The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-04-06

ae session. W congress, addressed 10 meeting al Lin
| den, nneago county, Aabama, Nouembsr, 1850.
i Mr. SHIELDS, alter auding TO the monstrous evils
growing out OF dsunion aud civil war in the republic
where ne had resided during the last four years, ex
pressed ms confidence IN the adequacy OF popular niei
gence and patriotism this Union prevent the occur
renee OF similar evils here. He had confidence in The
people OF MaIengo N the people Of the South aad
the masses OF the North and West Heaven had not de-
signed to mock humanity by ordanng that our boas,ed
experiment OF selgoyenment should turn out TO be but
!he lanlazlng type OF false principle in government ;
The capacity o the people TO comprehend the right and to
pursue IT, in spite OF all the seductions and distractions
put IN Their way by fanatics and demagogues, would be
vndcated by the final results of the wide. spread aga
ton now going Hae.
He adverted to the admission OF California into the
Union, and asked why the South should not acquesce
IN that act Was it because of the clause prohibiting
slavery in her constitution Ii should be borne in mind
that the right to determine the form of their social insti
uiions, and especially between the white and black
within the general reservation in behalf Of the States,
their people. The South had successfully vndicated in
me Missouri controversy the right Of the peopethe
While people oil Stateto determine whether the black
race should be servant or not to the white There
no portion OF the Union no people EARTH deeply
a,essed Ss % IN maintaining this right as The people Of the
vast property existing amongst us in this form
II the people OF California had exercised this nds-
pulable right IN the manner in which had done for
ourselves, could we consistently with this great priAci-
pie oil State sovereignty and OF salvation, justify the
extreme resistance and opposition TO the act OF her ad
mission winch were recommended TO us!
1t was great Inconvenience 10 southern men owning
slaves. and desiring to transport them California and
there enjoy the property they have in their services. to
find distractions in the laws OF California to the realza
ton OF their wishes But should bear in mind that
the Inconvenience and from the same causes were
o De encountered in all the non slaveholdng States Of
the Union, and in almost every civilized country on this
continent as well as in the Old World.
He then advered TO the objections 10 her admission,
founded in the circumstances manner of her adms-
sion, and the extent of boundary with which she was
admitted; for all that occurred prior to her admission
both in the way OF action and non-acon by the general
government the people OF California, far he could
see were blameess, and deserving of our sympathy
They abandoned TO the evils resulting from an
archy and destituton OF all regular government under
The most extraordinary circumstances that attended
the birth OF State condition of people True the
Amencan instinct, they formed government for them
selves and finding their population already sufficient to
enle them to admission into the Union, with repre-
sentatives they applied for admission
In all this. 80 far as they were concerned, he saw
nothing that : was vas not perfectly that
by Georgia TO the general government OF what con-
sli,ales Alabama and Mississippi would not have done,
\ they had been similarly elrcumstanced And il we
would have done the same thing under the same crcum
stances, why should we blame the people of California
The propnety OF admitting her with the extent OF
boundary defined in her constitution depended upon geo.
graphical considerations of which there were lew who
had correct knowledge AS general rule States with
80 large boundaries were not convenient fol the purposes
other respects. But (sad Mr. Shieds the people
OF the South should remember the example OF the admis
sion OF Texas with boundaries vastly arger-orgnaly
OF Congress- embracing some fifty per cent terrific
yslaye tertory-than the embraced by the bound
aries OF California; and this. 100, with the extraordinary
privilege guaranteed to the people OF Texas OF increasing
their political weight in the Union by the formation OF
four additional States out of the same territory, whenever
the population sheud Justify and the people require it
thus securing in behalf OF that portion OF slave
rory, ten senators instead OF the two representing
it. He said that he did find in his heart, view of
this unprecedented act OF generosity the part OF the
North 10 employ the ephels OF denunciation of the
northern people SO rife in the party discussions of the
times.
He conceived that the South as well as the people OF
California, had cause OF complaint against the general
government for It's action and for the long continued
uncertainty as TO whether the Mexican laws prohibiting
slavery prevailed there not before her admission Ii
such territorial government had been provided for
New Mexico and Utah had been established a, early
period for California the government would have dis
charged It's responsibilities both to the people there and
TO all parts OF the Union But (sad Mr. Shields) tina,
stage of the affair had passed; and now at this
day. he did not think that the people OF California should
be made the scapegoa OF the OF President makers
Washington. The question was TO acquiescence in
what had been done and who would doubt that a law.
abiding people, such the OF this Unon would
acquiesce in act clearly constitutional that for
the admission OF this State By principle compatible
with the stability OF their institutions could they refuse
10 do So II TO acquesce only in what they
liked or what suited their purposes there would at
be end 10 all government
MIR Shields then entered into full discussion Of the
bills providing for the establishment OF governments for
the Territories OF New Mexico and Utah. and for the set.
tlenent of the Texas boundary.
| He said that from the introduction by Mr.. Wilmol OF
the proyiso TO The Appropriation bill down to
the date of the passage OF these territorial bills the ques
,oa 10 whether slavery should be prohibited not in
the territories acquired from Mexico had been disputed
with acrmoDy and determination on both sides. The
result Of this controversy, shown by these bills
full and unqualified concession OF the right claimed in
behalf OF the South He quoted the provision securing
TO the inhabitants OF the territory the right ito be
ceved into the Union with without slavery, their
constitution may provide at the time of their admission
and alleged emphalicaly that it direct and pointed
reputation of the Wilmot Provso. He said il was a
grea, deal more; that, in his opinion, II removed all
doubt il there existed any before TO the repeal OF the
Mexican law upon the subject of slavery, He did not
believe that the judicial tribunals OF the United States
would decide that IT the intention of Congress,
manifested by the provisions Of these bills that The Mex
ican law prohibiting slavery should be considered con
force would be TO deprive the inhabitants Of the territory
OF all opportunity 10 come into the Union with sla
very," II they should so prefer II they TO
have the right :" TO be received into the Union
with slavery" surely they had The right TO IN
lroduce slaves into the territory beforehand, IN or
and he held this view OF the subject TO be eslsble-the
Mexican law prohibiting slavery was entirely abrogaed,
bad not been before Seeing ben that the South had
gained the right con,ended for wherefore should we
complain II we had not gained more, It might have
been because II was not asked.
But said Mr. Sheds) he did not desire that surprise
should be sprung upon the people OF the South by any
thing that might hereafter occur and therefore he wished
that their eyes might be opened TO all possible aspects OF
the case present and future. There was view ia
torres might be considered exposed TO ain
coniing The right 10 be received into the Union
with or without slavery their constitutions might pro
vide" was not accompanied with restriction upon the
legislative power of the territories to prevent the enact.
ment of laws whose object might be impede the intro
lJat, n hafo pI<f