The southern press., 1850-10-31

California, II ~otid GO effsgsdsllv obscure out
vision, that te would be obliged to regard Il
as the free voice of the people, aud not as a
mere contrvance to evade and deceive. Ac-
cordingly, the General of the United States
army, In obedience to the orders of his General
in.Chief, he President, issues his proclamation
adjusting boundaries Of election districts, rights
Of voters and all other preliminaries, and sum-
mons together body Of men, who, when they
had looked each other in the face, were not sat
isfied to proceed, but without any election by
the people, vote into their body some thirty other
individuals. Thereupon, this selfcreated body
proceed to take to themselves the whole of Cali.
fornia, embracing sea-coast which is as exten.
sive as that which was divided among the old
thirteen States on the Atlantic, and that too in
despite of the unanimous vote of every delegate
south of 36 deg. 80 min. They assume the
whole public domain, and end by inserting the
prohibition of African slavery in the Constitu-
ton. .. .%...
| With this document they appear before the
Congress of the United States, and claim admis-
sion into the Union. In vain do the Southern
Representatives point out the irregularities and
invasions of public and private right In vain
do they urge upon Congress that never was
there State admitted in this way before-in
vain do they exhibit in the State constitution
their constituents had declared they would never
submit. The North can see nothing but the
consummation of their wishes SO cleverly con-
tryed, and encouraged by Southern renegades
in the expectation that the South are willing
dupes, they rush forward, and California is adj
mitted. &a~. E~ft."~ @".
Thus the whcle coast Of tho Pacific is closed
to Southern emigration. Oregon was given up
to the North by the South itself, because it lay
north of the compromise line upon which they
had agreed. But when the same line was called
for, in California, we are seornfully told by the
North, that we were fools Tor supposing that
any compromise was binding on them, or that
one Congress could bind its successors.
! But there remained three sections of the con-
quered territory, which for convenience will
classify under the names which they haYe since
acquired Utah, which lay next to California,
and is now chiefly occupied by the Mormons,
New Mexico, which lay between Utah and
Texas, and that portion of Texas which was
also claimed by Mexico Oh the east side of the
Rio Grande.
In regard to Utah, except for political pur.
poses, its territory is of little value. That por.
ton of it which may be cultivated, is in posses
sion Of the Mormons, and their institutions
would, in all probability have either retained
the country in the condition Of the territory, or
secured it to the North. But the Northern
:, politicians were determined to run no risk about
| it. Having so easily secured California, they
saw that the lesser prize could be more easily
secured Still they did not venture to apply
the Wilmot Proviso in terms; but as crafty and
subtle cOntrivers, they covered up their designs
with cobwebs, which they unfortunately knew
would entangle sufficient number of Southern
| flies to answer their ends.
| Al al 4 -
to have abolished African slavery in all her ter
ritories, and that when Utah and New Mexico
We're ceded to the United States, this was their
law. Now Mr. Clay, Mr.. Webster, and the
| Northern party contend, that this Mexican law
against slavery continues of force, until repealed
by the conquering nation. And Mr. Clay says
that majority of the urists concur in his opinion.
The Southern leaders contend, and with great
show of reason, that the laws of conquered
country cannot abrogate the rights of property
of their conquerors, and that if a Southern man
should remove to Utah or New Mexico with his
slaves, a property recognized and protected by
the Constitution of the United States, that Con-
j stitution would override the Mexican law, and
fcontinue to secure the rights Of the American
citizen. s.. ."." .' &@ 1Saas-
But if among the jurists whose opinions Mr.
Clay has taken, are some of the Judges, or those
who are to be Judges Of the Supreme Court, as
is very likely to be the fact, then the case is pre-
/ Judged, and the North need have taken no fur
Ether pains in the matter.
But the Free-soilers are crafty politicians
they know that opinions change, and that the
Judges might, for the time, adopt the Southern
opinion. They determined, therefore, to leave
nothing in doubt, which might interfere with
their claims They, therefore, inserted in the
act constituting II Territorial Government for
Utah, clause, forbidding the Territorial Legis
1 lature from passing any law " in respect OF Atrl
S can slavery J" mark the words, " in respect o.
African slavery" They have much meaning
j. far more than appears on the surface. lfSouth
# ern men should venture to Utah with their slaves
l. if the Supreme Court should decide in the
l. favor, that the Mexican law could not dcstro,
n their property, there they would stand upon the
'r soil of the United States, with IN acknowledged
h property, and yet the Legislature could pass no
law in respect of that property No remedies
could be provided for invasions Of their right OF
property-no measures for its securty-no law
D for the conveyance, inheritance or transmission
of the rights in saves-because, torsooth, every
such law or remedy is a law " in respect of Atri
can slavery" In other words here would be n
property without the protection of law, which
is only another name for that which is no pro-
perty ut all. Is it not, therefore, as clear as a
sunbeam, that slavery is as enectually excluded
from Utah as though the Wilmot Proyiso had
been enacted
Precisely the same state of things exists as tc
e New Mexico. The same clause is in the bill
y which gives her Territorial Government, ant
Z the same consequences must follow.
The remaining territory is that which is claim
+ ed as part ofTexas. Before her Emission in
to the Union, Texas had passed law declaring
= her boundary to be the Rio Grande, from it
mouth to its source; and when she was admit
{ ted map, setting forth this boundary was duly
> : registered, with the act of annexation WheI
t 't Arista, with Mexican army, crossed the Ri
>, >, Grande, to drive out the Amarican army from
~ ~ this part of Texas, the Congress of the Unite
* States, in dispite of the earnest remonstrarce
~ of our own Calhoun, sole.i.nly declared wa
IL IL against Mexico, because Gin the language of tn
" act) she had invaded our territory.
10 But no sooner is the Mexican war ended, an
Mexicos claims put asleep but the Congress