Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-04-26

u
Lit lay north of that line and organized WITH me
principle Of restriction IA IT, ~ thus VIII
besseen that the North obtained tive as much
s. Of this territory as the South, while the policy OF
4 division was adhered TO. But when the Mexican
territory was acquired, by rum out this same
line the South would have Jared better and gotten
fact more than third of the territory The
q northern members of Congress- however, rejected
the line in spite of all attempts to get adopt
cd Manyqof the Democratic members did SO pc
anse in favor of the principle of non-ln7
/ teryention, as recommended by their candldate,
l General Cass while the Wings resisted IT because
they were e-Soiers and in favor OF the sllmoe
proyiso In the end they carried the day. ana broke
down, the policy of division; and nonntervention
] was established. Shall this policy now De carried
out for the future or is it to be set aside as the
former one was when it would have been fav oraDe
to the South? This is the first occasion since 1880
+ for trial of the matter As to the Territory OF
Washington organized by the last Congress, the
I gentleman from Virginia Mr. Mson) has overlook
| ed an important fact. Washington was part OF
the Oregon Territory; ana the people then had, IN
their Territorial Legislature, passed law prohibit
ing slavery This was done before Congress applied
! the Wilmot proyiso to it. Had We therefore, du-
ring the last Congress- repealed tner.iaWs aireaoy
! established this would have been direct violation
| of the principles on which the present measure
rests viz: the right of the people to regulate their
| own domestic matters.
| 1t appears therefore, Mr.. Chairman, that the
Kansas and Nebraska bills afford the first proper oc-
casion for carrying out the principles rst adopt
| ed in 1850.
s. I come now, Mr. Chairman, to what ] consider
the great obstacle to the passage of the bill The
main opposition to it does not arise from any OF the
| sources as yet alluded to- but it comes from another
quarter and force which has been fighting the ques-
ton under false co'ors and in disguise; and now
propose to unmask the character OF that opposition
It seems to be we'll understood that every mcnDer
of the cd Wing party upon tbs moor from the
North is opponent of the bill understand tnat
those gentlemen making earnest appeals to south
ern Wings not to press this question on them, lest
they should thereby break up the old w hg party.
They are also deprecating agitation and insisting on
quiet, &c. Those appeals are not made to me, Mr.
Chairman, because for the last four five years
have for reasons which l will presently state, re-
gardcd myself disconnected with that organiza-
ton, which these gentlemen control In fact, l am
rather out of all regular party orSanlzatons,kanu
am regarded, believe, an independent. But, sir,
to enable those members from the South who have
less experience than myself to understand the sub
ect properly, and to know how much weight they
ought to attach to such declarations and appeals,
wish things in the past, in no otien-
sive spirit but make clear to every one the real
principles upon which gentlemen have been and are
still acting.
In 1916 the Wiimot proviso was brought forward,
and every Wing from the free States voted for it.
1t produced great excitement in the country, and
very near breaking up the party. They SAID,
however to southern Wings, Do not be alarmed |
about this provso; only mean to use it to put a |
stop to the Mexican war, and prevent the conquest
of Mexico; and also, to split in two the Democratic
party in New York, and cripple them IN Pennsylva- |
MIA, in Wilmots district remember how they used !
to put their around their southern friends in |
the kindest manner, and exclaim, My God, do |
YOU suppose that mean to push this thing, and |
drive you all off from US! Do not fear; we shall |
not push it to a practical extreme" After the war
terminated the first attempt to settle the question
was by the Clayton compromise. That was not en-
tirely satisfactory to the South But whether we |
should take it or not, depended upon the chance
there of getting better bill instead Of it. The
northern Wings, however, in body, assailed it in
the fercest manner. They said it was cheat in it
self; that it gave the South nothing practically, and
was mere scheme of the Democratic party to unite
their forces and elect General Cass 1t said
that if it passed he would be elected General Tay
lor would be stricken down, and utterly repudated
by the North under the fierce excitement which
would be raised, and that, possibly even the Free
Sellers would carry everything. do not know that
these declarations had any weight with those south
ern gentlemen who went against the bill l doubt,
in fact if they did; but those who here at that
time know well the earnest appeals that were made
to southern men, and the promise held out of bet
ter settlement at future time.
The bill defeated, and the election went, as
every body expected it wo aid. BY the division of
the Democrats in the State of New York, Cass lost
its VOTE and in the Wi!mot district in Pennsylvania
and other places there was detection enough to lose
him that State; and General Taylor carried both
those States the loss of either of which would have
resulted in his defeat. The Northern Wings had
therefore trumphed upon their extreme anti-slavery
policy We had right to expect, therefore, that
they would at length be liberal towards us, and come
to fair adjustment of the pending issues. We
came together in December, after the Presidential
election, and, as measure of Cancellation and har-
nony, of those gentlemen Mr.. Colt, of New
York, introduced BILL in most offensive language
to abolish the slave trade in the District of Column
ba. All of those gentlemen voted for it. with the
exception of MIR. Lincoln, of Illinois, only, believe.
They passed it by heavy majority with the aid of
some Free-Soil Democrats The southern members
Of both Houses of Congress thcreupon held meet
ing in the Senate Chamber. The northern Wings
seeing the condition of things likely to be produced
and feeling some alarm, in that same soothing and
;onciliatory for which they were distinguish
ed said that the vote Colts resolution has
" and inconsideratc act and that they would recon-
slider the resolution and reject it. They also said
that the meetings which holding had been
gotten up by General Foote, Mr.. Calhoun, and other
Democrats, with covert design of breaking down
General Taylors administration before it came into
power, by exciting divisions between northern and
southern Wings and that we ought to have more
confidence in them than such movement implied +
and that all difficulties could be arranged amicably
These declarations had weight with me, as had
fully determined not to give them my cooperation
urther, except on just principles.
1t was seen, however, that there was no occasion
Tor action at that time the part of the southern
members, and the excitement passed by.
But, sir, the matter did not stop there. AT that
session many members of the Democratic party in
he Senate being still anxious to settle the question
Mr.. Walker, a Senator from Wisconsin, with great i
iberaity and manliness, brought forward PROPOSE
ion as an amendment to the civil and diplomatic
bill, which would have settled the whole question
airly and on liberal terms That proposition was
adopted in the Senate, and came into this House,
md was here supported by every southern member
If both parties, and also by many liberal northern
Democrats TWAS asccrtained that it was likely to
pass, and thereupon the northern Whoss