The primitive Republican., 1851-10-09

of the Convention themselves believe what G
they have thus indirectly asserted? / acquit c
them of such outrageous injustice. have
looked over the list of their names, and find
that very few of them are known to me, but {
| hazard nothing in asserting that there is {
not solitary member Of that Convention,
to whom I am known, either personally or
by reputation, who in the retirement of his
closet, left to commune alone with God, and
his own conscience, would venture to avow
to himself his belief of the truth of the charge
which he has thus contributed to prefer
against my personal integrity.
What then, was the motive of this extra
ordinary proceeding? do not say that the
members of that Convention, have been in
fuenced by, and participated in the move
ment of which I am about to speak that
they have, however, uncensciously lentthem-
selves to it, is obvious Ever since the
Senatorial election in 1917 there has been
concerted movement to destroy my public
standing before the people of Georgia. The
individuals engaged in it were not numerous,
but they were active, and some of them had
: control of the press. Failing to find in my
} course in the Senate, any act which they
t could use for the purpose of elimination,
J, they resorted tothe extraordinary alternative
} of withholding from my constituents, the
knowledge of any thing which ] had done,
which might be rewarded by their approba-
! ton From some of the presses of the polit-
: cal party with which 1 was associated, my
name was studiously excluded inser-
c tion became unavoidable in a report of Con-
, gressional proceedings, the part which had
e taken, however prominent, was either entirely
q omitted, or imperfectly reported. Now |
e cannot say that am busy member of the
Y Senate, but the record Of its debates will
/ show that l have taken my full share in its
Il proceedings, and yet there have been portions
o of time, in which have been actively en-
} gagged in those debates, during which, the
n fact of my being member of the body,
o could not have been ascertained, by reference
o to those presses. This singular mode of de-
IS stroying man in public station, by with
h drawing him from the notice of his constitu.
le ents, while others were prominently put for.
b. ward, has been the subject of remark to me-
lie on several occasions.
le The struggles of 1850, in Congress, and il
ID the State, at length occurred, and have sc
N cured to present an occasion for increased ac
Of tiyity In this movement In the session o
c. our Legislature in 1919, some measures of +;
~ very marked character had been adopted il
hit anticipation of the result of those whicl
in were pending in Congress. When that re
nc suit become known in the State, there wer
is some-a very few, as then believed, and a
If. the event has shown-whose excited and in
to dignant feelings would have led them to ex
tremes. 1t is the part taken by me in thes
ms transactions in Congress, and in. the State
which is now to be advcrted to, to determin
re on the justice of the charge preferred b
n these. resolutions. / will state it briefly, az
pealing to the Congressional records, and /
lis the recollections Of those to whom | address
a ed myself, for the correctness of that state
he ment.
by At an early period of the session of Coz
d? gross in 1850, the resolutions Of the Legi
he ature of Georgia were sent to the delegation
err They claimed as their predecessors had alway
he done (whether Whigor Democratic counse
", predominated in that body,) equality ia
we distribution Of the territory acquired trol
le- Merico. It became the duty Of the deleg
eat ton to endcavOr to give effect TO the wishes
err their constituents, and l am notaware Of an
nv diversity Of opinion as to the rightfuIness
I the claim which they preferred. In commc
err with my colleagues, resisted the admissiC
me of California as State. While the sever
civ measures relating to the newly acquired te
5 a ritory were embraced in one bill, | ende
inc vored to obtain such notifications of it
wn would enable me to vote for it. 1t failed
in the Senate as a combined measure, by no a
ce of mine, but by disagreement between
NO. friends relative to the boundary of Ne
nee Mexico, as the records of that body W
,es- shew. When separate bill for the adm
mt, sion Of California was presented, the deleg
ion ton united in opposing it. They may ha
,ro- differed as to the grounds on which they re-
rms ed their opposition, but all, 1 believe, concl
ary ed in the act.
no For the bills establishing territorial Cover
at ments in New Mexico and Utah, rested I
one der the belief that we were bound by /
! to treaty with Mexico to relieve the inhabital
|, | of the former from the military governme
lon to which they were subjected, and to emf
nor cipate the latter from Mormon rule.
t Of [ gave not only my vote, but my cord
rted support, to the bill providing for the sett
ered Iment of the conflicting claims of Texas a
bllO Il1bGQ 1OE bll6
did others reasons, which will state, withC
date discussing them:
az | /. I thought the peace and harmony
g to the Union were endangered. There wa
con- part of the army of the United States
ljec- New Mexico, whose commander exerc
ling civil authority within the limits of the |
ex- ritory claimed by Texas That State |
am provided for the extension of her laws O
en- { the whole territory which she claimed,
feel for a military power to sustain her officers
and the execution of them. In this state
! so things collision seemed inevitable; and
ven believing that ours was a Government
efer force, or which could be sustained by it,
could survive the strife of arms betwee
hich State and the United State, was anxi
sctly that these conflicting claims should be PEI
fully adjusted.
aspl- 2. Justice to the inhabitants Of 4
nose Mexico required this, or some similar adj
nous ment BY the boundaries which had B
established for California and Utah, )
uots small portion Of territory lying west of
gent Rio Grande, remained to New Mexico
re, Santa Fe, her chief city, aud the prime
ana centre Of her population lies east of it,
thus, If the Jurisdiction Of Texas had
.hese extended to.the Rio Grande, New Nc;
me, would have been limited to narrow STR
Dubts land west of that river. the p0Dulatio