The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-06-29

nacity upon the favor of the South; and fol
an honest opposition to which, Southern
/ Representatives have been dealt with SO
hsrshly. But let US, first, clearly define, SC
that we may keep it in mind, The precise
issue between the North and the South -
And what is tlrat issue' By the treaty o
Guadalupe Hidalgo, which closed the wal
with Mexico, vast extent OF territory, en-
braci & the provinces Of California, New
Mexico and Utah, we're ceded to the United
States. The South claims the right ol
equalpartic patton with the North in all these
acquisitions, and irsists upon the right Of heI
citizens emigrating to those provinces, ocar-
| ry with them their slaves, free from all let OF
hindrance. From this the North dissents,
and asserts the right, and expresses the pur-
pose, to exclude them from every inch Of the
terlitory so acquired The Senate com
mittee of Thirteen was raised 10 devise
s9ms. plan by which these extreme, claims
might be reconciled, and all the subjects o.
controversy finally settled upon terms salts,
factory to each, and just to all parts of the
country. The labors Of that committee
have resulted in that series Of measures now
familiarly known as the compromise," OF
adjustment" ! have before me terse, yet
comprehensive and fair exposition OF its
whole character and effect, by one of its most
abe and conspicuous advocates. mean
the editor of" The Union" And it is by
the light Of this exposition, and in tie order
in which he sets forth its several features
that propose to examine its operations as i
measure of compromise. reud Sill, from
an article published in the +" Union " some
time during the last month, headed Il" Union
and COMPROMISED" and as have not the
date of the number from which Tread, | will
simply say, that It was published very shortly
after the unfortunate difficulty which oc-
cured in the Senate between the Senators
from Mississippi and Missouri, Messrs
FoorE and BENTON. The editor, after
lamenting in becoming terms, that circum.
stance so derogatory to the character and
decorum of that bod should ever had oc-
cured, and holding It up to public viewas &
striking evidence Of the dangerous excite.
ment which existed in the public mind or
the solemn question now under consdera-
ton, proceeds to say:
"And what prevents an adjustment of this un
| fortunate controversy between the sister States
of this great and glorious Confederacy? A plat
form of compromise has already been shadowed
forth in the Senate which we believe will com
mnand the appreciation and support of large ma
jorty of the American people. That plan of ad
justment comedies one of the great objects con
tended for by the North-eren by the F,ee-Soiier
and .4boitoniss. 1t provides for the admission oi
California into the Union with the present Consti
| tuition, erciuding Siarery. This is a great pon
gained by the North, as all candid men must ad
nit" ...
am opposed, sir, to he admission Of Cal
forna, as State, into the Union; not only
because regard the circumstances connec
ted with her organization, as grossly viola
tive of the rights of the South, but as an opeI
infraction of the fundamental law Of tie land
But before proceeding to state my own OBJ
iections to this feature Of the proposed ad
iustmeut--by way of fortifying my own po.
sition-I call the attention Of the Committee
to an editorial of" The Union " dated l4tl
August, lS49. 1t relates to the appoint
ment of General Riley, as civil governor o
California; that first, in the series Of uncon
s.itutional measures adopted by this Admin
istration, for the express purpose OF bringing
about that state OF things which now Exists
In that article the editors says:
"Silence eonfesses guilt. The apologsts and de
| tenders OF the Administration sedulousy avoit
any mention of the gross violence ,chich Gen. Tay
lor or Gen. Tayiors Cabinet has inflicted on The Con
siuiiom, by re-estabiishing the .Neriean gorermmen
ia Cai;fJrnia."
Again:
"And the silence ofthe Wing press now, wher
the President has nsnpsd kngiy prerogatires, proves
that it is more firmly welded to party Admins
tration than to the free institutions established by
the Constitution.
Again:
at is not to be wondered at, therefore, that
the Wing press remained silent when Genera
Taylor, or he cabai mhich fills his place, roiaies tn
Constitution, ,chea Whig President, holding l.
contempt the people and the Representatives. Of hh
people, arrcgaes to himself the Pririisge q deci
ding questions rhich come ,ciihin the Jurisdiction
Of the Supreme Court, a,d Gf exercising pO,cer
~hich be iarfuliy exercised by Congress alone l"
Again:
"The National Tnieiligencsr was foremost in re
bukine and denouncing Mr.. Polk Administra
/ tion and its lamen1ation over the ruins of the Con
sttution mimicked well the accents Of real grief
But now, when General Taylor has committed thu
| offence which was falsely charged upon Mr. Poik
and Wing dynasty exercised powers which thu
InteHigcncer denounced as usurpaion of klngly
prerogaves, that patriotic journal utters no wore
| of reproach but 1t looks with cold and careless
If not with an approving eye, upon The rioienc
done 10 our institutions and the tcrongs inflicted tpo'
our people,"
Again:
{" General Taylor has established ciril gorernn,cn
in California by exercising authority rhieh Congres
,qJtsed to !gire him. In doing 40, he has though
| fit TO re-estabsh the government which existed IL
that territory during the Mexican dominion
| General Riley under orders from the War De
rartment, has issued his proclamation announcin!
himself as the civil governor OF California, giyin.
the people of that terrt"ry-fnr the first time,
seems--information Of the nature and characte
of the government which they are to obey, ant
calling upon them elect the necessary officers Il
place that government in c9ertive operation |
had been universally believed that California wa
| without any government and that II must remain
without any Federal Government, until Congress
should establish territorial Legislature, or admi
il into the Union az sovereign and indcpenden
State. But General Tayor's Administration ha:
taken different view of the subject. The dynas