The Yazoo Democrat., 1854-05-17
Slaves in California.

California Legislature, granting one year to
the owners of slaves carried into the territory
previous to the adoption Of the Constitution,
to remove them from beyond the limits ofthe
State. Last year the provisions Of this law
were extended twelve month longer. We
learn, by late California papers, that a bill has
just passed the Assembly by vote of 33 to
81, continuing the same law in force until
1866. The provisions Of this bill embrace
slaves who have been carried to California
since the adoption of her constitution, as well
as of those who were there previously. The
large majority by which it passed, and the
opinions advanced during the discussion, in
dicate a more favorable state of sentiment in
regard to the rights Of shareholders in Cali
fornia, than we supposed existed. Her Con-
stitdtion declares that neither slavery nor
involuntary servitude, unless for the punish
ment Of crimes, shall ever be tolerated in this
State" A number of members friendly to
the objects of the bill and favorable to She In
stitution of slavery, voted against it, because
they believed it to be contrary to the clause.
Thus member (NIr. Ashley said g He was
willing and anxious to see division of this
State he believed 10 acds the desire Of tie peo-
pie he represented, and qchesa divided, he a0outd
offer no seyious objections to tie Introduction
of szaves IN the southern portion; he did not
know but he would buy one himself if he had
the means. But he could not vote for this
bill because he thought it was unconstitutton-
al People under this law could continue
owning slaves in this State as long as they
pleased, expecting to have the law extended
from year to year."
A Mr.. Tallmadge said: lie was opposed
to the bill, and should vote against it, be-
cause he believed it to be . violation of the
spirit and meaning Of the Constitution, if not
of its letter. The eighteenth section of arti-
Gle first of our Constitution, declares that
neither slavery nor Involuntary servitude,
unless for the punishment of crimes, shall
ever be tolerated in this State" Now, he
said, while bound by my oath to uphold every
feature of the Constitution in its literal mean
ing, letter and spirit am yet no anti-slavery
propagandist, but can wish, with the Patriot
John Mitchell, that if I lived in Alabama, ]
owned plantation and that plantation well
stocked with negroes. I hate and obhor ab-
clifton IN e0ery form, feature and color, BAT
I am bound By my oath to support the Con
stitution Of this State-I am soiemly sworn
to do this. It says that slavery shall not be
tolerated here; yet the object of this bill, as
| understand it, is to extend the institution of
slavery for another year in defiance of the
clause of the Constitution"
Other members entertaining similar views
in regard to slavery ry-detesting abolition in
every form, feature and color" voted against
it, in conformity to their oaths to support the
Constitution, notwithstanding it was intend
ed for the benefit Of shareholders and yet
it passed by decided majority, showing
tftat the pro-slavery feeling is much stronger
than the vote cast for the measure.
II such sentiment is developed in view
of all tie circumstances which have combined
to exclude Southern men from settleing in
California, and the development in that region
OF Il huOlesOIne IbuD'4C SSHtiiAOH1 NOHNSA AihsS
slavery, what might bave been expected Il
the territory had been permitted to remain
open to occupation by people from every sec
ton of the Union, without regard to the kind
Of property they may have possesseds No
reasonable man can doubt but that California
would this moment have been slave eoun-
try. Her mi neral resources would have Sc
cured such a condition for her beyond all
question. As it is, the wants Of the people
and the demands of nature, are working a
salutary change in public sentiment; and we
are not without hope that despite the inter
ference Of the Federal authorities in 1849 and
80, to secure the adoption of an anti-slavery
Constitution at the hands Of the rowing adj
venturers who first entered the territory-not-
withstanding the irregularities attending that
notwithstanding the iniquitous and
deep-laid plot of the Abolitonists, and the
base desertion of Southern members Of Con
gress-the South viii yet be admitted to an
equal participation in the benefits Of the Pa
ciic acknowledgement.
THE THREE DOLLAR GoLD CoIN-It will
bo ,oaolIao4aI Al ~ -, 81 f Cso..o,ro.c c I'll