The daily union., 1854-02-09
THURSDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 9, 1854.

noIes. would be sufficient 10 prevent its introduction
but added as follows
- need hardly add, that would resist, by my votes
aha hnurhee' any attempt by positive legsauon to in.
uoaneo slavery lnto any portion of California or New
Mexico, OF into any other Territory free"
Mf Hannesan declared .lbat Congress does possess
Tue power under the constitution, OF prohibiting slavery
~ The Territories OF New Mexico and California, or in
any other Territory whilst the common property Of the
conisderacy" lie refused. however to pledge himself
any uf'her Than that he would be governed by the in
slructions OF lhs legislature OF Indiana
Mr.. Whitcomb asserted ..that Coryress can, in my
Judgment consuutionally prevent the introduction OF
slavery n'o tnose Territories, and pledged his 'infu
ence and vote ior the passage by Congress- OF law Of the
kind referred TO-" raI
Mr. Chamberlain, after stating, among other things,
briefly that our newly acquired Territories OF New Mex
co ana California were Tree from negro slavery, and that
il was admitted all hands, in the free States that they
should DC Kept So proceeded 10 say: "l legislation by
Congress IS necessary for one. satisfied that il s
too late 10 question its right to exercise power il has al
ready SO often and so uniformly exercised"
las constitutional question, this uniform precedent
has established or the people rule OF construction and
while should be constant effort to avoid all unne
cessary irritation the subject for the sake OF the
Union and the public peace yet should uponmhe
convicon mat duty requires the adoption OF whatever
legal means may become necessary for the absolute
clusion q slavery from those Territories while they re-
There rare coincidence In the sentiments of xll
these gentlemen MIR. Whitcomb was elected the sona-
tor The State convention Of January s. l64o followed
and the sentiments soemnly reiterated by that
without dissenting voice This body embraced many
OF the most distinguished democrats in the State among
whom James Whitcomb, president Of the conven-
ton, Colonel German, now governor Of Minnesota,
Ethan Allen Brown. former governor OF Ohio, and
Messrs Davis, Harlan, and Miller. of the present House
Of Representatives. Joseph A. Wright was nominated
for governor and advocated the doctrines OF the resou-
tons throughout the State.
These "reminiscences called up. for purposes OF
recrmnstion, but 10 show that Judge Chamberlain was
not singular n his posonthat he Stood in fact upon
the platform erected by the democracy OF the Staeand
that if indeed. he were guilty OF heresy he shared it in
| common with all
| Time, since then, has wrought many changes The
great questions al issue in 1850 have been adjusted and
the language of the Baltimore platform. the democracy
Of Indiana have "scquesced and do "acquesce, in that
adjustment. They will dissrb or reopen them,
violate their pgh,ed faith for the preservation OF the
harmony Of the Union and the unity Of the democracy
Their doctrine is. "et by cones be by-gones" " and
this reference to the past would have been unnecessary
the attempt had not been made single out Judge Cham
berain as par srcslIsnes Wlmot provsost. When be
fails 10 sustain the administration OF Franklin Pierce in
every constitutional and proper act. or shrnks from
the avowa and advocacy OF democratic measures and
principles, from rigid scrutiny of his motives, then
and not ill then, will he deserve the denuncations o
the Sentinel. AN lNDIANIAN