Washington sentinel., 1854-02-25

and the Oregon bill passed, and received the
sanction Of the President without this recogni-
ton Of the Missouri compromise, but in the
face of its open reputation and abrogation by
the north. This, sir, is the truth Of history, and
so let it be written. And with what sort Of
face can gentlemen, with these facts before
them, rise up here and say that this compro-
mise has been undisturbed and acquiesced in
for thirty years But, sir, there is still another
chapter in this history.
AT the close of the war with Mexico, exten-
sive territories, as was expected, were ac-
quired-territories extending south ms well as
north of the line of 36o 30<, constituting pub
lie domain of hundreds Of thousands of square
miles, purchased by the common blood and
common treasure of the people of the south as
well as the north The policy Of the advocates
of the !" Wilmot proviso,h from the beginning,
had been to appropriate the whole of this i'm
mense region exclusively to the north. Hence
their uniform hostility to the Missouri compro-
MISE because that was founded upon the prin-
ciple of division. Their determination was to
have all. The south was. still willing to divide
Notwithstanding the policy which she ever ad-
vocated was to leave all the Territories open
for the occupancy and colonization of the peo-
pie of the whole country, from whatever sec
ton they might emigrate, with the liberty of
forming such institutions, upon republican
basis, as they might deem most conducive to
their happiness, interest, and prosperity, with
out any congressional restriction or dictation
whatever. This was always the doctrine main
tanned at the south. She was willing to divide,
only as an alternative between that and a
greater evil. To an entire exclusion, by act OF
Congress, she had made up her mind never to
submit, let consequences be what they might
This was the state of things upon the assem-.
bling of the thirty-6rs Congress. The events
of that Congress are too recent and vivid upon
| the recollection of all to need rehearsal. The
| majority of the north still proclaimed their de-
termination to appropriate the whole OF the
| public domain to themselves Both sections
| stood in hostile array against each other. The
| strife became so embittered and fierce that le-
gislation was paralyzed, and everything seemed
to threaten confusion and anarchy. The south
again repeatedly proposed settlement upon
the Missouri line. The proposition was made
in this House, on the part of the south, for the
last time, on the 18th day of June, 1850. It
was in these words
Provided hoeerer That 1t shall be no objection the
admission into the Union Of State which hereafter
be formed out of the territory lying south Of the parallel OF
latitude of SO degrees 80 minutes that the constitution Of
said State may authorize establish African slavery
therein
This proposition was rejected in Committee
of the Whole upon count by tellers-ayes 78,
noes SO. 1t was the last time, sir, it was ever
offered. When the north had again, and again,
and again, for three years, refused to abide by
it, the south, driven to the wall upon it, was
thrown back upon her original rights under The
Constitution. Her next position was, that ter
ritorial restriction by Congress should be to-
tally abandoned, not only south of 36o 30/, but
north of that line, too! Upon this ground she
planted herself on the 10Th day of June-the
debates in this House on that day were more
exciting, perhaps, than ever upon any day
since the beginning of the government. 1t
was upon that day put the question directly
to distinguished gentleman then here from
Ohio, Mr.. Vinton, whether he would vote for
the admission of any slave State into the Union,
and he refused to say that he would. The de-
termination, as manifested by the votes of the
majority of the north, was to supply legislative
restriction over the whole of the common ter
ritory, in open and shameless disregard Of the
principle of the so-called Missouri compromise,
Notwithstanding the gentleman from Vermont
says that it has been adhered to and held in
violate for thirty years. 1t was on that day,
sir, that distinguished colleague of mine, Mr..
TooMBs,1 then on this floor, now in the other
wing of the Capitol, made that speech which
has become somewhat famous in our State, in
which he said, with eloquence seldom heard
within these walls:
| ave do not oppose California on account Of thu
antslavery clause in her constitution. 1t was he
right, and | am not even prepared to say that sh,
| acted unwisely in its exercse-that is her bust
ness. But stand upon the great principle that the
south has right TO an equal participation in The
| territories Of the United States"
l Il II -
Deprive us of the right, and appropriate this
common property TO yourselves, it is then your
government, not mine. Then / am ls enemy
and will then, if can, bring my children and my
constituents 10 the altar of liberty, and, like Ha
milcar, would swear them 10 eternal hostility tc
and we are ready. ever heretofore, TO stand BY
the Union, every part of it, and its every interest
refuse il, and for one, will strike for independ
enceh
| 1t was then, when the north had refused al
compromise, and went into the contest for "tht
whole or none,' that the south took up the
gage, planted herself upon her original ground
armed, as she conceived, in the panoply of truth
and her representatives, boldly meeting those
arrayed not only against her rights but grea
principle of free government face to face, said
Lay on, Macduf;
And damnd be him that first cries, Hold, enough =
The grounds she then took were, that there
should be no settlement Of this territorial con
troversy but upon the recognition of her origi
nal principles, which were, that all congress
sional restrictions upon this subject were wrong
and should be totally abandoned. This wa
the basis Of her uitimat,tna, as then proclaimed
| 1t was offered in this House on the 18th day o
June, 1850. No decision was had on it.
| was offered two days after in the Senate to th,
then pending compromise bill in the Senate
This proposition was in these words
"And when the said territory, or any portion 0
the same shall be admitted as a State, il shall b.
received into the Union with or without slavery
as their constitution may prescribe at the time o
admission"
The whole question Of slavery or no slavery
was to be left to the determination of the peo
pie Of the Territories, whether north or soutl
Of 360 30>, or any other line.s The question
was to be taken out of Congress, where it hac
been improperly thrust from the beginning
and to be left to the people concerned in the
matter to decide for themselves This, say
was the position originally held by the south
when the Missouri restriction was at first pro
posed. The principle upon which that position
rests lies at the very foundation of all our
| rpnuhlicap inotituf,ope II ,e tbot tba ,,..,or.