Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1856-01-17

the Union, unless every man, woman, anc
child, including the negroes, Irish, and Dutch
acknowledge that the " Missouri Compromise
and "Wilmot Proviso" were unconstitutional
Yes, this party, which in every Southern
State has declared it would dissolve the Union
unless everybody submits to the repeal of the
Missouri Compromise line, and which has in
every Northern State declared either in favor
Of the restoration of the Missouri line or that
slavery shall not extend by virtue of its repeal,
or that the principle of squatter sovereignty is
established by the blu, and henceforth all Ter
ritories are to be free--composcd as it is Of
such homogeneous material--of men holding
directly opposite opinions, of disunionists, OF
demagogues, and of agitators, standing side by
side upon mere measure, and sustaining man
for Speaker whom the Southern wing repre-
sent to their constituents as denying the con-
stitutionality of the missouri Compromise
and of the "Wilmot Proviso," and whom the
Northern wing represent to be a firm, unwa-
vering and unyielding advocate Of the squat
ter sovereignty" principle; yes, this party is
proclaiming, day after day, through its yenal
press, to the South, that its institutions are in
danger; that the "aggressors of the North
are preparing to wage war of determination
upon it and its institutions, and that ere long
civil war viii dovastate its fields, depopulate
its cities, and free its negroes, and that the
great implements of warfare are to be-the res
toration of the Missouri Compromise line,
and the acknowledgment of the constitutional
ty of the "Wilmot Proviso."
Yet its leaders, in time past, voted for the
Missouri Compromise Mr.. Stephens declared
he would submit to nothing else but a geo.
graphical division; Mr. Clingman declared
that the true intent and meaning of the con-
stitution could not otherwise be expressed;
Messrs. Cobb, G. S. Houston, G. w. Jones,
and Douglas voted for the Wilmot Proyiso;"
Messrs. Stephens Cobb Clingman, Slidell,
Lumpkin, Jacob Thompson, Toombs, Buchan-
an, Atchison, Colquitt, McDuffie Bagby,
Rhett, and Reid, voted for the Douglas-Tcxas
prohibition, which applied not to Territories
but to State or States" And now these
same self-styled patriots, or rather those of
them yet simmering upon the surface of the
political cauldron, these rampant protectors of
the South, these Union DISCOVERS, these civil
war representations, these anti-constitutional
"Wimot Provisoists," are voting for Richard
son for Speaker, who, during the first session
of the 31st Congress, Congressional Globe,
424, vol. 22,) held the following opinions:
81 have sought in vain to hear some reason for
A - - THaa.a "a
necessity to abolish or prohibit sayery in Terrific
RES where IL erists. With this view the ordinance
of 1887 was passed. 1t had application to territory
where slavery did exist by operation of the laws of
Virginia, to which the Northwestern Territory be.
longed. The Missouri Compromise also abolished
slavery north of 36 deg. 80 min. That compro-
mise was passed, not to Keep the territory free
north of that latitude but because the laws OF Lou
isiana, when we acquired it. recognised slavery,
and carried it, consequently, unless repealed to all
the territory. But maintain, sir, that slavery is
the creature of municipal la,, and does not and
cannot exist one moment without it, IL territory
is free, there is no necessity to pass any law-it
will remain 80.
1.-THE people of the non-slaveholding States be-
lieve that the territory we acquired from Mexico,
by the treaty of peace, brought with it the laws
not inconsistent with our constitution, and that
those laws excluded slavery If there is any Repre-
MES either of these propositions, ask him to rise
in his place and say SO. There are none who can
or dare deny it.
HThis is a universal sentiment at the North,
and might refer to all the speeches that have
been made at this session Of Congress andsthe
last to show that every one from the non-slave-
holding States, Free-soiers and all, hold that the
Territories are now free. II this is true, what
more can you do2 They are free now and win
H. g. 49, Al L., -,
tions, they are free by the laws of nature, they
will remain free, from causes to which l have al
ready referred, forever. This should satisfy all,
in my judgment, who are opposed TO the extension
of Slavery,
"The position is so unanswerable, that the dis
tinguished Senator from Kentucky, Mr.. Clay, says
it is 'incontestable truth
"Why, then, ask, is this proviso urged with
50 much zeal and pertinacityY 1t can do no good.
"There is one thing that wish, in this connex-
ion, Mr. Chairman, to say to the gentlemen from
the South, and the Northern Wings: If the bill
for territorial governments silent upon the subject
of slavery, shall be defeated then | am for bills
with the Wilmot Proviso."
These are Mr. r. S opinions now, and these are
the very opinions, for which, if enforced, these
Southern patriots, these chivalrous Southern
States right men threaten to dissolve the Union;
and the party which is proclaiming the Union to
be in danger, and the South to be on the verge
of humiliation, in consequence of the propaga-
ton and PRONUNCIATION of these opinions sus-
tains for Speaker of the House of Representa-
tiyes, man, who has avowed them upon the
floor of Congress, and still entertains them
Did the world ever before witness such dema-
goguism, such an utter abuse of principle, such
total want Of political candor, such unscru-
pulousness, such wanton disregard of all the
principles Of honesty and honor, such gigan-
tic political curse as the present administration