The southern press., 1851-12-27
II II I--W Il IL TX L.

grants ana residents IN CallIOrnia, occupying
and working contrary to law the lands belong.
ing to the United States in California, did not
constitute State that the constitution they
sent here had no validity, and could only have
validity by the act of Congress. Well, then,
how could California not being State, be con.
additionally admitted into the Union, under a
clause in the Cons tuition which says that ne,0
States may be admitted into the Union?" But,
to come lower down in the argument--that |
might meet the Senator from Mississippi him
elf to controvert his position--dd not that
Senator, by his signing the Southern Address,
and in dozen other places, strenuously con
tend that the Wilmot proViso was unconstitu-
tional? Further than this, he said, as late as
day before yesterday, in replying to my col
league, explaining the letter which he signed,
with his colleagues from Mississippi, to the Gov
amor of the State, g that the application of Cal
ifornia to gain admission into the Union, under
all the circumstances of the case, was but an
attempt TO obtain The passage of The IVilmot pro-
uiso in another form"-"that it was an attempt
on the part of those pressing it as a separate
measure, to obtain precisely those advantages in
favor of North over the South in California
which the Wilmot provso contemplated"
Now, as the attempt has been consummated,
exactly as then proposed--the admission Of Cali
ifornia into the Union, according to the Sena-
tors authority, is She passage of the Witmot pro
riso in another form" 1t has obtained "pre.
risely those advantages in favor of the North
over the South in California which the Wilmot
psoviso contemplated"
interrupt him?
terrup.ed; because the Senator has not good
tn opd nina IL ~ ,nb haftar
Sir, the Senator is right. He did not then
regard forms. He disdained to bubble about
words. He looked to the thing, and that thing
was the exclusion of slavery from our territories
by the act of Congress. Whether this was done
in territorial BILL or bill admitting California
into the Union, with the same words Of exclusion
in her constitution, was very immateiial. Both
forms of exclusion had their validity from the
act Of Congress- and from that alone. 1t was
the Wmot proviso. The Wilmot proviso, he
commended, was unconstitutional therefore, the
admission of California, containing it in her con-
sttution, is unconsti .utional | leave the Senator
to combat himself, with him at least, his best
suthorty.
We were excluded from New Mexico and
Utah in different mode. The Mexican laws
had prohibited slavery in those territories whilst
they belonged to her. The mode adopted was
to say nothing in the territorial bills about the
exclusion of slavery from these territories, but
to leave it to the President by the judges and
msrshals whom he would appoint, TO have the
Mexican laws excluding slavery enforced against
the Southern Shareholder, should he enter those
territories with his slaves. This was called
" non intervention" admit that | voted for
bill of this kind (Mr Clayton's bil,) when Polk
was President of the United States, because
knew that, agreeing with me that the Constitu.'
ton of the United States, overruling the laws of
Mexico, would protect that as property which
was property in any of the States to whom
those territories belonged, he would appoint
judges and marshals who would practically en-
force his views of the Constitution; and that
thus, these territories would be open for colo.
nizatior TO the shareholders of the South.
Thus, although there was Legislative non.
pterpeniion, there to be practically erscutire
Intervention. And so it is now The President
has appointed out of the three judges for New
Mexico, the chief justice and one Of the inferior
judges, who will enforce the Mexican laws, en,an,
paing any slaves who might be carried into
that territory. In this mode, the Wilmot prsviso
is enforced. Will any man, under such crcum-
stances, carry slaves into those territories They
could be Immediately released from his custody
and control, by a writ of hlbe1S corpus He may
appeal, it is true, to the Supreme Court Of the
United States, and e.ter some years he may have
a decision. But in the meantime, where are his
slaves Gone, and gone forever And should
the decision be in his favor, il would be of no
avail to him or anybody else for the majority
from the North in this and the other branch of
Congress-, " ould Immediately admit the terrific.
ries, as States, into the Union. The provision,
that these territories shall come into the Union
as States, with or without slavery is worth no.
thing 10 the South. BY the arrangement they
can only he free States.
Having thus shown that the Southern States,
with their insttution of slavery, ha, e been ex
cluded from every foot of our territories, LET us
pause 10 examine the motive Of our exclusion.
That motive, openly avowed, is the final ex'inc
ton of African slavery throughout the United
States. The great OF ject Of all government Is
neutrality-suspicious. Of life, liberty, and prop.
erty. BY pundering MS Of our territories, il is |
proposed TO weaken, degrade, and then destroy
us. Sir, we talk with affected adherence of
European despotism; and yet what despotism
in Europe is there which does not protect prop
erty! What government in the world is there,
saving this Of the United States, which seeks,
at one fell swoop, to extinguish at once, life lib /
erty and property, amongst nearly one half Of
dsspoti.ms, is that which enters The domestic |
circle, and there, where dwels alone the last
refuge for happiness TO man, inspired disco1tenl
and exctes to murder aud blood What has
Congress, for the last ten years, been, but a
grand abolition convention, preaching and inspr
ing instruction amongst our slaves What is |
this government, but the irresponsible and re. |
despotism OF a majority, governed by |
the lust of National domination and flnatical
And now, by this compromise
we are laid helpless at their feet soon to feel II
we lie there, the heel which brushes US.
lfthere is nothing in the compromise measures
TO satisfy the South with respect to our terrific.
res, there is as little need to satisfy us in its
other features. We need not rejoice, that two
States were wrested from us in Texls, and given |
over to the North, whilst we have TO pay our
portion Of the ten millions by which it was
wrested from US. Nor need we exIlt the CON
promise in our praises because the slave trad
is abolished in the District of Columbia under
the penalty of emancipation. II we have got
any benefit from these measures, it must be in |