The North-Carolinian. [volume] (Fayetteville [N.C.]) 1839-1861, 1851-04-12
From the 9 oldsboro' Republican.
MIR ASHE AT kENANSVILLE.

the pleasure Of hearing Hon. W III ,. Ashe
render an account of his stewardship as u
member Of the late Congress. to his con-
sti,ueuts Of Duplin county. Al the com
mencement of his remarks, he expresses
himself desirous Of being candidate Tor
| reelection /: but this announcement was
made subject to the will Of the people.
! ascertained through a convention or other
| wise as might be deemed expedient. He
made the annnunc ement thus early be-
cause private business would demand his
attention oat Of the State during the
months of June and July.
| Mr. she reviewed briefly his course in
the last Congress. lie had opposed the
series of measures comtnunly khOwn as the
compromise acts. In the late war with
Mexico Il vast extent of territory had
been acquired he had been unwiIIingt0 to
see his constituents deprived "t all possl-
BILE chance of participating III the benefits
of such acquisition. Al the session of
Cong ess preceding the last. an effort to
secure to the acquisition Is territorial or
ganization had been defeated by eight
Southern votes. No sooner was it known
in California that Congress had refused to
grant II a territorial Government. than its
Inhabitants proceeded to organize them
selves into State. lie was unwilling
that the "ixed population Of that State,
| should decide the cont rOversv then pend
ing between the North and the South.
There was no evidence that California
contai med at that time the population re-
quired to entitled it to admission as a
State, and the small number then there,
had included within its limits terri e
tory as great in extent as the old ori
ginaI thirteen States. Fur these reasons
he had voted against the admission Of Cali
forna as a state.
tie had also voted against the territorial
Government for New Mexico. 1t had
been formed by officers Of the Army,
who possessed no authority to do SO. and
included within its limits third of Texas.
The proper boundary of Texas was dis
puted question, but the officers Of the
I, Army then in New Mexico, had no right
to assume to define it. To satisfy Texas,
I 10000, 900 was offered her, which she
!, was compelled to take. Thus. his own
constituents were made to contribute out
of their own pockets. to pay for territory
, from which they were excluded.
In this connection. Mr. Ashe spoke OF
= the Fugitive slave law, which he said was
,. not properly one of the Compromise Acts
" - the law as it stands having been offered
by Mr. Mason of Virginia and not reported
. ecutes the Constitution, and he wished it
i to remain as a test of Northern sentiment.
t The responsibility was with the North !;
Il it was for them to decide whether the
r Union should stand.
5. The enormous expenses If the present
J. Administration were next touched upon D..
l. For three years under I'yler's Admins
" tration the average expenditures Of the
j. Government had been 2l.O00.OOO Tor
K three wears of PoIk's Administration. dur
q ing the war with Mexico, SAL 200, 600 ;
$ and for three years of Wing Adm inistra
ton, the third being estimated and the
h appropriations already made. an average
of $40. 600. 900. The present debt Of she
"A country was SS7. 100000 The old 9ues-
20 ton Of the Bank. Sub Treasury. &C.,
~ were obsolete, but the friends OF pr"tcc-
y ton were still in Congress. 1t was their
3 policy to make the debt as large as poss'
- BILE. 50 as to create a seeming necessity
20 for an increase of the tariff. The public
20 lands had been appropriated. and 10 re-
= the estimated expenses Of the Government
- for 1852, we're $50. 600. 900. The Army
g and Navy were too expensive. Hc was
p willing to vote for and sustain tariff that
IS would produce revenue sufficient to meet
the wants of the Government. but he would
" not vote to protect Northern Manufactures
y at the expense Of his constituents.
d Several other points were touched upon,
o which it is unnecessary for US to notice.
,c So far as we could learn. the citizens o
r. Duplin are entirely satisfied with the course
J. Of their representative while IN congress-
OF and desire his reelection. We sow no
K one who thought it advisable Or necessary
b. to cali Convention.