The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-07-18

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free State. with her present CONSTITUTIONS very intensely
desirable object believe TO all the North She gains
that She gains Also the quietng OF the New Mexican
question and the Texas boundary which IN my
as have said is the most Important OF all these ques
tons, because is the most immediately menaein9 eyn
coaseQ if such consequences be not arrested by
!hls Or some s'mar measure Shs eaas fnl qI,ss
boundary all desirable More than mat Sir
she gains and the whole North gains, and the whole
country gains the final adjustment OF by lar The greatest
part of all the slavery question And when speak OF
this bill in that connexlon, mean also 10 connect
with the other subjects recommended by the committee;
and | say that if the whole report oil that committee
could Ne carried out, Of the greatest OF all possible
benefits 10 be derived from the whole measure IS ths
that Settles to extent OF far more than majority OF
them all the questions connected with slavery which
have SO long agated The country And then, sir. Mas
sachuses, and the North and the whole country, gam
the restoration of this government to the ordinary exer-
OF lis functions The North and the South VIII see
Congress replaced in It's position OF an achve beneficial
parental Legislature Tor the whole country Well, what
has happened While IT is OF the utmost Importance
that this restoration 10 the exercise Of lis ordinary func
tons by Congress should be accomplished here we are
eight months from the beginning OF the session.
hardly able TO keep the government alive All Paray
sis We nearly brought TO stand We are all sus.
pended upon this one topic, this one idea, as there
object in government no uses IN government no
duties in those who administer government, but to settle
one question.
Well, sir, the next inquiry is, What do Massachu-
and the North the anti slavery States lose by thus
Adjustment What is it they lose put that question
try They lose the application of what is called the
Wmo Provso 10 these Territories, and that Is all
There is nothing else that suppose the whole North are
not willing TO do They wish to get California and quiet
New Mexico they wish TO terminate the dispute about
the Texan boundary, cost what il reasonably may They
make no sacrifice in all that What they sacfifce Is
ritories of New Mexico and Utah. Now, what is the
value OF that loss in any reasonable mans estimate
The value OF IT, SIR, depends upon It's necessity H. IN
any mans reasonable Judgment the necessity OF the APP
plcaon of that Provlso to New Mexico is apparent,
why. then there is value in il to those who hold that the
further extension of slavery is TO be resisted matter
OF principle But if il he not necessary, if the crcum
stances do not call for it, why, then, there is nothing IN
the Wilmot Provso and sacrifice made in refusing to
apply il declining to apply That is the question.
Now, sir, allow me to say that the Wilmo, Provso is
no matter oil principle It Is means TO an end; II cannon
be raised to the dignity OF principle The principle OF
the North take to be that there shall be no further
tension Of slave territory. Let that be admitted: what
thcn9 1t does not necessarily follow that IN every case
you must come down with Wimot II there are
other circumstances that imperative and conclu
sve. and such influence and control the judgment Of
reasonable men, rendering It necessary for the establish
ment of that principle to apply measure which is OBJ
and dsageeabe to Others and received by them
derogatory their equality members OF the Union,
then, say, II is neither high nor patriotic, nor just TO
apply i -,
great propey and rankness, that il II could be mase
CERTAIN if It certain, that natural causes neces
sarily excluded slavery from New Mexico then the re-
srcton ought not 10 be inserted IN the bill Now by GER
tainty suppose colleague meant. not mathematical
certainty suppose he meant that high probability,
lna moral certainty, which governs men IN all The con
OF lite Our duties to society," our objects IN So
ciety, all measured by that high probab y, which Is
something short OF mathematical certainty, but which
bound TO act upon IN every concen OF daily hie,
either in public or IN private capacity Now, the
question, therefore, address myself to gentlemen OF the
Nonhs this: Is the probability Of the exclusion oil
slavery from New Mexico by natural causes high, and
strong, and conclusive that should act upon II
the degree OF probability applied TO other
questions, in CIVIL moral and social re atoms OF lie
shall not 10 what have SAID this subject Tor |
ssppose my friend RON Pennsylvania, tMr. COOPER
aud my friend from Connecticut Mr.. SMITH. who dis.
eussed this matter alterly have lett II proved, and as
much demonstrated as any problem OF moral and po
caI character be demonstrated that ii is that
New Mexico is not country in which slavery exists, or
in which II ever can be introduced II that be not so
upon previous evidence, and II anything further
need oe added. have before to-day authentic
preston OF the Inhabitants of that country themselves
who II is agreed on all hands have the ultimate right OF
decision sablect that concerns themselves alone.
Well then, what that is Welded by the North but a
mere absiractiona naked possibility, upon which no man
would act No man would venture iarthng now for a
great inheritance 10 be bestowed him when slavery
should be established in New Mexico. Now that there
authentic declaration upon the subject by the people
of New Mexico themselves, what Is there that should
lead 10 hesitate IN settling this matter Why should
we proceed upon The ground OF an abstract notion OF
adbering TO the Wimot Pfoylsol And must be per
united 10 say that applied to ibis is all an abb
sirac,ion do not TO say that the injunction against
slavery in the ordinance OF 1877 abstraction
on the contrary IT bad lis but say the appca
uon oil that rule To TINS IS mere abstracnon ana
nothing else Il does not affect the state of things IN the
slightest degree present or future. Everything is to be
and remain hereafter, with without, that restnc
ton, Just would the other way Ii is therefore, in
my Judgment clearly an abstraction.
am sorry, sir, sorry, that my friend from Con-
nectlcut, Mr SMITH, who has studied this great
deal more than haye-studed IL while he mem
Der Of the other House-and has demonstrated beyond
the power OF any Conscientious mans denial, that there
can be slavery in the Territories about which we are
speakIngbai the South is mistaken IN surprising thu IL
possible derive any benefit from II, and tina, the
North Is mistaken 10 surprising that that which they de-
sire TO prohibit will ever want any prohibition tbere-l
siraed The case Odd not carry out his own demons,ra
ton After all the expression OF his purpose to vote
against this bill followed OF the cearest and strong
cal demonstrations IN its favor that have heard from the
mouth OF man What s the of his opposition ?
Why the gentleman said he instructed by his Iegis
ature to oppose and. the whole, he did feel il
to be his duty to depart from those instructions.
II has become s object OF considerable importance in
the history OF this government TO inquire how lar instruc
tons gwen purs and under state OF circumstances
to govern those who under another state OF
circumstances, and not upon er pars hearing but upon
a hearing OF the whole matter. The proposition that a
member OF this government in giving vote to bind all
the country, Is 10 take his instructions the will OF
small part OF the country. whether in his own State
out OF y, IL proposition that ~ above below all
gunent Where men sworn to act consclentiously
for the good OF the whole according their judgments
and opinions, IT the proposition rs asserted that they
nevertheless bound To take the individual opinion of
few and be exclusively bound by them. there
for argument; every mans moral perception. without
argument, decides IT, know SIR, that, in popu gov
eminent like instructions of this sort will be given
and pledges required II IL IN the nature OF the that
political in this country love the people; they
love popular applause and promotions and they are wal