The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-06-22

United States, and who can doubt tor moment
that slavery will be abolished in it, and that 1t
will be formed into at least three free States, and
brought into the Union, for they can get into the
Union no other way. This is design of the
scheme. That is, TO take the Texas territory,
abolish slavery in it, and dupe the South by max
ing them contribute their share out of the public
treasury to pay for it. MIR. Clay holds TO the
doctrine that, if il be purchased, slarery loH be
excluded by .Meriean iars.
This proposed purchase is, IN other respects,
the most dangerous proposition which this Go
vernment has ever made in reference 10 slavery.
If this purchase be made, the precedent will be
made also that the Treasury of the United States
may be subsidized TO abolish slavery wherever ii
exists, or bride State to give up the institu-
ton, was done in the case OF Portugal and
Spain, by the aboltionsts of England. IL IS an
effort 10 enlarge the jurisdiction Of Congress the
question Of slarery. The British Parliament exer-
csed the same jurisdiction, and emancipated the
slaves in the British Colonies at the cost of an
hundred millions Of dollars, wrung from the hard
earnings Of down-trodden race of white people
at home. This is step Of the American Parlla-
ment in the same direction. Ii is among possible
things, that the South in twenty or thirty years to
come, will be taxed to the amount of untold mil
lions, to emancipate her own slaves; for let 1t be
borne in mind that the leveling system, of which
| have spoken, recognizes no constitutional re-
straints The will of the majority is the law.
The Abotionsts have long since ceased to reason,
and he who supposes they can be restrained by
conscientious scruples notions Of justice, knows
nothing of the decisions into which fanaticism
plunges the human mind What is deemed an
extreme measure now, will be common in ten
years more as TO cease to attract attention.
There is another feature of this proposition
which | will now bring to your notice. When
Texas was admitted into the Union, she owed
national debt of about ten millions of dollars
She reserved her unappropriated lands to pay this
debt. The bill proposing TO purchase these lands
of Texas provides that the purchase money shall
be first applied to the payment of the same debt
This proposition, which is In fact q gross insult
TO Texas, as it clearly implies that she cannot be
trusted with the fund, to dispose of it as her ma
tional faith shall demand, has in it another secret
object. .... .''
The evidence of the national debt of Texas is in
bonds. These bonds are held by many persons
other than the citizens OF Texas. They have
been bought up perhaps by adventurous specula-
tors, at great sacrifice, below their par value
The proposition to pay the money for these lands
would, under any circumstances, involve design
of bribery and corruption. To propose to pay it
directly to these bond holders at the public trea-
sury, direct attempt to bride every Texas bond
holder in the United States to the support of the
whole scheme OF ad ustment, as a unit. Who are
these bond holders? Are any Of the high func-
tionaries of Government stockholders In these
bonds Who will answer this grave inquiry?
How many agents of these bond holders are
lobby members, and who throng the purleus of
the capitol, ready to grasp the promised spoils?
Tons Of silver and gold at stake upon the issue
made upon Mr.. Clay's writ in partition of the
public treasury. All of a sudden the productions
of numerous list of letter writers crowd the pages
of the 90 Union,'' who discourse eloquently about
the proposed plan of capitulation and the South
are in effect gravey told, that inasmuch as defeat
is certain, they had better accept MIR. Clay s plan
of settlement, as it is framed to enable the South
10 surrender with the best possible grace. They
in effect admit that it is an undisguised capiua-
ton, but Mr. Clay, who is now the great free-so
leader, magnanmously comedies to us the honor
Of marching from the field, with our swords
drawn, our drums beating, and our colors flying.
To Massena, the Marshal of France, similar
concession was made at the siege of Genoa.
When his soldiers marched out of the city, they
were covered with rags and vermin. They looked
like spectres of men, to such deplorable cOndi
ton were they reduced by famine and pestllence.
had so nobly used in defence of their country's
honor. They deserved better fate. q But were
to accept in your name the terms of captuation
now offered by MIR. Clay, should, in my judg-
ment, deserve a tcorse fate
There is Jesuitism here as stringent as ever
prevailed among the Jesuits and Jacobins of
France in the days of the French revolution.
Every man from the South who is true to his Sec
ton, is put under the ban; and host of venal
letter writers who swarm about the Capitol, are
set upon him to write him down. The attempt
at unmitigated bribery, involved i'll Mr.. Clay s
plan of settlement, has increased this list of letter
writers. The evil to which | refer is thus much
increased in magnitude. A Southern man who
stands boldly up for Southern rights, no matter
how great his talents-how eminent his public
services and his public vlrtue-will never again
fill the high offices of this Government. The
price of Federal honors is treason TO the South
The rewards Of ambition and political profigacy
exceed those of honesty and public virtue This
will from henceforth be established government
creed. A great national party is now being
ganized upon this idea 1t will be composed of
the aspirants for Federal honors, both North and
South. 1t will be held together by the cohesion
Of public plumber; and slavery must be given up
rather than defeat the objects of this party organl
zation Its creed will include the proposition,
that the Government must be sustained right
,rrong. The South has her full quota of votaries
in this party, slavery to the contrary notwith-
standing. The emouments and honors of Federal
Office will not be given up to the institution
Of slavery, or to prevent the horrors which must
inevitably follow in the bloody track Of emancipa-
ton 1t is this new organization which has caused
the Southern column here to fall back, in retreat,
since the commencement of the present session.
The next proposition is to abolish the slave
trade in the District of Columbia. This is another
concession to the Abotionsts. 1t is one of the
favorte measures of Joshua r. Giddings. The
abolition of the slave trade between the States,
and emancipation in the District Of Columbia,
come next in the regular course of events, for this
Government is in the hands Of the Abolition party,
and will take jurisdiction these questions in
their order. Thus it is clear that all the
sions are to the Abolitionists. And | persuaded
that there will be no more concessions to the
South until influences, not yet resorted to, are
brought to bear upon the question.
The next proposition is to amend the law of
1893, for the extradition of fugitives. The owner
of a runaway negro is to be required to enter
into bond at the North where his slave is arrested,
guaranteeing to the negro the right oftria by jury
at home, at the place from which he fled, that an
issue may be made up between the negro and his
master, and submitted to jury to decide the ques-
ton of fact, whether he is bond or free. The
slave is to be permitted to go to law with his
master in the district courts of the United States.
The negro and his master at the South are to be-
come plaintiff and defendant before the courts Of
the country What is this but granting to the
slave important civil rights, and arming him with
the power of the Federal courts against his master,
in vexatious suits, involving heavy costs? Who
to paw the eNpense of litioation OH Tie negr0'S