The Woodville Republican., 1851-09-23
| never voted with he lbOlitiOnisis-
seTtT never, ,-SO help NC God +"

t.
dldale for Governor OF this State. Now
+ when man Of exalted station, seeking ,he
confidence and support OF the people for the
highest office in their gift, makes a state.
ment OF fact, the presumption al least is
that the statement is true; but when he
holds up both hands, and solemnly appeals
to God as ;he searcher OF hearts and aven-
ger OF falsehoods, as he shall answer for the
same at the day OF Judgement to bear wit
ness to the truth OF the statement, then it
must be true, or !he man stands forever per-
ljured in the sight of God ard man. IL is
the form prescribed for an affirmative in our
courts of justice, and he who would make
false statement while acting under its sane
ton would not only lose caste amongst men
but would be subjected to Infamous punish
mcnt and disqualification for office
Now, if Senator FooTE has made a false
statement under his solemn affirmation, al
though he encounter no legal responsibility
yet the moral guilt is Just as great, aud its
consequences, in the estimation of all right.
thiuking men, should be the same as though
the affirmation had been made in n court of
Justice.
We arraign Senator FooTE for having
made false statement, and in support OF
the charge will rely exclusively upon record
evidence, and by such record we are prepar-
ed TO prove that four times, at least upon
the most material points involving the sove.
reignty of the State and the dearest rights
o(the South, he voted with, nay upon some
of them, spoke upon the side of the AbOiitio-
alStS ...a
lst.-On the amendment, proposed by
Senator DAVIS, to the Territorial Bills, pro-
posing to repeal the Mexican law upon the
subject of slavery so as 10 remove all doubt
about the right Of Southern men to remove
to those territories with their slave property.
Had this amendment prevailed, it would
have driven the North into admission of our
right to participate in the acquisitions from
Mexico, and at once settle for ever the con-
troversy about slavery, by an agreement to
abide by the Missouri Compromise line or
the North would have been forced into the
adoption of the Wimot Proviso, and this
course the North would not have taken. 1t
would have been 10 dissolve the Union inn
mediately, and Northern Senators would not
have taken that responsibility upon them
selves, The hopes of Southern men were
all concentrated upon the great test ques
ton. And where did Senator FooTE stand
He voted it down by the side of Benton
Chase, DavtS, Of Massachusetts. Dayton,
Fetch, Hale, Hamttn, SeWard, Suith,
Spruance d. Co. Are these men A6olttion
lists ?-If they are, then has Senator FooTt
fasifed bis solemn affirmation, for he voted
with them against the South.
2nd.-When, on The 9th of August last
President FILLMORE sent his Texas Message
TO the Senate, claiming the possession oI
powers at war with the sovereignty of the
State, powers utterly at war with the Con
sttutlon, and such as were never claimed
by, or conceded to any Federal Executive
Senator Foote stood up and spoke most va Ii
antly in defence of the Message. And
when Mr.. Mason introduced his resolution
-declaring 'fhat when in a state OF war, ant
! in the absence Of actua! State authority an,
where within the limits of State. mlitar,
possession is taken by the United States o
such part of the territory Of State, sucl
possession can only be considered as held il
subordination to the authority of such State
forthwith when the war is ended" Her,
, was plain proposition, that when the Go
vernment should take possession of any ter
ritory belonging to a State for the purpos,
of war, such territory should be given up t,
the State again when the war was ended
1t was a proposition too plain even TO ad
NIT of any argument, for the converse of il
: was denial of the right Of a. State to exer
. else sovereignty even within her own juris
! dction and claim for the Government O
e the right of stripping State Of her territor,
Z and OF approprlatiug il to it's own use b.
/ the law of force Now, upon this vote, in
volving SO much Of State sovereignty on tn
one hand, and Of the principle of a Suprem
:. Consolidated Government on the Other
! where stood Senator Foote BY the sid
of BakdWtn, Benton, Chase Dauis of Ma
: sachusetts, Dodge, Hale, Hunter Phekp,
Seward, Upham, Walker, and Winthrop
: Are these AboiitioniStS II they are
then have we sustained the second count i
= our indictment.
3rd.-When the proposition came up /
\ abolish the slave trade in the District {
Columbia. gross and palpabe violation {
the Constitution, as Judge SHARKEY yer
!. properly argued, when he said that Congress
: had no more authority to legislate over III
subject Of slavery in the District than. it ha
1 to egisate in reference to the domestic rt
J, ation of husband and wife. parent and chill
/, etc. Mr.. Atchison, a Senator from Mi
: = souri,. moved to lay the bill upon the tabl
! as a test question, in order to defeat the prc
? position. This was question of primaf
! importance. for. as Judge Sharkey, (who
I always high authority, said, it was but tn
II entering wedge to the abolition OF SLAYER
y in the State. 1t was certainly so conside
e ed by both parties in the State, and ever
i man who loves the institution of the Sout
II and the preservation Of the "glorious Union
!. was expected to stand by the Constitution
e and to assist in defeating this worst Of a
IA ~