The southern press., 1851-12-13

patriot, Jealous supporter OF the constitutional
rights Of the South, and an unsRerying friend
of the Union. The admission Of California,
then, contend. has done us no injury, and the
particular section of which the honorable sena.
tor from South Carolina is the faithful and eff
eient re representative here has had no reason, thus
far, to complain of such admission.
Now, sir, let US turn our attention for mo-
ment to what is called the territorial acts. These
bills provide territorial bills for Utah and New
Mexico wuhout the IVilmot Prouiso. Again. each
of these acts provides, in the most emphatic and
distinct manner, for the ext, nsion of the Consti
tuition and laws Of the Union to said territories
thus securing. as suppose all jursts worthy
of the name would decide, the etfectual abroga-
ton of the Mexican laws aboshing slavery.
These acts provide, as the senator well knows,
in addition, that the territories to which they ap-
ply, when they shall become States, shall come
into the Union with or without slavery, as the
people thereof may, in their constitution, de-
eide; and this provision is equally etfectual in
regard to all the States into which these terri
tories may be hereafi er subdivided. Surely the
senator from South Carolina will rejoice with
me'that snch are the terms on which territorial
governments have been established in Utah and
New Mexico, instead of extending to them what
is known as the Missouri Compromise line as
some ultraists in the South have contended
should have been done We all know that the
Missouri Compromise provides, in express
terms, for the prohibition of slavery in all the
territories of the Union north of 36 deg. 80 min
north latitude Now, the principle of this boast
ed compromise, applied to Utah would have at
orce driven all the shareholders and their slave s
now resident there, and enjoying the protection
of law therein, beyond the confines of that terri
| L..,. 49, Al
ception of slave property; since all of Utah is
known to be situated north of the line of SO deg.
80 min. How this could at all benefit the South
remains yet for the learned doctors of the seces-
sion school to show. To my simple apprehen.
sion it would be nothing more nor less than ap-
plying the hated Wimot Proviso to Utah. Sir,
let me remind the senator from South Carolina
OF the fact that every Southern senator save two
voted for the Utah bill. Especially do | wish
to remind him that his close and intimate ally,
the honorable senator from Virginia, Mr. Hun.
TER, voted for the Utah bill, as he did also, ac-
corling to his own declaration to me this morn
ing, for the New Mexican territorial bill, which
is in all material respects corresponding there.
with. Surely the honorable gentleman from
South Carolina will not think Of seriously rep
rehending this portion of the measures of ad-
justment since, in order TO do so with effect he
will have to unite in censuring those with whom
know il has long been his highest pride to act
here.
Is it the Texas and New Mexican boundary
act that the honorable gentleman supposes
should awaken so much dissatisfaction in the
South? As to this point shall ask leave to
turn him over to the honorable senator from
Georgia, Mr.. BERRIEs, under whose moni.
| tons, and at the instigation Of whose eloquent
persuasons, the Senate is known to have
| given its sanction to this measure. BY this ae'
the disputed boundary line between Texas and
| New Mexico was definitely settled, and civil
war; then seriously menaced, most happily pre-
vented. The territory purchased from Texas.
now placed under the authority Of the govern
ment Of New Mexico, became part Of the Union
under the resolution of Texan annexation !;
which resolution provides expressly that all new
States into which Texas might be suk1fsided al
any future period, lying north Of SO deg. 80
min. north latitude, should be free States. II
has been seen that the act establishing terri.
torial government for New Mexico brought into
operation a principle far more favorable than
this rule Of SO deg. 80 mn in our Southern in.
st.utions. Does the senator from South Caro-
lima object 10 this important amendation Of the
Texan resolution OF annexation, when, as he
must perceive, by means OF IL, slave States are
allowed to spring up hereafter, where before
this plan Of settlement was adopted, IL was i'm.
possible that any but free States could exist :
Perhaps the gentleman mainly objects TO the
District Of Columbia bill, as il is called. Well
sir, ii he docs, have TO say 10 him that he oh
jects 10 what has been thc law Of this Districi
during the whole Of the present century the
act Of Congress Of 1901, TO which the signature
Of Thomas Jefferson was attached, which
IL - Al.
and gave full validity and binding effect 10 tn,
same in the part Of the District not retrocedec
at the period of this enactment 10 the State OF
Virginia, having been far more stringent in il,
terms than the act of 1880; the former having
provided, under the precise penalties of the pre-
sent law, too, not only against the bringing OF
slaves into the District for sale here, or for de-
posite here and sale elsewhere, but having de.
nounced the penalty of forfeiture, &c Of all
slaves brought hither, for any purpose Dhatsoeuer
can scarcely believe that the honorable gen
tleman can have intended TO be understood OF
this occasion as murmurng over the passage OF
the fugitive-slave law, though believe ] do moi
err in supposing the senator FROM South Caro-.
lima not TO have attached as much importance to
this particular enactment rs some other gentle.
men are known 10 have done, who represented
in Congress the border States Of the Union.
recollect, too quite wildly various declarations.
in this chamber and elsewhere, nj different times
made by certain Southern gentlemen Of extreme
opinions, that no great appreciation was due 10
this particular enactment, since IL only carried
out plain provision Of the Constitution. II l.
also not forgotten by me, and hope that il j.
not forgotten by the Senate either, that this
particular act would have been passed by the
two houses Of Congress at much earlier period
Of the session before the last than il was, but
for the fact that il was not deemed polite by
certain Southern senators, who had special
charge of the subject, 10 report bill for the re-
capture aud restoration Of fugitives from service
until Il should be ascertained that all the other
questions connected with the subject Of do.
nestle slavery were likely TO be satisfactorily
disposed Of in Congress. The Senate will re-
member my former exposition Of this matter
here, and cannot have forgotten my statement
of an important matter of fact connected with
this delicate point, when declared, in hearing
Of honorable senators from the South, who
could not deny the truth of what said, that the