The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-03-28

wAsHncroK, Dee 30, ls47.
Grsrlrnrk Agreeably 10 your request, place at
vouT sisposal copy oil The letter 10 which you refer
With gres, respect an gentlemen your oeedsai ser
Hon' J. Thompson, w s. Fea,herslon. VIM. sawyer,
1T J. Turner, w. " Wick, ]. L. Robinson, II. 5
Fooe, Howell Cobb, A. w Vensble, ID ; Dickinson
wasaIkeros, Dec "a. ls47
DEAR SIR have received your letter, and shall an.
sWer il as frankly as II Is written.
You ask me whether ! am 10 favor OF the acquisition
Of Mexican Territory, and whai are my sentiments VIII
fegaId TO HE Wiinol pIoylsof
fhaye 40 often and 20 explicitly stated my views OF the
hst question in the Senate that u seems almost unneoes
ssry 10 repes, them here As you request a. however
,h;nk then that no peace should be gFantea 10 Mex
leo ill reasonable indemnity obtained Tor The injuries
which she has done The territorial extent OF this
indem niiy The FIRST instance subject oil executive
consideration There the constitution has placed H. and
there willing 10 leave II moi only because have
full confidence in It's udicous EXERCISE but because IN
The eyer-yarying circumstances OF war; II would be IN
Discreet BY apubhc declaration, 10 commit the country
10 any line OF indemnity, which might Otherwise be en-
aged the obstinate injustice OF ,he enemy prolongs
tLs contest, with its loss OF blood and treasure.
Ii appears that The Kind OF metaphy steal magma
nini which would REJECT ali indemnify a. the close Of
bloody and expensive brought on by direct al
tack upon troops by the enemy and preceded by
succession OF unjust Tor series of years. as u.s.
worthy OF the age in which live as rs revolving TO
the common sense and Practice oil mankind. II would
our present reputation, 10 declare that we epudiae all
expectation ot compensation from the Mexican govern.
men and fighting, mol Tor any pfacica result bnt
for some vague-perhaps phanhropic-obJeet, which es
canes my penetration and must be defined by those who
assume this principle OF national inercomn unlea-
ton All wars To be deprecated az well by the states
man as BY the philanhropst They great evils but
there are greater evils than these and submission to
Injustice is among them. The nation which should
refuse To defend its rights and s honor when a..
sailed would soon have Deither to defend; and when
driy IN war / Ig mi
estedBess and declarations OF nagnanimIy Thai lis
rational objects be best obtained, or other nations
taught lesson OF strongest secufy for
permanent peace We are at with Mexico. and lis
vigorous prosecution is the suresl means OF It's SPEEDY
termination, and ample indemnity the sures, guarantee
against he recurrence OF such injustice provoked IT,
The Wilmot proviso has been before The country
time Ii has been repeatedly discussed in Congress and
by the public press, am strongly impressed with the
opinion thai great change mas oeen gong on ~ The
pnoic mind upon this subleei-in my own ar well as
others; and that doubts resolving themselves mic
convictions that The principle ii involves should be kept
OF the national legislature and lei, TO The people OF
the coniederacy theiE respective local governments
The whole subject comprehensive one, ana fruitful
OF important consequences II would be -tued 10 DIS
here shall not assume that responsible task,
but shall conipe myself TO such general views are
necessary TO The lair exhibition OF my opinions
We may well regret the existence OF slavery in the
southern States, and wish they had been saved from lis
introduction But there II is, and not by the act OF the
present generation; and deal with II great
practical question, involving the most momenious
quences. We baye neither the night nor The power 10
touch IL where exists and il had bolh their
cse by any heretofore esied might lead
suits which no wise would willingly encounter, and
which no good man could contemplate without anxiety
The theory OF oar government presnpposes that ais
members have reserved TO themselves the Iegua
ton OF all subjects relating 70 whaI may be termed their
internal police They sovereign within their bound
aries, except IN those cases where they have SUI
rendered TO ihe general government portion Of Their
rights in order TO give effect TO he objects OF The Union,
whether these ocbeern foreign nations OF The several
States themselves Local institutions, II may speak
whether they have reference TO slavery or TO any other
relations domestic or public, LETT 10 local authority,
either originally derfvatve Congress has rghtt 10
say tina, there shall be slavery in New York, or that
there shall be no slavery in Georgia nor is there any
other human power BAT the people OF those States,
specvey, which change The relations existing there
in; and they say, il they will We will have slavery
in the iornsr, and we wil abolish IL IN The latter.
In various respects The Territories differ from the
States. Some OF their rights iDchoae, and they do
not possess Tue peculiar attributes OF sovereignty Their
relation 10 the general government Is very nperecty
defined BY lhe constitution ard viii be found. upon
examination, That in tina, instrument the only grant OF
power concerning them sconveyed IN the phrase Soon
gress snail have the 10 dispose Of, and make all
Deedui rules and regulations respecting, the territory and
other properly belonging 10 The United States" Ger
iainy ibis phraseoory very loose, II it designed
to include in The Srart the whole power of Legislation
over persons, well as things The expression the
"errory and otter property" fairly construed relates
the public lands such sIsenas, dock yards forts,
ships, and all the various kinds OF property which the
United States may and must possess.
bu surely the simple authority 10 dispose Of and regti-
last ihese does not extend 10 the unlimited power oil
legislation 10 the passage OF all ous the most
eTsl accepaon OF The word which, by-he-by, IL care
July excluded iron The sentence And indeed II this
were So would render unnecessary another provision
OF me constitution, which grants 10 Congress the power
70 isgslae with the consent OF the States respectively
over all places purchased for the erection OF forts maya
zines. artensis, dock yards. &C. These being The
vopufy' OF The Uniied States II the power &c ma >
''needfnl rules and regulations coscerpingn Them in
Guides the general rower Of legislation then The grant
OF authority 10 regulate 'the territory and Other
OF the United States unlimited wherever subier. are
found Tor us operation and it's exercise needed NJ anvil
larry provision H. the oker hand II does moi inrinds
such power o. Legislation over the other properly,
OF Toe United States, then il does not inclnde !,
over their "rriiorg !" Tor The same terms wbiea Gran,
the grant the other. "TsrYdfop is here CHASED " M
property and treated such AID the object was ev,
denty 10 enable The general government as frooery-
hoideF-which from necessity, Il must be-to manage
preserve, and "duyos Of" such property as urb, nos
sess, and which authority j. essential ALMOST Ia IA bein
bu' tae lives and persons OF citizens with the vas
variety OF Objects Connected with them cannot IL con
isoed by an ssihory, which il merely called into ~
itnoe lof me purpose o. making rules and rsruaon foy
h dvo'uion and management u properly
Such, itarpesrs 10 me- would be The cous,rp,,,o, -,
upon ths Pfevson OF the constitution were his nnss
ton DOW h't presented for consideration. and not s
uoHea by lmpeuous circumstances Tie otgin.l 81,
nance OF the Congress 81 The Confederation ng.sd IL
i7s7, and winch was be only nc, u,on his snbiec y
force ~ iht adoption d The constitution prorled eog
peie fame OF government for the country porth ~ ~
ohio while territorial condition and frr ia eysn,sl
ADMISSION IN separate States into the Union And Inc
persuasion ihai TITS ordinance Contained within s.T M
he necessary means vi execution probably pre- AM
oeci reference 10 the subject In The constitution furthe
man vesnng N congress the. right 10 admit the States
formed under into The Union. However eircumsianca.
which requfsd leeislatpD az uel 49,, ~. ,,