The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-06-19

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most all the free Suites had passed resolutions in
favor ofihe Wilmot Proviso, which was the same
thing.
Mr.. CLINGMAN said he knew that II is
also true that the Wlmot Proviso has been passed
by large majorities through this House, al three
or four sessions of Congress There can be no
stronger than that of California herself.
When at the last session Of Congress a bill was
under consideration to authorize her citizens to
form State constitution, motion WAS made and
carried, requiring her, before she should be adj
mitted, to incorporate the Wilmot Proviso in her
constitution. This proposition was supported
and carried by the entire body Of the Northern
members. Theresnay have been exceptions but
they were very few, for well recollect that
the majority was very decisive one, and against
the whole Southern vote, andasa consequences the
bill thus amended did not get one solitary vote
either from the Nprth or the South. Many Of
of the inhabitants Of California were intelligent
Americans who understood the condition Of things
here as well as we did ourselves. They UNDER
stood most clearly that the only way in which
California could get into the Union, was by so
framing her constitution as to exclude slavery.
Mr.. CARTIER was recognized, and yielded
the floor, for explanation, to
Mr.. CASEY who merely wished to say, in an
swer to the declaration Of his colleague, Mr.. SrE
vENs,l that he wanted it to 20 out to his (Mr.
C.'s) constituents, that he mr. CO. would give as
much power to a STAKEHOLDER owning five negroes
as four of his constituents habitat he (Mr. CO.
denied the principle IN toto. The representation
was not of the stakeholder, but Of the negroes
themselves, and a STAKEHOLDER in New Mexico,
even If he owned fifty slaves, would only have
the same vote as one Of his constituents.
He would return his colleagues compliment by
saying that he wished it to 60 out to the thirteen
or fourteen thousand Wings Of Lancaster county,
who voted for General Taylor, that, although his
colleague Mr. STEvENsl had made three or four
speeches, he had not said word in favor Of the
eIninently statesmanlike and patriotic plan Of the
Administration for the settlement of this great
question.
Mr.. CARTIER resumed, and said he had not
obtained the floor for the purpose, of making q
speech, but bringing the amendment TO a vote
Mr.. McCLERNAND. / wish to know whether
the amendment is under the control of the gentle
man from Ohioi
Mr., CARTIER. j don't withdraw it whether
it is or not.
After some conversation on the point OF order
it appearing that Mr. CARTIER had not renewed
the amendment, and
Mr.. GORMAN rising and addressing the Chair,
and renewing the amendment
The floor was given to the latter gentleman y
MIR. GORMAN said: Mr.. Chairman, / had not
intended to have said anything upon this subject.
thought it the best policy for those who, acting
with me, were in favor of the admission of Cali
forna, to have remained silent; but some remarks
which have fallen from the Wing side of this
House, think, should not go unnoticed The
gentleman from Ohio Mr. ScHEEcKl was in favor
ofapplying the Wilmot Proviso to our Territories,
and thereby keep them free, while Congress had
the power, as he conceived to legisiate for them,
and that when they were ready to form their own
constitution and ask for admission into the Union,
they surely would then prohibit slavery. This,
sir, is saying substantially, that he will not con-
sent to vote for the admission of any State into
the Union unless it prohibits slavery.
Gentlemen are opposed to African slavery, and
have agitated the subject here and elsewhere, until
the very Union itself is now endangered and Sc
riousy threatened with dissolution. They never
think TINT, by the Wilmot Proviso, they make
white ffeemen slaves, and compel them, without
letting them be heard ,sto take such institutions as
the gentleman from Ohio and his coadjutors would
impose upon them.
party who refdseto trust the people to mould their
institutions to their own liking. That party which
refuses to trust the people with political power is
unfit and unworthy, politically, to be trusted
themselves
The gentleman from Ohio, Mr. VMroN,] dis
tnguished for his long and able services, says
that it is no objection to the admission Of State
into the Union that she establishes or prohibits
slavery; yet he studiously avoids answering the
question put to him by the gentleman from
Georgia, Mr.. TooMBs,] and the gentleman from
Tennessee, Mr.. STAEToN,] whether he Uo,tid no,u
gentleman from Pennsy lvania Mr.. STEvENs] says
it is the settled determination Of large majority
of the North, that no more slave States shall be
admitted into this Union. The gentleman from
Ohio, Mr. GIDDNGs,] solemnly, in his place,
declares that such is the determination Of his con-
stituents and of the people generally of the North
This may be true with the Wing party, with
whom those gentlemen act Sir, the Wing party
of the North have echoed the Free-Soil-Abolition
sentiment, to wit: No more slave States to be
admitted into the Union,'' with a few honorable
exceptions, and. those exceptions, too, chiefly
confined to the Northwest.
Sir, the Constitution we have sworn to support,
and that we are solemnly bound to observe and
declares that .snew States may be adj
United by the Congress into this Union, !" with
but qualification, viz: that her Constitution
shall be admitted into the Union, unless her Con-
stitution prohibits slavery, is anti-republican-
contrary to the genius Of our institutions, and
violation of the sovereign rights Of freemen, and
a vital stab at the equality and rights. of the
States. You want negroes to be free? but you
want to make slaves of white American citizens
If the freemen Of the territories are capable of
modelling their institutions for the government of
the domestic relations between husband and wife,
parent and child, guardians and ward, they must
be, and they are, capable of regulating the rea-
ton of master and servant.
Sir, distinguished gentleman in the other end
of the Capitol who, not long since, bore the banner
of the Wing party in the great Empire State, and
to whom the whole Wing party Of the North did
homage, has proclaimed that there is ga power
higher than the CONSTITUTIONS" Sir, If we are to
sit still, and see encroachments upon that sacred
instrument made day after day, hour after hour,
and month after month, until it is torn to pieces
by the ruthless hand Of agitators, had as well
give up our Union at once. Sir, if the gentleman
from Ohio Mr.. ScHENcK] will stand upon the
doctrine Of the present Chief Magistrate, in re-
gard to the right of the people to form constitu-
tons for themselves, will give him my hand
and, so far Us that point is concerned, welcome
him into the Democratic ranks. But there are
but few Wings in the Northern States who can
stand up boldly on this floor, and proclaim that
they would vote, to-day, to admit slave State
into this Union that had been formed by the in
dependent votes OF independent freemen. For,
sir, when they return home they would be met
by their former declarations, that no more slave
States should be admitted into this Union formed
out Of territory now free. Since the present Chief
Magistrate has repudated that declaration in his
message now before the committee, some gentle
men are beginning to hesitate, "squirm, back
out, and apologize, rather than to seem to refuse