Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-03-18


the condition we found it, part Of it toleratng slave
ry and some part Of it excluding it, The object to
effect some arrangement that would restore harmony to
national councils and peace the country and therefore
it was concluded that should insert the Wilmot
proyso in the Territorial bills of that year. but pass them
silent on the subject of slavery with the distinct under
standing that to drop the subject entirely That
this was the great predominang idea Of the adjustment
can prove from the record is well known that all
the countries acquired from Mexico subject to an
slavery restriction the laws Of that Republic re-
manned IN force Notwithstanding the conquest until set
aside by competent authority The Supreme Government
of that country had long before the abrogated the
called institution Of slavery and converted all the Terri
tories within its jurisdiction into free SOIL" This i'm
porant fact is distinctly referred to and recognised by
Mr.. Clay in his speech of February 9th:
"By law, he says slavery does not exist within the Ter
ritorfes ceded to US by the Republic of Mexico"
only refer the fact of the passage law by the
Supreme Government Of Mexico abost it, think, in the
year 1924" "The laws Of Mexico as they exist.
ed at the moment the cesson Of the Territories this
Try remained their laws still unless they were altered by the
sovereign which this people and their territories
ted States" =
Certain Southern Senators satisfied with the
mere exclusion of "the Wlmot proyiso from the Terri
toral bills they demanded an abrogation of this Next
can law; but the Senate refused to concede such abro
cation. 1.
On the 2ad of July Mr.. DAVIS, Of Mississippi, 1.-THE
present Secretary of War; submitted amendment to
that effect but it was rejected, yeas %, nays 49, My
honorable friend from Illinois (Mr. DouGLAs not
t have been present. and did vote This proves
Gusively that the basis of the adjustment or if you will
have it so, the principle" was " the stat, quo" There
was existing obstacle to the introduction of slavery
into the Territories and Congress asked it
out of the way but the response was no leave
matters to stand find them; wish to drop the
subject If Congress refused to impeachment
which existed the introduction Of slavery into the Ter
tores with which they at the moment dealing how
be said that they intended to strike down similar
impeachment apperainng to other and different Territories
which notbefore at ALL in the thoughts of
one IT. Mr.. President, considerations such these do
not satisfy honorable Senators that the basis Of the adj
justment of 1850 in truth and in part such now
contend for it sidle to pursue the argument further.
have thus Nh President, called to the notice Of the
Senate the essential elements Of the which desire
to present. and it only remains for to advert briefly to
certain topics to which honorable members who favor this
measure attribute considerable Importance but which,
in my Judgment entitled to consideration what
ever Having performed this task, shall hasten to
conclusion as soon as may be.
In the first place. Iwish to notice what said by the
honorable chairman N1r. DoUGLAs) his attempt, in
l84S to carry the parallel of $50 30 through to the Pa
cfc ocean, in which it he failed Herein he
suppose he find ample justification for the at
tempt which he is making to break up the compro
mise of1820. Now, Mr.. President, what the facts
There pending before Congress bill to organize the
Territory Of Oregon the whole Of which situated
north of $50 800 the southern line being in the parallel
of 400 north lattude in other words 80 3V north Of
the Missouri line.
The BILL if mistake not originated in the House, and,
when under consideration in the Senate it is true the
honorable Senator submitted proposition for an extern
sion of that parallel through to the Pacific d.
vision between free territory and slave territory; which
amendment adopted by the Senate. In the House,
however, regarded incongruous to the main OBJ
iect of the BILL and rejected accordingly cannot
see how the Senator can from this derive any
apology, much less justification, of his If di
vision the line Of 3G' 30f proper basis of adjust
ment in 1S4S it equally in 1850; and why did not
the Senator support that basis them he had ample
opportunity to do appears from the record that Mr.
DAVIS, OF Mississippi submitted in this body, July 18th,
proposition to divide the parallel Of 35o which
rejected by vote of yeas 49, nays S2the honorable Sc
nator voted in the negative that the same day, Mr.
King Qate Vice President Of the United Sates submit
ted another proposition to divide the parallel of &c.,
which rejected by vote of yeas 20, nays 37the
honorable Senator voted in the negative 1t also appears
that the 9Th of August Mr. Turney submitted pro-
position to divide the parallel of $50 30/ which
also rejected by vote Of yeas "a nays 49, and the hon.
orable Senator again voted in hsnegave The Senator
in his opening Speech that the defeat of lS4S
ated the necessity OF making compromise of 1850"
How Was not the whole subject under control
Was not just easy to establish that line in 1860
was in l84S! In his speech Chicago the Senator
signs enough why that line should have been
adopted. He insisted strenuousy that occasion that
the only effect Of the division of California the parallel
of 36o 30 would be to create two free States in place Of
the Pacific and this indicated the main ground of
my opposition that parallel have ever thought it
very bad policy for the Atlantic States and particularly
the glorious Old Thirteen, to bring this Government
avalanche Of States to be carved out Of Mexican
acquisitions The resort of the Senator to such argu
ment this is sufficient proof that he himself is
scious that he has very slender ground to stand to
vindicate the policy of this measure.
But by far the most extraordinary part Of the honora
BILE Senator's speech consists in his attempt to place him
self in an anti-slavery position. He went into long
induction Of facts in order to prove that the restriction
of slavery has been and ever will be- unfavorable
to freedom. He remarked that the Territory of Iowa
was organized without any prohbitory clause and yet
says he it became and remains free State. But
the honorable Senator to have forgotten that the
9Th section of the Missouri act remained in full vigor
and was binding the people Of Iowa during their Ter
rtorial existence 1t not necessary that the 9Th
section should have been reenacted reafrmed in the
given it one particle of additional force that the peo
pie of Iowa enjoyed the benefits and blessings of excu
sion while Territory, and in consequence they enjoy
the fruits of that policy to this day.
very much regret that the honorable Senator should
have made such strenuous efforts dscredit the ord
nance of 1887 which, according his account of the
matter tended powerfully to the introduction Of slavery
He the people Of the Northwest engaged
incessant instructions against its authority that they
regarded act of grinding oppression and would
have slaves and did have them in spite Of it. What
foundation is there for such pretence this? There
were few French settlers who held slaves de dcto will
the honorable Senator take the responsibility lawyer
Of saving that these persons slaves de ures Would
not the habea corpus have delivered every them from
servtude He does say whether there any acts
contrsvening the ordnance and 80, should like his
opinion on their validity Sir, the ordinance Of 1857
constitutes the main pillar Of that and glorious fab
rio of society which is exhibited northwest Of the Ohio
and which, in point of wealth. vgor, intelligence, and
universal progress is without parallel in this any
other country Under its benign and eyerpresent nfu
ence there has been built up less than FIVE large and
prosperous States which will be present usra