The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-02


harmony to the country-this agitation should
cease.
Next, come TO the merits of the resolution
upon its face. There are, TO my mind, four spe-
cihc objections to this resolution as il now stands.
The first is, that the body of the resolution
does not go to the extent which the title i'm
plies. ! his isnot very material objection, be-
cause if the body of the resolution went to the
extent which il ought 20 go, and which, in my
Judgment, the people of Mississippi, in deter
mining to acqniesce i'll the measures of adjust
ment, thought it ought to go, then the preamble
could be easily altered as 10 make il cores.
pond with the body of the resolution. The pre-
amble, or title of the resolution, is, " A resolu-
ton declaring the measures of adjustment to be
Il definite settlement of tie questions growing
out Of domestic slavery" The preamble is very
full. 1t goes not only 10 the measures of ad
justment, but to all questions growing out of the
institution of domestic slavery. Now, what does
the body Of the resolution say in its present form?
After reclting the acts of compromise, it says
that they are, IN the judgment of this body, a
settlement IN principle and substance-a final
settlement OF the dangerous and exciting sub
Jects which thew embrace and ought to be ad.
hered to by Congress until time and experience
shall demonstrate the necessity of further lie gis-
latOn 10 guard against evasion or abuse" Hence
you see that the reso luton is only to be final
settlement of the dangerous and exciting sub.
jects embraced in the measures of the compro-
mise What subjectsare embraced in those meas.
ures? The admission Of California as a State
into the Union; the formation of territorial gov.
>ernments for 9TH and New Mexico the estab.
lishment Of the boundary of Texas; the abo-
ton Of slavery in the District of Columbia, and
ha I'm al ln,p Ara ibn. all h.
tons growing out of the institution of domestic
slavery? Notat all. The resolution in its pre-.
sent form only says they are to be final settle
ment of the questions embraced in the compro-
mise. 1t does not extend to future agitation on
other questions. An erroneous impression is
now going out to the country in reference to the
effects of this resolution, because every speech
which goes out from here in relation to it is head
ed with the caption of an address on the resolu-
ton declaring the measures of compromise a
final settlement of the agitation of the slavery
question Such is not the fact That is not the
resolution III its present shape. | have said that
the mere fact Of The body of the resolution moi
going to the ex ent which the preamble implies,
would be very mmaterial if the body of the
resolution went to sufficient extent to meet
the will and the intention of the people of Mis-
sissippi and the people Of the South in determin.
ing to acquIesce in these measures Of compro-
mise. But it does not
My second objection, then, to the resolution
is, that the body of the resolution itself does
not 60 to the extent to which the people of Mis-.
sissipp and the people of the South had in view
in determining to acquiesce in these measures
| read from the resolutions Of the Union conven-
ton in Mississippi, to which shall have occa-
sion again to refer. The first resolution of the
convention, after recting the acts Of the com
promise, says.
"And connected with them the rejection of
the proposition 10 exclude slavery from the ter
rtories Of the United States, and to abolish it
ia the District of Columbia, and whilst they do
not entirely approve, will abide by il a per-
manent adjustment of this sectional conrover-
sy."
This goes to the extent of connecting these
other two subjects with them, to show that il is
expected that agitation is not only to cease with
regard to the measures embraced in the compro
rise acts, but with reference to other questions
And then the resolution says:
Whilst they do not entirely approve, will
abide by it as permanent adjustment Of this
sectional controversy"
The fifth resolution SAYS:
Resolued, further, 9Th, That whilst, in the
ments and opinions of the people of the State
of Mississippi, still violations of the rights of the
people of tie State may occur which would
amount to intoerable oppression, and would
Justify resort to measures of resistance
amongst which, in the opinion of the conven
ton, the people of the State have designated the
following:
lst The interference by congressional leg
islation with the institution Of slavery in the
States.
sd Interference with the trade in slaves in
the States.
"3d. Any action of Congress on the subject
of slavery in the District of Columbia, or 10
places subject to the jurisdiction of Congress,
incompatible with the safety and domestic tran.
4uility-the rights and honor of the slavehold-
ing States.
cath. The refusal by Congress to admit new
State into the Union on the ground of her toler.
ating slavery within her limits.
18th. The passage of any law by Congress
prohibiting slavery in any of the territories.
10Th. The repeal of the fugitive slave law,
and the neglect or refusal by the general gov
eminent to enforce the constitutional provisions
for the reclamation of fugitive slaves"
All these are measures with respect to which
the people of Mississippi, in the opinion of the
convention, have decided that agitation shall
cease in the Congress of the United States.
The resolution, in its present form, does not 90
to the extent ofembracing those measures upon
which agitation ought and should cease
Sir, will show further what the position of
the Union party in Mississippi is, by reading
from resolutions of a late party convention held
by them at Jackson, on The 9Th inst In the
fourth resolution of the series they say this:
"'That holding the views expressed in the pre-
ceding resolution, the delegates appointed to
represent rs in the National Convention be aud
they are hereby instructed to use their utmost
efforts to have the convention require that the
candidates who may be nominated for Presidency
and Vice Presidency shall be men pledged to
the support of the compromise measures as a
final adjustment of the slavery question"
Not only of the measures embraced in the
compromise, but the whole slavery question.
What the South want Is, that this question
shall be excluded in the future from the Halls
of Congress. | might 90 further, and give ex-
tracts from the press--the Union party press
to show what was the sentiment of the people
of Mississippi with reference to Mis subject |
will read simplv short pNtrart from ono IF tho