New-York daily tribune., 1857-09-05
FROM PENNSYLVANIA.
FR. wILMOT IN BEDFOBD COUNTY.
Of The N. Y. Tribune.

Il
trscied 10 this little town an unusual number o
people from TIE surrounding country and both par
tie. have availed themselves OF the opportunity f.
political meetings. On Monday night the shau
Democracy had their revival after the usual fashion
in which the effort seemed b be who could e.
fur,he.. in voluntary abasement on the Slavery
question. Last evening large AID respectable
audience wac assembled to hear the Hon. DavlC
Wilmot who came from Pittsburgh to Il l6lI thi, ap
pontment. His reception wss greete>l with M
marks Of applause or encouragement st II 'e outset
Indeed, it may be said, his appearance wa rathe
received with chilling formslty. Pe,hsps the bes
explanation or apology for the absence of ho 'tabt
welcome may be found in the fact that Bedfri lice
almost upsn the Mayl land line, and that her il afiC
aud intercourse are mainly carried ON TIM ugt
Cumberland, by which constant contact Opin,0a Is
measurably even if unconsciously shaped.
Judge Wilmot seemed to be sensible that he h, I'd
10 encounter certain degree of prejudice and a
once mani lly met it by exposing the wltul misrep.
resentstions to which he had been habItualy sub
iected I'M being denounced as an Abohtionist. lie
told the people that as States Rights Republican,
his doctrine was that Congress had ne power to in-
terfcre with the social institutions of the States;
that Slavery was municipal regulation which
every State must determine for ITSELF as Penusyva-
MA had done when she abolished il three quarters
Of century sgo. The States were the Independent
guardians of their own policy, and one had no right
TO infrude upon any regulation of another. With
the Territories belonging to the General Govern
ment the question was wholly diereut, aud to that
he had and would continue persistently to address
himself however others might falter or consent to
kiss the rod that srnote them. That was ques-
- ha tharAI I.nt
for it was the absorbing issue of the day, if not of
the age. Questions of National policy which di-
vided parties had but an ephemeral existence.
They were discussed, settled and passed into his
tory but this one, involving an issue between
servile aad free labor, and, in fact, between two
systems of civilization, coud not be consigned TO
any such untmely grave. 1t would live as long As
Freedom and Slavery contended for ascendency,
and, like the damned spot of the murdered Dun
can. would not :" out"
While he and those who thought with him were
denounced as agitators, this subject engrossed the
whole press and politics Of the South as with one
voice and impulse, and overriding all minor cOntro-
ycrsies formed the absorbing staple discussion, too
with those who professedy assaled agitation while
groyeliDg before the power which encOmpasscd the
Federal Government, controlled its armies dis
pensed its treasury, and shaped its legislation and
and interpreted its laws. The central fires of the
earth could be no more extinglished or suppressed
than Slavery could be withdrawn from discussion.
With the WimOt ProyisO a stand point of OBJ
seryatioD, he then proceeded briefly, but clearly to
trace the history and cause of that movement, show
ing how the Sham Democracy of the North had
step by step descended to their present degradation,
ignoring their past professions and conceding every
yestige of manhood in mean submission as exacton
after exaction was demanded by their Southern
masters The origin of the PrOyiso, he said, began
with the application of Mr. Polk to Congress in
l.I6 just then about adjournlng, for - OOO 900 to
make peace with Mexico. 1t was evident to his
mind, as we had conquered Mexico this money was
intended for the acquisition of Territory and that
was the ruling motive which prompted the
introduction of the proviso to prevent the blight of
Slavery being affixed to it. On the Yeas and Nays,
the whole North and the whole Democracy Of the
North, with two exceptions, Douglas and McClen-
nand of IlinOs-drcddes 0mbO-voted in favor of the
prOyiso. 1t went to the Senate half an hour before
the final adjournment and was spoken down by
John Davis. On that occasion Gen. Cass, the
honored parent of squatter sovereignty crossed over
the chamber and rebuked Mr.. Davis for having
defeated one of the most important measures evef
presented to Congress and for which he said, every
Northern Senator and the two from Delaware were
prepared 10 vote. Judge Wilmot exposed the iri
tense zeal manifested by Judge Thompson, then
representing the Erie Pa, district in Congress. for
this prOyiso as contracted with his present position
when candidate for Office before the Slave DemOc-
racy. So, too, with Mr.. Strong, to whom, however,
he awarded a higher character. He showed that
the Pennsylvania Legislature took up this subject,
and by manly, unanimous vote, in AZ, instructed
her Senators and requested her Representatives. to
sustain the PrOyisO. This example was followed by
the Legislatures of all the Northern States, and
there was almost an undivided opinion as to lis pro-
priety aud policy.
He then marked the progress Of the lodges and
artful shifts resorted to by the Democracy, until
they reached the position nOI occupied. First the
ProvisO was pronounced premature, because the
Territory had not been acquired. This was the
ground assumed by Mr.. BroaGhead and Others Ike
him, who expressed their readiness AMI anxiety to
support the principle whenever practically offered
by men who have sunk even in their own estimation
by the wilful a1d huniating prostitution of the
trusts with which they were hOnOred by Pennsy-
vania. That was dodge number one. Well, when
the Territory was acquired they found another expe
dent and that was to assert, inasmu;h rs the Mex
lean laws prohibited Slavery already, the Proys
WAS unnecessary, and only piled prohibton, upon
prohibition. So, to,, would have admitted, said
Judge Wilmot, if the country had been agreed
upon The fact. But Mr.. Calhoun and those
who followed his lead, msintaiDed that the Con-
stituticn carried Slavery wherever it Went unless
specially nterdicted by law, and therefore, 1t was
not superiluOus to impose the prOylsO. mat was
dodge number two. The third trick was to declare
it unconstitutional out and out, and to excommun-
cate all who favored it from the Democratic faith
The very men who first affirmed the principle
broadly and unqualifedly, only doubling the policy
Of present application, are the identical men who
have eaten their own words, as they have eaten dirt
in pronouncing it unconstitutional. 1t took the
bogus Democracy four years, from 1916 to 800 10
reach this conclusion. What has occurred since
then is before the world Then came Squatter SoV'
ereignty, and with it all the horrors III Kansas,
which might be compared to the prosecutions ot Tue
early Christians. They were logical and ln.vt-
able consequence of the previous surrenders oil tue
rights If Tie North. He drew vivid picture OF