Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1852-06-23
GOV. REID's OREGON VOTE.

GOV. REDS OREGON VOTE.
The Raleigh Register, John Kerr, and other party
hacks, have revived and brought forward the old
charge against Gov. Reid of having voted. while in
Congress- for the Wmot Proviso in the Oregon bill.
We shall give but little attention to this charge.
for the simple that it amounts 10 nothing in it,
self, and because the people of North Carolina have
deliberately declared. tho polls, in eecting Gov
Reid, that they approve Of his eondScl the occasion
referred to. whatsoever, therefore, now calls Gov.
Reid to account for that VOICE. at the time calls
10 account without excuse reason, the fory-four
thousand eight hundred and forty-ive freemen who
voted for him in August, 1850, and who made him
Governor in the face of this false charge.
Gov. Reid never voted, on any occasion, for even
the Ordinance of 's7. HE UNIFORMLY VOTED AGAINST
but in order to give Oregon a government, and
regarding this Ordinance applied to Oregon, as in
accordance with the principles of the Missouri line
he voted for the bill organizing government for that
Territory with that Ordinance in it. He occupies in
this matter the very position occupied by President
Polk, in signing the Oregon bill in 1913; and that
position distinctly approved and justified at the
time by the Charleston Mercury. by this paper. and by
Southern Journals generally, of both parties. The
House journal of the Cd session of the 2Sh Congress,
page 3Is, shows that an amendment to the Oregon
~ and that the amendment passed, yeas, 1873, nays
69-DAVID s. REID VOTING IN THE Mega
TIVE. The bill then passed, with this amendment,
yeas 40, nays SO. Those who voted in the affrma.
tive, are David S. Reid, A. H. Arlington. Linn
Boyd, Howell Cobb, Aaron V. Brown. J. R. J.
Daniel. Cave Johnson. James J. Mckay, r. Barn
well Rheti, John SlidelI, William l.. Yancy," and
others; and those who voted in the negative, are
Inn Oui and 9TH 0,,rI
is that the Oregon bill, with this Ordinance of 's7
in it, passed the House at two sessions-Is45. 1876.
and l547-and was never acted on in the Senate un-
ill August, 1885, when it was started originally in
that body, sent to the House, the Ordinance Of 's7
put in, approved by the Senate, and then signed By
President Polk.
In his 7lh of March speech, 1850 Daniel Webster
said "Sir, if We were making government
for New Mexico, and any body should propose a
Wilmot Proviso. should treat it exactly as Mr..
Polk treated that provision for excluding slavery from
Oregon. Mr.. Polk was known TO be in opinion de.
ciGedly to the Wilnot Provso but he felt the
necessity of establishing a government for Oregon,
and though the Proviso was in it. he knew it would
be entirely nugatory; and since it must be entirely
nugatory since it took away no right, describabe
no estmable, no VEGETABLE or tangible right Of the
South. he said he would sign the bill for the sake Of
enacting law to form government in that Terrific
ry, and let that entirely useless and in that
ton, entirely senseess Proyso remain" Daniel
Webster concurred with MIR. Polk in signing that
bill Gov. Reid acted with Mr.. Polk. and was gov
erned by the same reasons which governed him;
Daniel Webster may be the Wing nominee for Pre-
sdent, and such will have the hearty support Of the
Raleigh Register; and yet that paper denounces the
act which Mr.. Webster has expressly approved, but
to which he gives a wrong name, " Infamous
blow at the honor and rights of the South!''
1t is proper that the difference between the Ordi-
nance of 81 and the Wimot Pfoviso should be cor
recty understood. The former applied to Territory
3orh of the Missouri line, and this in the Oregon
bill for which Gov. Reid voted; the latter in
tended to prohibit Slavery in all the Territories
CURED from Mexico, and was offered by Wmot in
Is46-hence the " WIl0vot Proviso."
But we intend to condemn the Raleigh Register,
and that 100 out of its mouth. That pape. Of
June 9th. Is49, speaking of Mr.. Clayton's Compro-
mise and of the Wimol Provso, not the Ordinance
of 81, said:
1--WE, however, have no intention of saddling all |
MIR. Calhoun's Constitutional incongruities upon
those who conceded with Mr.. Berrien in holding that
the Compromise Bill would have sanctioned the in.
troducti of Slavery into the territories. That opin
ion is honestly entertained, and plausibiy defended
by many Wings and Democrats; yet think II ut !
tery untenable and attach of blaEe 10 those
who voted either for against the Bill, believing ii
TO be mailer Of not the least consequence aDha Con-
gress may do TN The premises since the laws of nature
have irrevocably excluded Slavery from the Terrific
ries acquired of Mexico. BY the way, the latest as
we'll all preceding accounts from California, show
that the people of that territory opposed Slave
ry, and will not have it among them. They de-
clare in all their public meetings."
Here it is distinctly asserted by the Register, that
it is " matter of not the least consequence W HAT
CONGRESS MAY DO" ON THE SUBJECT |
OF SLAVERY in the Territories acquired from
Mexico since the laws of nature have rrrevocablt
excluded it from those Territories Or, in other
words, it made odds, really, whether Congress
applied the Wilmot Previso to California and New !
Mexico not There it is, in plain English; and
yet that paper, with these soemnly recorded words
IF its 0,on staring it in the face has the audacity and
The hypocrisy to denounce Gov. Reid because he
voted, under peculiar circumstances, and in accor-
dance with the principles of the Missouri line, (aiter
having voted against inserting the Ordinance) for
the bill organizing government for Oregon, with the
Ordinance of 81 In it
Bul the Register lays great upon the fact,
alleged, that the AnliSlavery Standard Abolition
paper, rejoiced over Gov. Reid's election years
since as triumph for the Wiltnot Provso principle
N North Carolina. Admit this rejoicing by that pa
per, and what does it tol LIST. That the Ed
tor Of the Register hard run hen he has