Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-11-08
The Precedent Of the Oregon Bills Effect
in aiding the Free Soil Party.

adduce Mr.. CalhounS opinion OF tne oregon Oil |
with its Wilmot Proviso and his testimony of its
evil results, in establishing the first unqualified |
precedent for the power of Congress over slave
ry in the Territories, and giving ga new and pow
erful impulse to the Abotoniss." We Lave
now to show that these declarations were literally
true and that mainly from the passage of that
fatal measure by Congress, and its sanction by
President Polk, arose the formidable political
organization, which was known, in the memo
rable Presidential contest of 1913, as the Free
Soil party
On the 10th of August, 1913, Mongrel Con-
vention of delegates, called together under the
Influence OF exertions made by Mr.. John Van
Buren, David Wilmot ADD other like characters,
assembled at Buffalo, New York, and nominated
as their candidate for the Presidency, MARTIN
VAN buren,, who had in former times been
known as the Northern man with Southern feels
ings." The great cardinal principle of the party
was the application of the Wilmot Proviso to the
Territories acquired from Mexico. Mr. Van
Buren,, in several published letters, had previous
ly made known his agreement with the party in
regard to this doctrine. In his letter accepting
the nomination, dated "Lndenwald, August %
1s4s," he descant ed at length upon the subject
and took care to hold up the enactment of the Pro-
viso in the Oregon bill, as final settlement of the
question TO the power of Congress-, and a
complete justification of the separate organiza-
ton of the Free Soil party for the purpose of car
Tying the measure But we shall cite the yery |
words of the letter.
After stating, in regard to "the chief topic of
the resolutions" adopted by the Buffalo Conven,
lion, viz: the question of Slavery, that the policy
proclaimed by them, and as he commended, "esteb-
~llshed by the founders of the Republic" was,
in the first place, adequate, efficient and certain
security against the extension of slavery into Ter
rltories where it did not practically exist" Mr.
Van Buren, said
all questions that can be made against public mea-
sure has Just passed through the ordeal of public dis
cussion and the doctrine in question wiz that Con-
gress has not the constitutional power 10 prohibit {
slavery in the Terftores) has been thoroughly re-
2eetsa a'la condemned 6y The oolce Of the marion that
as no longer necessaty to spend 'co.ds in ruting it,
ITO bring the matter nearer to own times
WI hin few days, upon the very heel of the recent
discussions on this point bill containing this reSrc-
taon-tte uery bill .chict has in part prodced this dis-
cSston-haS passed both branches of the Nstion0i L.
giSLatte, and received the constitutional oproval of
the present EGecutlUe-an approval which 1t was his
sworn duty to withhold, it he had not been satisfied
|
TO the Constitution. The present President Nh. Poz)
also STAKEHOLDER, elected from savehoding State,
with large portion Of his Cabiaet in the same situa-
non has gluen the highest sanction to the doctrine e
contend for that is kno,cn ilstitaons and al
though he telt himself called upon make an extra
message, setting forth his for believing that
the restriction ought not to be applied to our Mexican
Territories. he does not take the slightest notice of
the constitutional objection which so mapy south
ern States had based their opposition to the general
measure. THIS BRANCH OF THE SUBJECT t
Has IA; ,6 BEEN THUS, AND WE HOPE FOREVER
Thus, then, we have, on one hand, the solemn {
assurance of John C. Calhoun, that the passage +
of the Oregon bill, by establishing a precedent t
for the application of the Wimot Provso. gave
"a new and powerful impetus to the Abolition
ists;" and on the other, we have the trium phant
assumption of the Free Soil candidate for the
Presidency, in the very act of perfecting the Or
ganzaion Of the Free Soil party, that by the pas
sage of the Oregon bill, the question of Consti-
tutional power, had been FOREVER DISPOSED Of,
MIR. Van Buren,, of course, attached more
weightto the authority of President Polk than to
that of any individual member of Congress-
But every member who voted for the passage of
the bill, and thus for referring it to the President
was equally responsible with Mr.. Polk for the
measure. Col. Joseph johnson, as we have seen,
was one of buttwo representatives from Virginia
who were so recreant to the South as to vote for
the bill. He, therefore, in his Degree not less
than Mr. Polk, enabled Martin Van Buren, to saw.
that, in the enactment of the Oregon bill, the
Free Soil party had obtained "the highest sanction
10 The doctrine then cOntended for, that rs hnovn
to our Institutions.
And now, having fixed upon Col Johnson's un-
fortunate vote for the Oregon bill, the common
taries of three great Democratic authorities, list
namely, Of John G. Calhoun, who pronounced the
measure "an important stage in the progress of
aggressions" and an act which gave "a new and
powerful impulse to the Abolitionists;" 2dly, of
Martin Van Buren,, who said that by it the question
of power to pass the Wilmot Provso was forever
disposed off, and, lastly of Mr.. Shelton F
Leake, who called it''a frebraad and "crusade
against the rights Of the South," we leave the
Democratic papers and canvassers to digest the
matter as best they may,
The Enquirer strives to keep up dssension
amongst the Wings of Richmond, by stating, on
the authority of a letter from Norfolk, that Mr.
Watts, the Wing candidate for Lieutenant Gov
ernor, has been heard to declare that "had he been
avoter in the Richmond district, he would not
nave supported Dotts' Inc wings OF this Guy
have rather too much shrewdness to be misled by
such reports of declarations made by gentlemen
private conversation. tits not pretended thai
Mr.. Watts said anything in public concerning tie
election in this district, and nothing but a pub
lie remark to the prejudice Of the Wing candi-
ale could be considered offensive. Mr.. Watts
not the man for any such oficious inerfe
renee. IF he has ever said anything in private