The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-03

4
the world, one which. ought in its action to DO
that which is most calculated TO give peace and
harmony to the country-this agitation should
cease.
Next, come 10 the merits of the resolution
upon its face. There are, to my mind, four spe-
cihc objections TO this resolution az it now stands
The first is, that the body Of the resolution
does not go to the extent which the title i'm
plies. This is not very material objection, be.
cause If the body of the resolution went TO the
extent which it ought to 60, and which, in my
Judgment, the people OF Mississippi, In deter.
mining To acquesce in the measures Of adjust.
ment, thought it ought to GO, then the preamble
could be easily altered SO as to make It cores
pond with the body of the resolution. The pre-.
amble, or title of the resolution, il, 6 Al resolu.
ton declaring the measures Of adjustment to be
definite settlement of the questions growing
out Of domestic slavery" The preamble is very
full. 1t goes not Only to the measures of adj
justment, but to ell questions growing out of the
institution Of domestic slavery. Now, what does
the body of the resolution say in its present form!
After recitng the acts of compromise, il saws
that they g 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 le pis
lation to guard against evasion or abuse" Hence
you see that the resolution is only to be final
settlement of the dangerous and exciting sub
jects embraced in the measures of the compro-
mise. What subjects are embraced in those meas.
urea? The admission of California as State
into the Union; the formation of territorial gov
ernments for Utah and New Mexico; the estab-
lahs, lnff NIL 49,
ton of slavery in the District Of Columbia, and
The fugitive slave law. Are these all the aues
tions growing out of the institution Of domestic
slaverys Nota 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
final settlement of the agitation of the slavery
question. Such is not the fact. That is not the
resolution in its present shape. have said that
the mere fact Of the body of the resolution not
going to the extent which The preamble implies,
would be very immaterial 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 detcrmin-
ing to acquiesce in these measures Of compro.
mise. But II does not
My second objection, then, to the resolution
is, that the bodyof the resolution itself does
not 90 to the extent to which the people of Mis-
sissppi 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 reciting the acts of the COM
promise, says.
And connected with them the rejection of
the proposition 10 exclude slavery from the ter.
ritories of the United States, and to abolish it
IN the, District of Columbia, and whilst they do
not entirely approve will abide by it az per-
manent adjustment of this sectional controver-
sy"
This goes to the extent of connecting these
other two subjects with them, to show that it is
expected that agitation is not only to cease with
regard 10 the measures embraced in the compro-
mise acts, but with reference to other questions.
And then the resolution says:
whilst they do not entirely approve, will
abide by il as Appointment adjustment of this
sectional controversy"
ne min resolution says:
Resolued, further, 9th, That whilst, in the
opinion Of this convention, such are the senti.
ments and opinions of the people Of the State
of Mississippi still violations of the rights of the
people of the State may occur which would
amount TO intolerable oppression, and would
justify a resort 10 measures Of resistance,
amongst which, in the opinion of the conven.
ton, the people Of the State have designated the
following:
1st The interference by congressional leg
islation with the institution of slavery in the
STATES.
"2d. Interference with the trade in slaves in
the States.
"3d. Any rction of Congress on the subject
of slavery in the District Of Columbia, or in
places subject to the jurisdiction of Congress,
Incompatible with the safety and domestic tran
quiGty---the rights and honor Of the slavehold
ing States.
"4th. 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.
18th. The repeal Of the fugi,iye 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 ttat 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 late party convention held
by them at Jackson on the 18th inst In the
fourth resolution Of the series they say this:
"fhat holding the views expressed 10 the pre-
ceding resolution, the delegates appointed to
represent US in the National Convention be and
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