The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-02-04
The Rights OF the Slave States.

The language OF the most conspicuous sena-
tors Davis of Massachusetts, and Seward OF
New York, in the past session OF Congress- was
that between freedom and slavery there could
be 10 compromise. We say nothing as to the
degradation that such terms OF settlement inn
ply The powers Of the General Government
were given to it for the "common defence and
for the general welfare" The Government can
perform no passive neutral part in The concerns
of the States or people. II has received powers
to fulfil duties. II has assumed obligations to
those who have reposed trust and delegated au-
thority The part of " non intervention" in re-
ference to single interest, involves an accumu-
lated and unequal protection. to antagonist or
rival interests. The sovereign powers conceded
to the Federal Government are essential TO the
well-being OF every State; and, if neutrazed or
deadened, the State must undergo decay or dis
solution There is no interest that may not re-
quire their exercise and every interest must
maintain its vitality, by the calm assurance that
they will be reused uto action whenever needed
for security 1.-THE Federal Government refuses
to carry the claims Of the Shareholder, for re-
dress, to foreign court, the STAKEHOLDER must
establish government that will, or become an
easy prey to foreign rapacity. Ifthe stakeholder
is to have no surrender of his fugitive slave, he
iuuoe hdNC dii uIuif VI lhiNt W SudIu tllo lTOI~
tiers or coasts, and to punish the enemy who
enjoy no share Of the common property of the
Union, he must be exempt from taxes and mill
tary contributions. Protection is the price paid
by government for the support Of its citizens,
and we can conceive Of'no disgrace more heavy
than the denial of this right Of protection, with
n Simultaneous claim for maintenance against
the STAKEHOLDER.
We believe we have detailed sufficiently the
facts, to enable our readers to- collect the state
of public sentiment in 1874. Opinions had not
ripened into convictions in the Northern States );
but the tendencies to conviction were decided
In this condition, the subject of the annexation
Of Texas was suddenly introduced, and thrown
into the field of party politics. The movement
in favor of agitation was sudden, daring and
successful So many strong feelings and close
connections were, at the moment, arrayed in its
support, that opposition had not the power to
organize for its defeat The measure was car
ried by n coup de main. 1t was a case of mill
tary surprise, and victory over an unconscious
adversary. There was but single cause to
justify this brilliant political enterprise and that
was furnished by the letter of Lori Aberdeen to
MIR. Everett Annexation "was made necessary"
says Dir. Calhoun to Mr.. Packenham, ain order
~ PcScfLc uOtucstlC IlSuLutOuS, pluCeu unUeT
the guarantee of their respective constitutions,
Omitted States and Texas) and deemed essential
to their safety and prosperity"
This statement of the case, the only state
ment which could acquit the United States, furn-
ished to the North the grounds of bitter com
plant We fully appreciated the dissatisfaction
OF the Northern States, and were solicitous that
Southern intercourse and policy, after that event.
should disclose great care and Difference in order
that those discontents might be soothed The
commanding and considerate craftsmanship Of
MIR. Calhoun, in reference to the Oregon boun-
Diary, was admirably adopted for the purpose.
tiad the same conciliatory policy been pursued
towards Mexico, as he maintained for Great
Britain, the happest results might have been ex
pected. 1t is with infinite satisfaction that We
refer to the pages of this review, in l847, ant
find that Difference to Northern policy, in re-
gard to the acquisition of territory, and the dis
memberment of Mexico recommended The
Southern States owed tribute to the peace o.
the Union, and might have gracefully discharged
it, by acceding then to the Northern policy OF
no more territory.
Why the senator's from the South permitted
the acquisition, without settlement Of the dis
puted questions of slavery, has never been ex-
planned Why, having the vantage ground that
GtC NOlollutlOU RuNc W u IllUOfflD, Ill Tic tx
ercise of the treaty making power, they should
have deliberately abandoned il, has always been
incomprohensible to us. We are now defeated
after having yielded advantages Of position that
made victory certain.
The Wilmot Proviso, in anticipation of this
cession, was passed, by unanimous Northern
vote, in tho House Of Representatives, in the
summer of 1886 and, had vote in the Senate
been then taken, it would have been unanimous
there. In the House of Representatives, If
l847, it was appended to the three million bill
by vote of lis TO lO5. In the Senate, this
was struck out, by majority of 10.
The session Of 1919 was characterized by
the sway of anti-savery opinions over its pro-
ceedings. The questions of the obligations OF
government to compensate for slaves employed
and lost in its military service; of the abolition
of slavery aud the slave trade in the District of
Columbia of the refusal of the use of the
courts and jails of the District for fugtives
the abduction of several slaves from the District,
through abolition influence the Fugitive slave
bill, and the Wilmot Proviso-al afforded occa-
sion for ant-slnvery discussions. As if these
were not sufficient, some congratulatory resolu-
tons, to the French and Italian people, on ac-
count of their revolutions, were offered by a
Free-soil member, of Ohio. These were Of
lefcu W Oc uu1cHucu ny hT. AsHmuH, as IOi-
lows: "And we especially see an encouraging
earnest of their success, in the decree which
pledges the government of France to the i'm
mediate emancipation of sapes in their colonies
Which amendment Mr.. Schenck offered further
to amend, by adding, recognizing, as we do, the
great cardinal republican principle, that there
shall beneither slavery nor involuntary servitude,
except for crime" The Compromise bill of Mr.
Clayton, Of Delaware, was passed in the Senate
BY vote of 80 to %, and the Wimot Proviso
excluded by a vote Of 33 to 81 This bill was
rejected in the House, by liz to 81. The Ore
gon bill passed the Senate without any clause
in regard to slavery. The proviso was inserted
in the House, by 1919 to II This was stricken
out, in the Senate, by 33 to 81, and the bill,
with the Missouri compromise line to the Paci-
fc ocean, passed, by 33 to 81. The House re-
jected this amendment, every Northern member,
except Brsdsall, of New York, Broadhead G.
Brown and j. c. Ingersol, from Pennsylvania,
voting for it, The Senate receded-Benton
and Houston joining the Northern States The
following session was distinguished by the con-
Al