Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-07-27

principle OF public law, a rule for the legislation of
Congress Certainly For what the principle Of this
famous proviso 1t is that slavery shall be prohibited by
organic lswha is, by the law constituting admitting
any Territory State-from extending into any such
Territory or State, where il does already exist But
according to the view here ake and which has been pre-
sened with surprising ability in the Senate by the great
statesmen OF the country the leading minds respectively Of
the North and the South Henry Clay and Daniel Webster
this prohibition is nappcabe and needless in respect the
territory lately acquired from Mexico simply because slavery
s prevented from going hther by other The pro-
vs0 is elready enacted for this territory by higher power
and the is enrolled in heavens chancery The prnc
pie, them affirmed not abandoned Accordingly both the
great statesmen just mentioned who have advocated the
here pointed out have also declared with perfect
sstency their nfexbe determination 10 support the proyso
in any and every where ia needed and applicable But
they are not thereby bound adopt the illustration Of Mr.
Webster to append it to bill for the annexation Of Canada
il such bill should be presented Nay, at The very
last session OF Congress- law passed oorganize Terri
tora for Minnesota which contained prohb
on OF slavery the Missouri compromise, it is true
applicable In this but il had not been any attempt
append the Wot provso to the bill would only have met
deserved rd:cue."
"It is tue that the action Of Congress has been good
deal hampered the previous action Of Legislatures of the
free States all of which, before the opening of the session.
advised or instructed their representatives in the two Houses
at Washington TO insist upon absolute nterdctcn of sla
very in the newly acquired territory. But, Mr.. Clay
argued with great ce these instructions given before
the circumstances Of the known 1t generally
to the subject that Utah and New Mexico opened as proa
BILE field for the employment of slave labor Texas and
that California particularly with its long reach of
on the Pacific and its abundance of the precious metals,
would be very attractive to shareholders Allowance
made for probability that, the gold depoes most
Ass surface of the ground and large Of
land which were literally property, private indi
vdua having any valid title 10 them, there would be i'm
mediate rush of free aborers and adventures the Ell
Dorado from the four quarters Of the globe and the
luhes Isles of the Now the question between Free soil
and Slave SOIL in these modern days, always practically
decided by priority of for the two kinds of labor
exist side by side The white aborer cannot be
tced at the South to work with the negroes in cotton field
you might well expect the North that he would allow
himself he yoked into the with his horses
| and oxen" ~ -."
Congress does relate erclvey the admission Of Cali
iorna free State and to the application Of the Wilmo
proviso Utah and New Mexico has been complicated
with all the other debatabe matter relating to slavery, till it
has become manifest that most of the questions which have
been mooed between the free and slave States be
taken together and all adjusted once that progress
can be made in the settlement Of any of them. Within
the brief space that remains US, therefore,
glance ut each Of these topics in order to whether any
them places insuperabe difficulties in the wsy of the settle
ment OF the main question: is important that for the
sake Of it, Congress be reduced Racton the wheels
Of Government be stopped and all the other great
rests OF the country must suffer- in these relations alone
that have looked the main subject, and in these alone
proposed consider each of the other questions which have
been grouped around it, without bond of connexon be-
tween them but that they all affect the institution of savy
In respect already Intmated, it misfortune that
they have been linked together for the settlement of any
one being sufficiently difficult, the settlement Of all at
seems nearly hopeless. But another account
sorry that the topic of slavery fully presented that
if decided at a be decided in all political relations
and to be of popular agitation and political
manGuvres for many years to Lord Ashbuon and
Mr. Webster who negotiated the treaty OF Washington in
lS4l deserve the lasting gratitude Of both England and Anne
dispute between the two countries the Northeastern
boundary but for settling every other matter of controversy
between them which then ripe Tor action The Oregon
question alone wasef as an affair comparatively easy to ad
Just, when the public attention should be sufficiently turned
towards it. and when not complicated with other Disputes
We have finished brief review Of the questions
at present before Congress relating to the institution Of sla
very and may safely be left to the decision of any ea
sonabe man, unduy affected by phanrophic declama
Lons sectional ealousy party spirit, or the fear of public
opinion, whether they involve any considerations of vast
moment any imperative moral obligaton which make il
improper that they should be settled by fair compromise Of
opposing views and which render absolutely necessary that
the whole Northern Southern claims should be insisted
upon the certain Of adjournment of Congress in
uproa with the postponement defeat Of this and all
other public business We might safely leave this question
be answered by The Senator'S and Representatives them
Selves if it not for the jealous and fearful reference,
which, have already noticed, they all make to what
they suppose the state of public opinion in the district or
State which they represent Each endeavors to court
the favor of his constituents and thereby ID secure his own
in Congress- by advocating in their exaggerated
form the political doctrines which he knows to be most
and popular in his region His zea he thinks
measured by the violence of the language that he uses
and by the of the demands that he makes Let
others take the responsibility of legsatng for the whole
country he will Iegsae as he makes speeches, only for
Buncombe He holds his seat only to assert the rights to
support the interests and maintain the opinions Of Bun
combc. His adheents at home, anxious to defend his
claims against formidable competitor quote his most ex-
aggeraed expressions with applause and strive show how
faithfully be reflects the minds Of his constituents while his
opponents the WATCH eager to detect the first symp-
of nching and to oppose them the uncompo-
nsag language and conduct Of his rival The words OF both
paes uttered in reference only this local contest are
caught up and quoted elsewhere evidence of the state Of
public opinion in this particular district and its representa-
i've Congress- together with his colleagues from the mme-
late vicinity, goaded and almost ac efforts to
Seep ahead possible Of the progress OF public sentiment
his State. Thus extravagance and fanacsm are gene
aed by sort of reciprocal action between the Congressman
md those who elect him each acts upon the other each
loes his part towards manufacturing the publc opinion
before which he bows down and trembes. ~. 9
Moderation and fairness in the national councils upon
his subject might have expec ed, have been display
ID by those whose position independent either by
hose who expect to retire to private life, or by those
whose commanding ame being rather national than local.
them above the influence Of slight oscillations OF public
pnon in their native States The great statesmen OF
he country nds quan sms, have noby cast aside
II reference to local jealousy and prejudice and spoken out
naniy for the whole Union to whom their reputation be-
,ngs. The veteran Senator from kentucky, at an age
hich places him beyond the hope of any earthly reward
nd when he might well claim be excused from all public
ue has forward the burden and heat of the
in maturing the plan Of compromise, watching over and
efeudng in its passage through the Senate with all the
igor and activity of his youthful years, and repelng with