The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1856-06-11

him by the committee Of Free-sail Democrats
of Tioga county, in the Wilmot district, he
took the position that Congress has the con-
stitutional power to prohibit slavery in the
Territories, and that he was in favor of its
exercise to prevent the further extension of
human bandage.t / have this letter, and
will publish It with the rest. The returns
of the election show that he received the
support Of those who held extreme anti-sa-
very views. In the Wilmot district, COM
posed of the counties of Bradford, Susque-
hanna and Tioga, Mr.. Gamble had major
ity Of 1918. votes, being near two hundred
more than my worthy and able colleague.
TMr. Crow whose opinions were well UNI
derstood, received at the next election, in
1850. Such, too, was the result in other dis
tricts, in which more or less Of the same feel
ing existed. lmay safely say, therefore, that
lit was because l could not, and would not,
take extreme ground, that my Democratic
competitor obtained the Free-soil support.
True, ayowed myself to be ayerse to ex-
tending slavery but made no such commit
tails on grave constitutional questions by ad-
dressing public letters to Free-Soil conyen-
tions, as my Democratic competitor did.
The course pursued by the party in Penn
sylvania was also adopted in New Hampshire,
Maine, and other Democratic States. At a
Democratic State convention hold in New
Hampshire on the 18th October, 1876, at
tended and addressed by President Pierce,
the following resolution was adopted:
Rssoired That we approve the vote Of our Re-
representatives. in Congress in favor Of Mr. Wilmots a
be acquired Of Mckee,
| Similar resolutions were adopted at sue
ceeding State conventions down to 1850.
The truth is, that everywhere throughout
the North the feeling was adverse to slavery,
and the resolutions Of Democratic conyen-
tions assumed this form.
Why, General Cass, in speech delivered
in the Senate, ON the Goth day Of February,
1850, frankly declared that, "when the Viii
mot proviso was first proposed
had it been pushed TO a vote, he should have
voted for it," givingas reason. that he "had
never examined the constitutional power oI
Congress" and because, /" when the subject
was proposed, il did not excite the opposi-
ton from the South which we have since
witnessed, nor lead rejecting men to doubt
whetherA such provision could be enforced
without danger 10 the Union" " Gen. Cass
who all his life has been engaged IN the pub
lie service, as territorial Governor, as Score,
tary Of War, as Minister Of France, as a Sc.
nator of the United States, as a candidat,
for the Presidency itself-if he, with all hi:
vast opportunities. and his acknowledged in.
tellect, had nut then made up his mind as t.
the constitutionality or unconstitutionalify o
the wilmot provisu, how then, in the nam,
Of all that is reasonable, could !, ayoung ant
humble candidate for the unpretending Of
fee Of Canal Commissioner, be expected I,
take public position, or to have had any
definite or well settled convictions on thai
subjecti
| have ever felt II to be the duty Of all good
citizens to discountenance every effort calcu
lated to weaken existing relations, and I,
create unkind feelings between the different
parts Of the Confederacy. In 1850 The CON
promise measures were passed. The repre-
sentative from my district MIR. Butler, thar
I whom no purer or better man ever lived
advocated their passage. lie was my politica
friend and neighbor. In the canvass Of thai
year became the Wing candidate for con
gress against my late competitor. ! was sup
ported by many leading national Democrat,
in my district, for | was known to be I
friend Of the compromise measures, was
elected. or that hold two two-fold GER
tificate.
At public meeting. held in wilkesbarre
on the llth day Of November. 1850, con-
yened for the purpose--in the language Of th,
call, g to take into consideration the subjec
Of the fugitive slave bill, and to assert III,
supremacy Of the law"-there assembled IL
favor of the compromise measures, urging al
snod citizens to abide by them as settle
ment, and to sustain the Government in main
tanning the supremacy Of the laws. The re-
solutions passed at the meeting received th'
unanimous vote Of those present, and speaI
for themselves. During nv term Of ser
vice in Congresses pursued the same course
| regarded the compromise as pernaDen
settlement Of the question, and 50 voted OF
all occasions, when present. as the recon-
will show, and as my colleague, Dir. Ali
son, who was then also a member, will vel
recoIIect, and which, as he informed me him
4 self At the commencement Of the present ses
. zion, formed one Of the reasons for not yotin,
Tor me as Speaker. It is true, made nj
speech on the subject during the entire tern
Of my service; but refrained from so dom,
for The season that was then, as am now
opposed 10 all agitation and discussion Of III
. subject. ! desired harmony and peace. N.
I object was reconciliation. Though vote
Tor the so-caIled 6nality resolutions, when
ever vote was taken while was in my seat
: doubted the wisdom and propriety Of tiei
. introduction. was against all attempts a
; renewing, IN Congress " out Of IL, The agita
. ton u the slavery question, no matter how
or under whatever shape or color The al
) tempt might be made. This was my posi-
J ton then, aud this is my position now.
But am charged with inconsistency, 70
having said 10 my 6rstremarks to the House