The daily union., 1854-02-16


From the Detroit Free
Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, and NOn-Inter-
yenti0n.
Daniel Webster in his Lifetime generally regard
ed BY The whig party as man OF pretty oerable good
sense and his opinions upon governmental and political
questions exercised greater Influence with that party than
those OF any other statesman with the exception, pess
bly,, OF Henry Clay Mr. Webster, il is ecollecled, lent
his powerful support TO the compromise OF 1850,
and to his great influence the counly largely indebt
ed Tor their adoption On that the patriot
cred above the politician. 10 the of the prejudice
and preconceved opinions OF his parlsans at the North
he repudiaed sectonasn and Wilmot-provisoism, and
placed himself the last great act of his lfe upon the
platform of the constitution in respect to the slavery
question. He dealt gigantic blows upon aboli,ionism,
from which II never has and never can recover.
,isuaior.unale that northern wings are not ami
mated with the spirit OF Mr. Webster in the prese.t
crissthal more OF them do not take the same enlarged
view OF the question before the country that he took
of the same question in 1850 Mr. Webster supported
the compromise of that period because be be-
eved them right in themselves; and his opinion
that tie universal recognition of the right Of he people OF
The Territories, well OF the States, manage their
affairs would not have tendency expand the in
sl,ion OF slavery and this opinion, expressed four
years since, has peculiar weight now, or it meets the
main objection urged by whss and aboionsts against
Mr.. Douglass territorial bill, viz that the efec, OF the
passage OF The bill will be the introduction OF slavery into
Nebraska. Combating this very objection, Mr.. Webster,
in one OF his speeches in the Senate. made the following
eminently true remark
"Naiure, givag that region mountainous and cold
climate, has efaotuaiY excluded slavery from western
Texas, New Mexico Utah, and Nebraska, 10y rendering
slave labor there unprohabe pared with its value in
the 10 xer Gulf Of Mexico regions"
This quotation only elucidates grea, natural law
but ii also shows what Mr. Webstes understanding OF
the compromise was for it is plain that in thus
uding to vast extent OF unoccupied and unorganzed
territory he had in view the extension OF The nonnler.
ventoa principle over, whenever Il should be organized
and TO show that there would bo danger in such ex-
tension he argued that the climate OF the whole country
forbade he Introduction OF slavery.
We commend this view of the question to the aten.
ton of The vhg admirers OF Mr. Webster In his speech
in 1850. il was obvious that be looked upon the meas
ures which he supported not merely adjustment
of the then existing difficulties but as establishing plan
which, supersedng all prior legislation, would be final
settlement of The slavery question, the emphatic prin-
cple OF pan
IN the domestic affairs of the Territories.
The whig admirers OF Mr. Clay will find the same
views and the same doctrines pervadng all bis speeches
during the session o 1850 He declares that the Wimot
proviso (and be recoleced that the slavery clause
Of the Missouri Compromise is nothing bat Wllmot
provso all the region Of country 10 qaeson, both
north and south Of the Missouri line, "a alb.
stracton" "Why," said he, "should be longer in
sisted on u II were adopted applied any Territory,
it would cease to have any obligatory force soon as
such Territory were admitted State into the Onion I"
And then he goes say, in regard TO future acqus
tions "The true principle which ought TO regulate the
action Of Congress in forming territorial governments for
such newly acquired doman is TO refrain from all legsla
ton the subject in the Territory acquired, long
il remains in The territorial form OF government leaving
il TO the people of such Territory, when they have attain
ed TO condition which entities them to admission
State, decide for themselves the question OF the allow
ance or prohibition Of domestic slavery"
On this whole question willing to abide by the
doctrines Of Daniel Webster and Henry Clay We con
tend for principles that they did contend for We
ask for congressional action that has not been sane
toned by them The principles Of Mr.. Douglass bill
squared BY The doctrines Of the compromise
Of $780, and BY those laid down by Mesrs Webster and
Clay in their speeches in support Of those
The true intent and meaning OF that bill is not to egs
lae slavery into any Territory or State, nor 10 exclude it
therefrom but leave the people thereof perfectly free
form and regulate their domestic institutions in their
own way, subject only 10 the constitution Of the United
States !" and such, too the intent and meaning OF
the compromise Of 1850. for Mr. Clay n intro
dacing them, said " The bill for establishing the two
Territories, will be observed omits the Wmot proviso,
on the one hand, and. the other, makes provision
for the Introduction OF slavery into any part of the new
Territories"
ny ,. 9. MCGUIRE. auct,onecr.