The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-03-31

ton prohibiting slavery Now, insist that tn
people Of that county had not only he right I
iern constitution and ask admission into tn
Union, but also TO frame just each a consultation
they wished, and the only inQuiry for Congress
" is IT republican in it, form" They had RICH
70 incorporate in 1t clause prohibiting or estab
hshing slavery, as TO them seemed best. Congress
had no more right to force this institution upon he
against her viii than IL had to deprive her of il i
she desired to establish il. This is the true doc
trine-this 10 the republican doctrine-this is thu
doctrine contended for by those who opposed tn,
Missouri rcstriction-this 10 the only safe doctrine
for the South. Ii is what southern statesmen
have ever contended for; and surely the gentle
man has not forgotten the resolutions Of
bis favorite, Mr. Calhoun introduced in the Senate
OF the United States in lSt7 He advocated those
resolutions with that ability which characterized
all hs efforts. One OF them 10 In the following
language:
That il il fundamental principle in our political
creed that people, in forming constitution, have
the unconditional right to form and adopt the
government which they may think best calcul ated
to secure their liberty, prosperity, and happiness
In imposed by tho Federal Constitution a State,
in order to DO admitted into tho Union except that
its constitution shall be republican, and that the
imposition OF any other by Congress would not
only be in violation Of the Constitution hut in d-
rect conflict with the principle on which our polit
cal system rests."
Now, can any man mistake the meaning Of thisl
Is il not too plain 10 admit of doubt or cavili
IN the sense Of this resolution II So then did they
not have the right to form and adopt the govern.
ment which they considered beet calculated "to se-
cure their liberty, prosperity and happiness" Bot
this Ia not all 1t 10 asserted part Of this "creed
that when this "PnoPLE" have thus formed gov
eminent constitution, and ask for admission in
TO the Union, enc other condition Is imposed by the
FEDERAL Constitution erceYf that their consfiution b
in the Southern Address Of lS49, in the putting
forth Of which document the gentleman himself
bore most conspicuous part Has he so soon for
gotten these things Have the responses Of his
lancholy indeed 10 the reflection that old friendships
and associations should 80 seldom visit our mnds.
and when they come be permitted to fade 30 quick
ly away!
Let US test this matter little further Suppose
the constitution of California had been silent the
subject Of slavery, or had contained clause recog-
nising and establishing IT.; would the gentleman
and his friends have opposed its admission Would
they not have been quick to revive the doctrine Of
the South in the Missouri controversyto give full
vigor and efficacy, "nmple verge, and space
to the creed " of Mr.. Calhoun, AZ set
forth in his resolutions and speech of l647? He
well knows that, if California had presented con-
sitution either silent to slavery, establishing
it, and the North had attempted tho game they did
in reference to Missouri, we should have heard
nothing from him about extensive boundaries,
sparse population, irregularty OF proceedings and
that exploded humbug, Executive dictation! No
all would have been as regular as clOck-work; in
habitants would have been manufactured faster
than men had sprung up from the teeth of Cadmus;
and the resolutions Of '98 and 49, Magma Chartn--
and, though last, not least, the Southern Address,
would all have been appealed to in defence of the
right OF a PEOPLE to self-government AL such
difhculties as now appear would have then been
as empty bubbles on the vast sea of reason, which
he would have brought to bear in favor of the im-
mediate and unconditional admission Of glorious
California q State
He says he was for extending the Missouri CON-
promise line across California to the Pacific. Now
contend that such policy would have been most
suicidal to the South. How stands the case? Those
who have had ample opportunity to form a correct
Judgment declare that the portion of California
south of 36o 3O ia not adapted to slave labor-that
the institution could not exist there. In memo
rial sent to Congress on the 18th March, 1850, by
Messrs. Fremont and Gwin, her Senators, and
her two Representatives, find the following Ian
guage;
tanned in the Atlantic States relative to the question
of slavery in California. The undersigned have
no hesitation in saying, that the provision in the
constitution excluding that institution, meets with
the almost unanimous approval of that people This
unanimity 10 believed to result, not % much from
the prcjudices against the system which are quite
general in the northern part of the United States,
as from universal conviction that in portion of
California is the sou and climate of character adapt
ed TO slaue labor"
Again: hear what was said by some of the lead
ing men in the convention that framed her consti-
tuition. l read from the debate in that body COM
piled by Brown. Mr.. Lippit said, (pagc 449:)
Sand what will the South (our South) sayI Ger
tainly the South will not commit act 40 suicidal
as to refuse its assent to this constitution because
we have not cut off all south of So deg, 30 min.
There Is not member this floor ipho believes that
sl0rery can erer erist there. Whatever desire the
South might have to introduce slavery there, 1t Is
utterly imyacticdbIe to do so; that it
lat in that region is sufficient to preclude the idea
If the Territory is divided at all il will in accord
ance with the compromise agreed to between the
two great parties be erected into free State By the
action Of the people henseIuss. There ia division
of opinion between the northern and southern pop
ulation of California this subject. Consequent
ly il becomes a separate State; ii toiii be free
State, and instead of ONE, there ipiH be TWO FREE
SrATRs.'' t.lo
Mr.. Gwin Zone of her Senators) said in the
same debate: The line of thirty six degrees thirty
minutes s great question on the other side of the
mountains. Here il is nothing. If any portion OF
our population are opposed to slavery per it ID
that portion south Of that line. II is utterly unfit
ted for sIape labor, being n grazing and grape
country, with few rich valleys and extensive arid
plains"
Here, then, we were told in express terms that if
the Missouri compromise line had been run, and
all south OF cut off from California il would be-
yond doubt, have become free State; that 'it is
utterly untitled for slave labor" What, then,
would have been the practical effect of the gentle
mans policy? JYhy, to tceaken the slaue States and
add strength to the North. sa
There 10 historical fact which perhaps has
escaped the gentleman's memory. As early as
December II, 1913, Mr.. Douglas introduced into
the Senate of the United States bill for the mme-
date admission of California as q State into the
Union. This bill can be found in the ongressional
Globe Of lS4S, page 81. 1t has been declared by
Mr.. Lumpkin, Of Georgia, learn, then member
of the House Of Representatives, that this bill
prepared and introduced at the instance Of or un
der the approval of Mr.. Polk. Did hear any
expressions Of holy horror at all thsi But dismiss
this branch of the subject However irregular may
have been the proceedings connected with the ad-
mission of California, see nothing in them viola
tive of the Constitution. She is now a sovereign
State of this Union, and establish slavery il she
wishes She stands upon equality with her Sis
ters and instead of giving her the cold shoulder and
wrnngling about tho legitimacy of her birth, let
rather extend to her the righthand Of fellowship.
and bid her God speed in her bright career to
greatness and glory!
The next branch Of the Compromise to which l
call your attention 10 the act establishing terrific
rial government for Utah. Tho whole of that ter
ritory lies north of the Missouri compromise line.
It's southern boundary is the thirty seventh parallel
of north latitude; and 80 far from the Wilmot pro-
viso being applied to it, the first section Of the
expressly provides that 'whcn admitted as State,
the said Territory any portion of the same shall
be received into the Union, toiM or ,oiLtout SLAVERY,