Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-05-11
A NEW PLANK IN THE BLACK REPUBLl-
CAN PLATFORM.

SaN
Tho debate in the Senate on the admission Of
Oregon, hes opened a wide range OF discussion on
The power. and duties OF Congress, concerning the
admission of new States. This debate was aoiy con-
Quoted, and is especially interesting, since II brings
into a small compass most OF the views which nave
hitherto found separate expression on various occa-
siops. Mr.. Green argues, with much force' that
there should be no fixed rule for population requisite
for the admission of a new State; that the General
Government ought to resign its control and avoid
the e1pspse to the Confederacy of maintaining a Ter
ritorisl Government, whenever the people OF the ier-
ritory shall be found able and willing to undertake lot
themselves the responsibility and expense OF a state
Government. On the other hand, it is objected that
this vould eventuate in unequal representation IN
Congress.
MI. Tessenden puts forward the old federal doctrine
adopted by HE party, that Congress may reJeot a
State for apy reason whatever, or for no reason at all.
Some Senators advance the suggestion that the
amount of population should first be determined by
An official census. These and other points are ably
discussed and involve weighty considerations.
But there is one position assumed by Messrs. Fes'
venden, Wade and Wilson, 40 novel and startling IN
its ultra assertion of negro equality, that even MIR.
Seward is obliged to ignore it. 1t is openly asserted
BY these Senators, that they will vote against the ad'
mission Of Oregon, for the reason that the Constltu'
ton submitted to Congress excludes ires negroes
from residence in the Territory. This is a new plank
In the Black Republican platform. Hitherto that
party has been satisfied 10 deny to new States the
right to tolerate slavery.
The exclusion of slaves is now coupled with the III
clusion of free negroes. Not content with assaii'ng
southsrn institutions the abolitionists include in their
assaults the Institutions Of Northern States. Illinois
and Indiana, as we'll az Virginia, have laws prohibit
ing the immigration of free negroes. MIR. Fessenden
was driven from point to point by the
logic of Senator Douglas, until he was finally obliged
to admit the Constitutional right Of Oregon to adopt
ssimilar policy. Nevertheless, he sticks to his origl-
nal proposition with mistaken tenscity. SO much
the better. Every exhibition Of this sort weakens
the Black Republican party, by exposing its real do,
signs.
We would suggest that these friends ct negro
equality carry out their doctrine to the iull extent
required by consistency. New York permits a quail.
hed negro suffrage. Let them denounce this system
a. unjust. Let the unqualified negro suffrage OF
Massachusetts, be made the test of the admission OF
new States. Anti slavery, negro residence and nesr"
suffrage, or no admission; such is the inevitable ln'
tents of the abolition propagandists who are permit
ted to hold seats in the United States Senate. How
long will the sterling popuinion of our New England
Mates allow their sentiments &c pe thus grossly mis-
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