Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1851-07-19
PINE Hints, Dallas co
June 10, l~5l. {

/ OF receiving your friendly letter al an earlier
/ day. Ihasien 70 return an answer. You doubt
/ less attach 10 nv opinions u much greater i'm
/ porsnce than they deserve but az one Of your
! Senators in the councils Of the nation you have
right To drmand them on al political questions,
aud especially on those affecting your personal
security and rights OF property. shall proceed
to lay them before YOU with the irankness that
becomes msn--conceament of op'ni1ns, de-
/ beratey formed, never has, and trust never
will constitute any part OF my character, public
/ or private. shall never be deferred from CIV
! ing uiterance. from lhe apprehension that they
may not be in accordance withthose which others
entertain; or that by making them known,
may affect iniurously my standing as public
man. This is well understood by those who
| have known the longest, and know me best, Ii
| fall into error, to which every man is liable,
when convinced OF it, promptly admit and re-
trac. il, but much as | may desire to obtain the
appreciation of the people have the honor to
represent, | should feel that was unworthy Of
the position in which it has pleased them to place
me. tito gain it, were to trim my sails to every
popular breeze, and violate the obligations own
to our common country. condemn no man tor
honestly differing from me in opinion; but
have too much seif.respect aud trust ndrpend
ence, to surrender mine own TO please any man ;
or any set ofmen.
| had supposed that my action on the so.call>
ed compromises bill OF the last Congress, togeth.
er with the reasons which governed it, had been
so plainly marked BY my public declarations
and votes, as 10 preclude the possibility Of mis-
| l. ~ ri,,. I,,t,.
this seems not TO be the case. brief state
ment will, uusi, put an end to all doubt or
cavi tor the future. was, as you know, one
OF the committee of thirteen which reported the
compromise bin. Without going into detail, |
will onb say did not receive my sanction in
committee, no uouid |, under any circumstances,
hare giren it my support as repolted. The parts
20 which principally ohleced were the al.
mission oil California as State with aterri'ory
mare extensive than any three States Of the
Union, and The clause which emancipates slaves
Trough, into he District for sale. | could not
tail To see that most of those who advocated the
admission of California with her exlravagant
limits, would, but for the prohibition of slavery
contained in her constitution, have been the
mos violent in opposition to her reception into
the Union. She ovid her admission. then, to
the fact, that the people of the saveho'dng
States were deprived Of an equal participation
in a territory which Of right equally belonged
TO the CT liens of all the States. Finding that
there was fixed majority determined to per-
petrate this act Of injustice, If brought to the
direct vote made an effort 10 curtall the linn
its of the State. so that a terr torIal government
h. 81 ,Tt
da. At one time the prospect was fair that my
proposition, 80 proper in itself would succeed; II
however filled, and California became State
with thousand miles Of sea coast. No man
could have felt more indignant than did at
this partial aud unius, legislation, but am free
TO declare, that have no, been able to see in
the measures violation Of the constitution, as
commended for by many; d d | so consider it,
neither could nor would have expressed the
opinions. that the people of the South could
with honor, aud under the circumstances should,
acqniesce in what had been done. The Con,
stitulon simply gives 10 Congress tie power to
admit new States and the only restriction up
on thu exercise Of this power is, that the Stale
constitution shall be republican. No territorial
training is rrqnred--n0 assent OF Congress g.
the formation Of the constitution, previously
given is to be found The whole matter rests
with Congress to exercise a sound discretion.
As respects the bill ah,ishns the slave trade (
in the District Of Columbia, TO which you par
.icuarIy call my attention, wish to be dis |
timely understood. At an early period Of the
first session oflbe late Congress, declared in |
my place in the Senate, that | sl0o1 ready al
any time 10 authorize the breaking up Of those
slave maris in the midst Of the city. Oansive
as they were TO decency, preudicial 10 health.
and in many respects shocking TO humanity. 1t |
was my desire to coIhe the corporate authori. |
ties the city with the power to abate them as
nasances, wherever they conceived il proper to |
do so and for such bill would unhesaling.
" have gwen my vote-havng no fears that by
such measure slavery in the District would
he affected inuriously. The people more d.
rectly interested entertained no apprehension |
of,he kind and think | can say with Ger.
Ialnty that nine tenIhs Of the citizens desired
those slave marts to he suppressed. | however /
voted against the hill az it passed, because The |
penalty Of violating the law WAS the emincpa !
tion ofthe slave and would not. under any cir /
cums:ances, have given my sanction to emancl- |
patton in the District Of Columbia, whether as a
penalty Tor The violation Of law, or in any 9th |
or mauner-aad should feel il bounden duty to |
vote for the repeal Of The emancipatiug clause
whenever proposed
Permit me to advert for moment to the 9th
er provisions Of the bill as reported by the COM
mitlee, and for which, after il undergoes several
notifications | gave my vote-and flrst as to |
tho boundary Of Texas. am fully satisfied
that in giving my support to the line as agreed
on. although | had continued for different,
boundary, was promoting the true Interests Of
Texas and Of the whole South The claim Of
which has been raised agan,' the MEASURE
"that slave territory had been surrounded toiree
soil. has no found ,tion in fact. Many, however
wiIhou giving 10 the subject thorough eIaml''
alton, have boen made to believe that tho boun-
daFv II Texas had been established at the time OF
her annexation; and that her right to the whole
- - & III, D., C.a,J C.o,v. "a. rnouth