The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-12-18

ing this subject previous to the ceding OF the coun
try by Mexico; and it ia well kno that the bigoted
iron rule OF old Spain, which was adopted by Next
co, refused the Indians righs of o:cupany unless
they were baptised. This necessarily prevented any
Indian Teser atioDs previous to the transfer to the
United States; and thus the red man hal been dri-
ven abort, helpless, houseless wanderer, without
FOOT OF Gods heritage he conld call his He
thanked Gcd such had not been the policy ofour gov
ernment-but tn It hand had been stretched out to
ib's unfortunate race and effort made to atone to
some exteptf for the many wrongs done them, by Sc
curing to til EN- a small portion OF the vast posses
sions o. their fathers. Benton, in his criminal blum
der upon this subject had shown himself no lawyer,
nor did he think he ever had been one; and yet
this is the man who is known ia Europe and
America, and expects to be known to posterity.
Mr. AtchfsOn had opposed Nebraska, aid ,couid
oppose 4 unless the Missouri Con,Iron Sc ,cas or
tuaAy repealed, although in the last Congress he
well nigh waived his opposition at the solicitation Of
bis colleague yet upon mature reflection he opposed
his bill, believing among other reasons that it would
be injury to Missouri TO be thus removed from the
envable position she now occupies a. o frontier
State. The Mexican, Santa Fe, and California
trade. which she had 30 long possessed with such
marked advantages, would then be cut Off He
opsOed Nebraska from his unwillingness to
violate existing treaties; again he opposed because
free States, the tendency Of chch ,ooud be to still
further 1e0p0s due our sture interest And lastly he
opposed it upon principle, its admission upon the
Missouri Compromise of 1920 would be to debar his
COnstiLutS OI the rlSnt Ol carrying IneiC properly
there. Col Benton had announced in the Senate that
there was not one foot Of slave territory belong
ing to the United States the stipulation In the treaty
cedng Louisiana and New Mexico having excluded
it. Clay and Webster having asserted the same
thing he took their word for it, ard intended in this
maer so to act as not to violate the known Interests
OF his constituents as he could not do without vioat
ing his principles which he never intended to do
Policy may sometimes be compromised: principles
never. Forty millions Of dollars had been p aid by
Shareholders in common with those of free States,
for Louisiana, and theirs had been mingled with the
common blood md treasure which had obtained all
the territory Of this great and growing cozntry;
therefore, no power beneath the could ever com
pei him to apply the Missouri compromise in the ad
mission Of Nebraska, whereby three fourths
his constituents would be denied the privilege
OF taking their property thers. As soon as the
Indian titles are extingushed he is willing
to vote for it, il the Missouri compromise is
not applied; otherwise he would resign before he
would vote for it, and thus wanoLly do violence to
the sacred interests Of his State; and he would nov
resign did he think the people Of Missouri wished
him to vote for Nebraska under these circumstances