Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1856-04-02
The Ancient Sentiments er the whig
Party, ON the Five Leading Questions
Of the Present Crisis. -

T The Ancient Sentiments 81 the WhlG
OF the Present Crisis.
We have been at some pains to procure the
the opinions Of Daniel Webster as to the grea,
questions of the present crisis. We commend
them to all who revere the name, and hold TO the
| principles ofthe Exponnder Of the Constitution.
Mr.. Webster il is true, sometimes faltered
in the advocacy of those principles, but he
expressed them distinctly and boldly, and on
several different occasions in the course of his
life, as may be seen by the careful reader Of
his speeches. We give themin form of answers
to the five leading questions, which have been
precipitated upon the country by Franklin Pierce,
Caleb Cushing and Stephen Arnold Douglas-all
Northern men-in gross violation Of the solemn
| promise made in the Presidents Inaugural.
Questions.
1. Is there any confession to be made for the
Wing Party?
Mr.. Webster.-sEven with Wings and leading
Wings, am ashamed to say, there was great
Indifference towards the admission Of Texas, with
slave territory into this Uniou."-I Speech,
March Z, 1850. Printed by Gideon 4 Co, p. SO.
2, Are you willing to do any thing to extend
slavery, or to add other slave States to the
Union?
Jb. Webster.-'I frankly ayow my entire
unwillihgness 10 do any thing which Ishall
extend the slavery of the African race,
en- this continent, or add other slaveholding
States to the Union" -[Speccha at Niblos sSaloon,
New York, March 18th, 1887. Vol. 8, p. 14s, of l
Boston edition of Webster's Speeches published
by Tappan & Dennet, 1913.
8. Have your sentiments changed on this SUBJ
jects
Mr.. He5ster.-''It has happened that between
1887 and this time, on various occasions and op-
portunties, | have expressed my entire opposi-
ton to the admission of slave States or the ac-
QUESTION of new slave Territories, to be added
to the United States. know no change in my
own sentiments, or my own purposes, in that re-
spect."-lSpeech, March 7th, 1850, p. $3.50.
4. What is your opinion as to the proper in
depreciation of Art. 4, See. 3 clause 3, of the |
Constitution of the United States?
Mr.. Hebster.-'I have always thought that |
the Constitution addressed itself to the Legisla-
lures of the States or to the States themselves
1t says, that those persons escaping to other |
States shall be delivered up, and confess have
Always oeen OF the optnlon that 1t was an injunc-
hon upon the States themselves. When it is
SAID that person escaping into another Safe,
and becoming therefore within the jurisdiction
OF that State, shall be delivered up, it seems to
me the import of the passage is, that the State
itself, in obedience to the Constitution, shall
cause him to be delivered up. That is my judg-
ment. 1 have always entertained that opinion
and entertain it now Speech, March 7th,
1850, p. 47-4S.
D. Are you in favor of admitting into the
Union State with republican form of govern
ment, though her Constitution was formed with
out consent of Congress, and her application pre-
mature =?
Mr. IVebster-"I do not conceal from N.Y.
sell, nor do l wish to conceal it from others.
that California is before us with some degree of
lrregularlty stamped upon her proceedings She
has not been through the previous process of
Territorial existence. She has formed her con.
stitution without our consent. But l look upon
1t, that California, from the extraordinary cir
which have attended her birth and
progress to the present moment, entities her
from the necessity of the case, to an exce1~.>S
from the ordinary rules. n She comes
to us with constitution framed upon republi-
can models, and contormable to the Constitution
OF the United States; and under these circum-
stances, still admitting her application as prema-
ture and irregular, am for admitting her, as
there bas been nothing done which her admission ;
on our part will not cure. She will be lawfully
IN the Union, we admit her, and therefore I
have no hesitation upon that point Speech
on the Compromise Bill, July 17th, 1850. Print
ed by Gideon 4 Co., p 7.