The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-02-07

Gent as that which prevails among us. We allude |
to the system OF peonage, which those who are |
acquainted with the history and character of Mex
affairs will require explanation of from us.
Now, the fact OF the matter Is, the government OF
the new territory which the Mexican war brought
TO us must be settled certain principles OF COM
mon sense, beyond the refned reasonlngs of law
yers and politicians. The new territories were
acquired by the blood and treasure of the South,
much as by those of the North. The South are
entitled, under the laws of common sense and
common honesty, TO carry their property into those
territories, and to enjoy the same rights as can be
enjoyed by their Northern teow-citizens, or by the
inhabitants of the new territories themselves The
Mexicans who became citizens Of this great repub-
c on the acquisition of that territory still retain the
night of serviude called peonage, while, under our
general laws they cannot exclude the different sects
of Christians from equal privileges with those of
Catholics. The citizens from the Southern States,
going into the same region, have the same common
sense right to carry their property there those of
the North have, or as those of New Mexico and Cali
fornia have, who were found there at the termina.
ton of the war. All those mixed rights must be
recognised under the new institutions which Con
gress may please to organize for the government Of
those territories. This is the only ground Of equi-
table action.
The Southern States, IN striving to come to
some settlement for the government of the new
territories, only demand those rights OF property
which the original Mexcans themselves possess
and which citizens from the North, who take with
them servants for term of years, are equally en-
titled to in those new regions Here therefore, is
the great stumbling block in the question, and the
difficulty of coming to any settlement, under Of
the propositions submitted by Mr.. Clay to the Sc
nate. 1t is the Wilmot Provlso, in a qualified
shape Under the common sense view of the mat
ter, the Southern States will insist on equal
rights and equal liberties in those regions, with
those of their Northern fellow. citizens. They
contributed TO that glorious campaign under
which we acquired those territories. by their
sons and by their treasure; and when they
plant themselves on the immutable principle, that
they have right to carry their property there, 1t
would appear that every principle of equaiity and
common sense would dispose every leading menu
Der OF Congress, from every par, of the country to
acqulesce IN such natural and common sense
view Of the matter.
But we fear thai. settlement of this very knotty
and difficult subject has escaped from within the
regions OF common sense and common honesty,
and that fanaticism, both sides, will proceed TO
such extremes as to endanger the peace, happi.
ness, and union of this glorious confederacy. Our
public men, in the White House itself, and in each
branch of Congress, appear TO be afraid to meet
the question and the crisis fully in the face. The
Presidents message in relation to California, pro-
poses nothing, settles nothing, but leaves the whole
difficulty open to the agitation of conspirators dis
unlonists, fanatics, and the worst and most dan
gerous men, IN every section of the country. The
proposition of Mr.. Clay, although better and more
pkely to lead TO practical ISOLATION Of the diff
Guilty than the cabinet plan yet very short of the
crisis which now menaces the union of these
States, and which will unless settled at the present
session OF Congress, only lay foundation for dis
union and dismembement at an early day here
after. But we have yet hopes of General Taylor.
His sound common sense gives us higher expec-
cations than all the learning of the schools, or all
the antiques of the cabinet. He may yet indicate
a little of the same nerve which carried him
through his fields of blood in Mexico. He may
Jet burst the shackles that surround him. and send
a message TO Congress that will, in one blow, and
in few paragraphs, end the agitation of disunion
at the South, and overwhelm those mean in,nguers
at the Moth, from Seward to Garrison. What a
glorious chance the old man Of Buena Vista has
before him.