Washington sentinel., 1856-05-13


steadily watching its approach for the last ffteer
years. During that period have often sounded
the alarm but my feeble warnings have been
dsregarded. now solemnly declare, as the
deliberate conviction of my judgment, that two
things are necessary TO preserve this Union
from the most immediate danger:
l. Agitation in the North on the subject OF
Southern slavery must be rebuked and put
down by strong, energetic and enlightened
public opinion. a.
2. The fugitive slave law must be executed
in its letter and in it's spirit.
On each Of these points | shall offer few
observations.
Those are greatly mistaken who suppose that
the tempest which is now raging in the South
has been raised solely by the acts or omissions
Of the present Congress. The minds Of the
Southern people have been gradually prepared
for this explosionby theevents ofthe last fifteen
years. Much and devotedly as they love the
Union, many of them are now taught to believe
that the peace of their own firesides, and the
security Of their families, cannot be preserved
without separation from us. The crusade of
the abolitionists against their domestic peace
aud security commenced in 1885. General
Jackson in his annual message to Congress, in
December of that year, speaks Of it in the fol-
lowing emphatic language: II must, also, in
vite your attention to the painful excitement
produced in the South by attempts to circulate
through the mails infamatory appeals, ad-
dressed to the passions of the slaves, in prints
and various sorts of publications, calculated to
stimulate them to instruction, and produce all
the horrors of servile war"
From that period the agitation in the North
against Southern slavery has been incessant, by
..ft a L. 1f Ct.A II
State and County Conventions, Abolition Lee
lures, and every other method which fanatics
and demaogues could devise. The time of
on the subject of slavery. Infammatory ap-
peals have been sent forth from this central
point throughout the country, the inevitable eff
feet of which has been TO create geographical
parties, so much dreaded by the Father Of his
Country, and to estrange the Northern and
Southern divisions of the Union from each
other.
Before the Wimot Proviso was interposed,
the abolition of slavery in the District of Co.
lumbia had been the chief theme of agitation.
Petitions for this purpose, by thousands, from
men, women, and children, poured into Con-
gress, session after session. The rights and the
wishes of the owners Of slaves within the Dis.
trict, were boldly disregarded. Slavery was de-
as national sin and national dis
grace, which the laws of God and the laws of
men ought to abolish, cost what it might 1t
mattered not to the fanatics that the abolition
of slavery in the District would convert it into
a citadel, in the midst of two slaveholding States
from which the abolIionists could securely scat
ter arrows, firebrands and DEATH all around. 1t
mattered not to them that the abolition of sla-
very in the District would be violation Of the
spirit Of the Constitution and of the implied faith
pledged to Maryland and Virginia; because the
whole world knows that those States would
never have ceded it to the Union, had they
imagined it could ever be converted by Con-
gress into place from which their domestic
peace and security might be assailed by fanat-
les and abolitionistst Nay, the abolitionists
went even still further. They agitated for the
purpose of abolishing slavery in the forts arse
nails and navy yards which the Southern States,
had ceded to the Union, under the Constitution,
for the protection and defence of the country.
Thus stood the question when the Wilmot pro-
viso was interposed, to add fuel to the fame,
and to excite the Southern people to madness.
President Polk was anxious to bring the war
with Mexico to an honorable conclusion with
the least possible delay. He deemed it highly
probable that an appropriation by Congress of
50 900, ,000 to be paid TO the Mexican Govern
ment Immediately after the conclusion of peace,
might essentially aid him in accomplishing this
desirable object. he sent message to this ef-
feet to Congress in August, 1916; and whilst
the bill granting the appropriation was pending
before the House, Mr.. Wilmot offered his fa-
nous proviso as an amendment, which was
carried by majority of nineteen votes. This
amendment, had it even been proper in itself,
was out of time and out of place; because it
had not then been ascertained whether we should
acquire any territory from Mexico: and in point
of fact, the Treaty Of Peace was not concluded
until eighteen months thereafter. Besides, this
Proviso, by defeating the appropriation, was
though cannot believe it was in
tended, to prolong the war.
The Wilmot Proviso, until near the termina
ton OF the last session Of Congress defeated
every attempt to form territorial governments
for our Mexican acquisitions. Had such gov
ernments been established at the proper time,
California would have changed her Territorial
into State Government, and would have come
into the Union as naturally as a young man
enters upon his civil rig hts at the age Of twenty
one, producing scarcely ripple upon the sur.
face Of public opinion.
What consequences have resulted from the
Proviso2 1t placed the two divisions Of the
Union in hostile array The people Of each, in
stead Of considering the people Of the other as
brethren, began TO view each other as deadly
euemies. Whilst Northern Legislatures we're
passing resolutions insiructing their Senators
and requesting their Representatives to vote for
the Wilmot Proviso, and for laws to abolish
slavery in the District Of Columbia; Southern
Legislatures and Conventions, prompted and
sustained by the indignant and united voice Of
the Southern people, we're passing resolutions
pledging themselves to measures Of resistance.
The spirit Of fanaticism was in the ascendant
To such height had il mounted, that bill in
troduced into the House Of Representatives, by
Mr.. Giddings, during the last session Of the last
Congress, authorizing the slaves in the District
Of Columbia to vote, on the question whether
they themselves should be freemen, was defea-
ted on the motion Of my friend, Mr.. Brodbead,
Of this State by the slender majority Of only
twenty-six votes.
Thus stood the question when the present
Congress assembled. This body at first pre-
sented the appearance Of a Polish diet, divided
into hostile parties rather than that Of the rep
resentatiyes Of great and united people, as