upon justice and decency, it is the purpose and
the first provision, of this BILL to approve, legal
ze and sustain Nay more-the second provision
Of the BILL in pursuance Of the same spirit, seizes