The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-09


where, directly or indirectly. This is the only
reasonable supposition that occurs TO me-
/ Well, sir, in 1903, the United States acquired
from France the territory of Louisiana, for the
good of the North as well as of the South, and
by Northern votes as well as Southern OF the
sixteen Senators from the northern States, eley-
en- voted for it and five against it, more than two
thirds being in its favor. 1t was large tract of
country, over all of which laws prevailed tolerat-
ing slavery. Yet sir, no effort was made to
abolish or prohibit it, in the treaty, or in the
laws establishing territorial governments in it,
until 1919, when Missouri applied for admission
into the Union. Then for the first time the
claim was asserted, boldly, stoutly, roundly as
serted.* The patent nostrum had had had moi
been at that time invented, that soil received as
slave soil should remain so, and that soil received
| as free soil should remain free That nostrum
did not suit the stomach of the majority then.
The most wise and sagaeious Statesman of the
country undertook then to explain the reason
OF this claim on the part of the North, and do
not know that his hypothesis was ever discred-
tied. This was his collation.: The Federal party,
living chiefly in the North, had been beaten BY
the Republican party, most of whom were in
the South, in every pitched battle. But though
beaten they had not been routed; though van
pushed they had not been anhilated. .,.
Gathering new energy and courage from de-
feat, they seized upon this ground, and deter
mined here to make last desperate effort to
gain that ascendancy which till then they had
been ever unable to obtain. Well might this
claim, thus asserted, have fallen upon the ear Of
even Jefferson who was not too partial to the Pc
culiar institution, like the sound Of ire-bell at
night. He saw in it dangers unspeakable, some
kof which have already fallen upon the country.
To his eye it hung over the future prospects of
the country like a dark cloud, in whose baleful
shade, dangers increased and multiplied, and in
the wild madness of approaching power, danced
and rioted like witches on Walpurgis night.
But, sir, compromise interviewed, and these
dangers appeared to vanish, and the cloud to
roll gracefully away. The line of SO deg. 80
min. was established as the boundary between
slayeholding territory and free-soil And many
fondly hoped that the dread question was for
ever settled. BY this compromise the North
took from the South nine hundred and seventy
thousand square miles out of one million three
hundred and fifty thousand.-nearly three fourths
Of Louisiana territory, acquired as slave terri
tory. But sir, upon the altar of the country,
the South made the surrender as a peace-offer-
ing. And though the compromise was thus in
furious to her, when made she determined to
carry it out in all its spirit, and to the letter
When Texas was annexed, laws allowing sla-
very prevailed over her whole extent But the
South agreed to run the line of So deg. 80 min.
| through her limits to be the boundary between
the slave States and free States which might be
formed out of her territory.
When Oregon was to be provided with a ter
| ritorial government the South agreed that the
North might take it without a word, if she
would consent to take it as reassertion of the
Missouri Compromise line. And when the
North refused so to take it, but claimed it by
the strong arm Of power, many Southern men
the late President of the United States among
them-thought best themselves to adhere to
this line and give it up, without serious con-
test. Now, a considerable amount of territory
has been acquired of Mexico, larger part of
which is North OF 36 deg. 80 min, and some
South of that line. Does the North adhere to
the territory! No, sir, she does not Almost
the entire North declare that they are opposed to
slavery going to any part of that territory. And
OF the various propositions, pending either in
this body or the Senate, for settling the ques-
ton, every one appears to me to be founded
upon the idea that the North is to get all and
the South nothing. My examination of them
must be brief. There is, first, the Wilmot Pro-
vlso scheme, which proposes at once to declare
| by act OF Congress, that slavery shall 90 to no
part of this territory. 1t proposes at one bold,
ruffan-like blow to take our heads off, II is
rufhan-like, but it is open. There is, next, what
is called the Presidents plan, as announced in
the California message. This proposes to ad-
NIT California in all her length and breadth,
with prohibition of slavery contained in her
Constitution. And as to the territories, it pro-
poses to leave them under their present form of
government if form may be predicated of that
which form has none0 until they shall make
State constitutions likewise. -, l''i
! This is called no,a-action policy' 1t is a
policy of non-action on the part Of Congress, but
is it non-action everywhere? The government
existing in New Mexico is based mainly upon
military rule, the military governor receiving his
appointment and authority from the Executive
OF the United States, who is the cornerstone of
the whole structure. The Administration pro-
claims, through the Secretary of State, that the
laws of Mexico, regulating the relations of per-
sons with each other, is still in force there.
Then this is not policy of non-action, but an
Executive anti-slavery prohibition is proclaimed
there which will as effectually prevent slaves
from going to those territories as the Wilmot
Proviso itself. The State constitution, when
formed, will be formed by ant-slavery settlers,
and of course will be anti-savery. The policy,
then, effectualy excludes the South from all par
ticipation in these territories. | know that
have been guilty of what may appear to some
almost as sacrilege, by speaking thus freely Of
the Presidents plan and the Executive course.
They say we are exciting party feeling by doing
so. Well, sir, will they criticise, and if neces-
sary disapprove the conduct of the President!
Oh, no; he is their President, and they look to
him, perhaps, for place and promotion. To
their vision in his mouth is the gift of promising,
and in his right hand is the horn of plenty. Then
they will not, and we must not examine into his
conduct; and however injurious, therefore, to
the interests of our constituents may be his acts
and recommendations, they are to be passed
over in silence. This doctrine will not do for
freemen, or the representatives of freemen
We claim the right freely and impartally to ex-
anime into the public acts of our public SER
wants, however distinguished or exalted. have
not intended to do either more or less.
| Next we come to the compromise, or, as its
friends delight to call it, the plan of adjust
ment," reported to the Senate by the Committee
of Thirteen. This commences by providing
for the admission of California as State, in