Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-07-19
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
POLITICS OF THE DAY.

POLITICS OF THE DAY.
The following Letter from the Hon. WILLIAM
r. KING, one Of the Senators of tho United States
from the State of ALABAMA, comes to our hands IN
the papers of that State:
Prsr H1LLs, DALLAS CousTr, JuSE l6, 1851.
Mr Dx.n SrR very much regret that my absence from
home deprived me Of the pleasure OF receiving your friendly
letter at an earlier day. hasten to return You
doubtless attach to my opinions much greater importance
than they Deserve but Of your Senators in the
ellis Of the naon you have right to demand them all
political questions and especially those affecting per-
sonal security and rights Of properly shall proceed to lay
them before you with the ankness that becomes man.
Concealment Of opinions deliberately formed never has
and trust will constitute any part Of my character
public private. shall be deferred from giving ut
from the apprehension that they may not be in ac-
cordance with those which others entertain, or that BY
making them Known may a6ec. nurousy my standing as
public man. This well understood by those who have
known me longest and know best. If fall into error
to which every man convinced Of it. pompt-
y admit and retract but much q desire to obtain the
appreciation Of the people have the honor to represent
should feel that ives unworthy Of the position in which
has pleased them 70 place me- if to gain i, were TO trim
my sails every popular breeze and violate the obligations
owe 70 our commoa country condemn no man Ior nones
respect and Ss Independence, to surrender mine own to
please any man, or any set Of men.
had supposed thst my action the so-caAed Compro-
mise bill the last Congress- together with The reasons which
governed it had been 20 plainly marked by my public deca
ratons and votes preclude the possibility Of misappe-
henon From the tenor your letter, this seems not to be
the case brief statement will trust put an end TO all
doubt or cav for the future was you know, one OF
the committee Of thirteen which reported the compromise BILL
Without going into DETAIL will only say it did not receive
my sanction in connittee, would under any circum
Stances have given my support as reported The parts
to which principally objected were, the admission OF Cali
fornia as State with territory more extensive than any
three States Of the Unon and the clause which emancpaes
slaves brought into the District for SALE could not fail to
that most Of those who advocated the admission OF Cali
fornia with her extravsgan limits would but for the proh-
bton of slavery contained in her constitution, have been the
most violent 10 opposition to her reception into the Union
She owed her admission, heD TO the fact that the people Of
tion in territory which, of right equally belonged to the
citizens of a the sisa Finding that there was fixed
majority determined to pePetrae this act Of injustice II
brought to the direct VOTE made an effort to curtsii The
limits Of the State thst territorial government might be
established south Of tho Sierra Nevads. Atone time the pros
pect fair that my proposition, proper in ITSELF would
succeed however, failed and California became aStae with
thousand miles Of No could have felt more
indignant than did this partial and unjust legislation butt
free declare that have not been able 70 see in the mea
violation Of the Constitution contended for BY many
did consider it, neither could would have expressed
the opinion that the people of the South could with honor
and under the circumstances should acquesce in what had
been DONE The Constitution simply gives to Congress the
power admit States and the only restriction upon the
exercise Of this power that the State Constitution shall be
republican. No territorial training s required, assent Of
Congress to the formation Of the Constitution, previously
gven be found The whole matter rests with Congress
to exercise sound discretion. 55r-
Az respects the bill for aboishng the slave trade in the
District Of Columbia, to which you particularly call my at
tention wish to be distinctly understood At early pc
Rod Of the first session Of the last Congress- declared in my
place in the Senate that stood ready at time to auho
ze the breaking up Of those slave mar in the midst Of the
ciy-oensve they decency pradcal to health,
and in many respects shocking to humanity It my de-
cothe the corporate authorities Of the city with the
power abae them nussnces whenever they conceived it
proper to do 80 and for such bill would unhestangy
have given my votehavng fears that by such measure
slavery ID the District would be affected iDunously The
people directly interested entertained no apprehension Of
the kind and think say with certainty that nine
tenths Of the citizens desired those slave mars to be suppress
ed however voted against the bill it passed, because
the penalty for violating the law the emancipation Of the
slaves and would not under any circumstances, have
given my sanction to emancipation in the District Of Co
lumbia, whether penalty for the violation Of law or
in any other manner and should feel bounden duty
to vote for the repeal Of the emancpang clause whenever
proposed.
Permit me to advert for moment to the other provisions
of the bill reported by the committee and for which, after
undergoing several notifications, gave my voe And first
ss to the boundary Of Texas. am fully satisfied that in
giving my support the line sgreed on, although bad
contended for different boundary, promoting the true
interests Of Texas and Of the whole South The camor
which has been raised against the measure that slave terri
tory had been surrendered to ee-so has foundation ia
fact Many however, without giving to the subject tho
rough examination have been made believe that the boun
dairy Of Texas had been established the time of her
alton and that her right to the whole territory east Of the
Rio Gade from its mouth to it's source, unquestoned
Nothing can be When Mr.. Calhoun, as
Secretary Of State negotiated treaty with the Texas Com
ssione be openly declared that be considered her true
western boundary be line be drawn through what
known the desert lying between the Nueces and the Rio
Grande That treaty rejected BY the Senate Alta sob
sequen session. the resolutions which passed authorizing the
admission Of Texas expressly reserved the right Of this Gov
ernmen. x by negotiation with Mexico her western boun
dary-nohing was said shout the Rio Grande-and thus
Texas into the Union, her western boundary unsettled
The effort to settle il BY negotiation having failed, Gen. Tay
lor directed TO take position on the east bank OF the
river He removed from Point Isabel and encamped opposite
Ma.amoros The battles Of Pslo Alto and Resaca Dc Ia
Palma followed What was then said by MI. Calhoun the
bold. fearless and Incorporating advocae and defender Of
Southern rights and Southern interests He denounced, in
indignant terms the administration Of Col Polk for hav
ing involved the country in unjust and unnecessary war;
by the invasion of Mexican territory Texas then State
Of the Uniop had not in the opinion of that distinguished
man. any well founded claim any territory bordering
the Rio Grande and In that opinion he sustained by
many who denounce thless to the South all those
who aided in securing Texas the undpued possession Of
territory large enough for States the right which they
had strongly denied to her No territory has been surrender
Cd reeso unless the people Of Utah and New Mexico.
when they form consiuiion, and apply for admission
Saes think proper prohibit Slavery and for the unestict
cd exercise Of this right Of the South hsve always
tended Governments established for these Territories
in strict accordance with all the territorial heretofore pass
ed with the exception Of that for Oregon There s
srcion as to slavery and the able statesmen and most dis