Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-01-10
GOV. WASHINGTON HUNT ON SLAVE

relates to Slavery and Federal Relations
Since the adjournment of our last Legislature,
the grave questions respecting the organization
of the newly acquired territories of the Unon
which had for some years involved the country
in agitation and strife have been detnitively act
ed Oil by Congress. California has been welcom-
ed as the thrty-first of the States composing the
Federal Union the disputed boundary of Texas
| has been settled while New Mexico and Utah
have been organized by acts which in effect leave
the Mexican law prohibiting slavery in force, and
refer the question of its admission or exclusion to
the ultimate decision of the people concerned. 1t
is generally believed that the public sentiment in
these newly organized communities, cooperating
with other causes, will prevent the introduction of
slavery from which the country was exempt when
it was conquered by our arms.
! Notwithstanding the violeut discussions which
have agitated the country, and the wide diversity
of opinion which existed in respect to the ques-
ito IS involved in the recent action Of Congress,
general disposition is evnced to acquiesce in the
measures referred to, and to regard them as f.
nal settlement of those territorial controversies.
| The peolpe of this State continue to indulge
| strong desire that harmony and mutual good will
may prevail between all portions of our widely
extended Republic. They are law abiding peo-
pie; they cherish the most friendly sentiment to-
ward their brethren of the South; and have al
ways conceded to the slave States the entire
right to maintain and regulate Slavery within their
own limits, and to exercise all those rights with
out abridgment or hindrance which the Constitu-
| tioa confers. More than this ought not to be
| claimed or expected.
tits scource of profound surprise and regret
that any portion of the people of the Southern
States should find, in the terms of settlement IL
nally agreed upon by Congress, an occasion for
the continuance of sectional jealousy or supposed
necessity tor nurturing the spirit of disunon. In
the admission of California and the organization of
governments for the territories, Congress adopted
| the principle originally commended for by many
leading statesmen of the South, of leaving the
| matter to the uncontrolled action of the people
| themselves. l cannot but persuade myself that
the feelings of alienation exhibited by some OF our
| fellow-cihzens in the Sothern States, must pro-
coed from an unhappy msconception of the views
and sentiments entertained by the Northern people.
Great injustice is done in assuming that we have
intended or now mediate encroachments upon
the just rights of any portion of the Confederacy.
During the entire period of our national history,
the people of New York have manifested a spirit
of kindly Difference to the feelings and prejudices
of our sister States, and readiness to sacrifice
everything but principle and honor for the sake of
union and concord. Their course has been dis
tinguished by broad spirit of nationality, eeva-
ted far above the indulgence of local views
tonal partialities. The limits of this communca-
ton will not permit me to recall all the evidences
in which our history abounds of the generous
spirit of concession which New York has uni
formly manifested as prominent member of the
Federal Union.
For more than three-fourths ofthe period which
has elapsed since the adoption of the Constitution,
Southern statesmen, elevated by the aid of her
voice, have filled the Presidential office. Every
peaceful extension of our Southern territorial
limits was made with her concurrence, until by
successive steps all the Slave territory the
North American Continent was brought within the
boundaries of the United States. Although every
new acquisition diminished the relative weight of
New York in the National Councils, she waived
| all views of State power ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, and
yielded to the considerations urged by other sec.
tons in favor of annexng the contiguous coun
} tries.
II Nor is this ALL Far from invading any of the
Constitutional rights of the Southern States, our
people and their representatives have always re-
spected those rights, and abided cheerfully by all
the conditions of the federal compact. 1t should
not have been regarded as an encroachment upon
the rights of any State that we objected to the ex-
tension of Slavery over country acquired by our
common efforts, and which had been made free by
the action of its own legitimate authorities. Nc
wrong was inflicted upon any State by the effort
to give to the people of the conquered territories
government best adapted to their sentiments and
their future happiness.
BY the Ordinance of 1887 large portion of the
American people haddeclaredtheir conviction tina
Slavery ought not to be extended over free terri.
tory; but the exclusion of that institution from the
States of the Northwest was not then deemed
sufficient to prevent the formation of the Fedora
7 Union. The same sentiment still exists in the
Northern mind, to be manifested whenever and
only when its exercise is provoked by new agrees
slons; and cannot concede that it affords any
ground for complaint on the part of any of the
States-still less that it can justify secession,
revolution, or any effort to overthrow the free
Constitution established by our fathers.
Ihave thus adverted to the course of this State
in its national relations from no desire to revive
past discussions; but from a conviction that it is
due to our people to vndidate them from imputa-
tons of sectional prejudice, indifference to const-
tutonal obligations, or hostility to the rights of
other portions of the republic. Ifthere is danger
to the Union from any quarterI rejoice to say that
1t will not be found within borders. Men of
extreme opinions may be found in every commu.
nifty; but the great body of the people of New
York are aware that the Constitution of the U.
States was framed and adopted in the spirit of
compromise, and that it must be faithfully main
| tanned, in the same spirit. They are attached to
''iS Choii, tiey CHeTlsu I'LL diueilt ueVOtOH 10 III
and desire to see it preserved by manifestations
OF mutual Difference and regard b;tween the
States composing it.
| Although New York might maintain respectable
attitude before the world, and would not fail to pre-
serve her liabilities independent State, she would
regard dissolution the Union iiom any cause as the
greatest calamity which could befa mankind. When
ever the American Union is destroyed the cause of
Constitutional Government will be peried by the
mourn over the fall of mighty fabric which now ami
mates the hopes and commands the admiration of the
world Every patriot must desire that all fir
rtatlon disagreement between the different parts of
our common country may speedily disappear. Ii should
be the aim of all to alay sectional anmosites and 10
restore those kindly sentiments which united our an
| cestors in noble efforts and common trials
The questions resulting from our recent conquests
| having been disposed of by the action OF Congress-
there can be no sufficient for eaousies and dis