The primitive Republican. (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-1852, 1851-06-26
From the North Alobaulan, goth inst.
Col Clemens Speech

In accordance with previous notice, Col.
Clemens addressed the people of Franklin
county in this place on Monday last. His
remarks were principally confined to a de-
fence Of his own course in the Senate of the
United States, and were listened to with
marked attention BY one Of the largest audi
ences which We recollect ever having seen as
sembled, on a merely political occasion, in
this town. We took no notes of the speech,
and should not have attempted even a synop-
sis of it, if the Franklin Democrat had not
seen fit to devote a column and more in his
peculiarly Characteristic vein to it. Subjoin-
ed we have endeavored to state, in very
concise form, some Of the important points
upon which Col c. touched, giving our rec
objections merely, and in our own language.
Col. c. set out with a reference to his own
position, and to the fact tll1. he had been ira
duced and abused by theselfstyled Southern
Rights party, to the full extent of their abil
/ ty, for the course which he had seen fit tc
pursue in the last Congress in relation to that
series of measures known as the Compromise
acts He then proceeded toreyiew, in con.
else manner, the different acts comprising
that series, and showed that the South was
fully as much in fault for their passage as the
North, if there was really anything wrong in
the matter.
In relation to the admission of California
he said that it was as much Southern as
Northern measure. It was first recommend
ed by President Polk, a southern man; and
in accordance with his views a bill was intro
duced by Senator Douglass of Illinois, fol
the admission of California as State. Thi.
was defeated by the North. Again Gen
Taylor, another Southern President, recon
mended the same thing. Finally the poopl,
of California took the matter in hand them
selves; called convention, framed consti
tuition, asked to be admitted into the Uniol
as State, and Congress granted their request
Mr.. Clemens said that he opposed her ad
mission, not because he considered the &C
unconstitutional, but as matter Of policy
In relation to the Territorial bills for Uta
and New Mexico, he said they were Soul
crn measures; that every southern member
Congress except two voted for the Utah bill
and every southerner in Congress for that
New Mexico In relation to the assertio
of the sccessionists, and other fre-caters, tn;
the Wilmot Proyiso was in cdcct attached
these bills, he had only to say that he knc
of nothing of the kind--unless it was IL
nature Of the climate and soil, which rende
, ed that country unsuitcd to slave labor, al
over those matters Congress, of course, h;
no control. If there was any other prohil
, ton to Shareholders carrying their proper
: into those Territories, he did not know it,
+ As to the Texas boundary bill, he he
that if it was not southern measure, it &C
It tainly was not Northern one; for no Alb
5, litionist or Frce-soiler, in Congress, or al
:, one tincturod with those fanaticisms, yot
for that measure.
a The Fugitive slave bin, Col c. suppos
e no one was disposed to find fault with as
Northern measure. Much was said, howe
,, er, about the ineficiency of this law, and
thought without good cause. There We
L but two cases on record where the execute
l, of that law had been for.ibly and successfl
y " resisted, and both those cases occurred
I Massachusetts. To counterbalance tho
d two cases, he would refer to a well known ia
=, in this community, of afamily of slaves la
9r ing been stolen from gentleman of Il
If county, aud carried to Indians. When pl
sued by the owner, he found, not only the I
Is groes in jail, but the white man also who h
er carried them off, and all were readily del
n eTedu to him to be brought back to Alaban
a The other case Col. C had seen stated in t
re Washington Southern Press, where ninete
e negroes had escaped into Ohio in one MIC
Of from one Of the border COMMITTEES Of KentucE
and the.editor dWelt with apparent satisf
s ton upon the occurrence, as an evidence
what has been so frequently and strenuoui
urged byhis co-laborers the ineficiency
the Fugitive Law. tthisveracious edit
) SO far as Col. @. had seen, had avoided, n
lected or overlooked, stating another ad
tionalfact, intimately connected with this
cu1fenee to the effect that those ninots
slaves had been voluntarily unprecedented
the interior Of Ohio, BY citizens Of thatSta
and taken back to their owners ii lkentle1
J, Upon the subject Of Secession, Col
said he did not feel himself called upon
enter into a discussion He, in comm
with those who stood with him upon
i gieorgia platform, admitted the right Of
sistanee 70 the acts d Che geneial gov
ment, WheneYer those etsshoud become.
= constitutional, upja st, oppre Ire 81 tyr:sl
4 cal BY nstitutional and pea ceable pc;
land as 4 las sesoft, b. resg .tioa Ills
was natural and inalienabIe rss9h
s those who assert that night, do soiin fully
of te eonse uences itinYolyes
Col g d8elt q some length alon he
litieal divisions M isions "a lis
soine u tie States i've
ant sand we're Pa 1