Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1858-05-05

HExRr wrSrER DAvls-Member of Congress
from Maryland, is said 70 be man of some
faults, to have been in his time entangled in
some indiscretions, just as thousands of other
men have been. But there is something all
through the legislative course Of Davis, as pol
itician that tells US that he has an ever flowing
impulse of manhood within him. His quiet, dig
nified demeanor, his courteous letter Of deelinS-
ton to speak before the students Of the UniVer'
sity of this State, after he had been so grossly
insulted by Pryor, and those who travel hrs road
of Eanaticism, attest that Henry Winter Davis
is gentleman at least But his high and hon
orable stand in Congress in favor of equal and
exact Justice to all parts of this Union, rresPec-
tive of niggerism or antt-niggerism, does credit
to him. He has borne patiently the taunts and
Kisses, the jibes and jeers of q whole squad O.
Southern papers, including many in his own
State. for his course upon the Kansas-Nebraska
hill and his recent course throughout the L"-
compton question. Yet he has not swerYed or
ouaiIed-le has dischargedhis whole duty as
national man, and to his credit be it recorded.
We are pleased to find in the Baltimore
Patriot, his speech in full upon the English
bill From it we make this pointed extract
Speaking of that feature of tie bill which at
tached a hobble to Kansas, coming in or staying
out of tho Union, he said
have some very strong States right notions
implanted in my head from having studied at
the school Of Henry Clay, of Kentucky, and
William Pinkney, of Maryland. have notfor-
gotten what learned from Mr.. MadiSon's re-
port with you, sir, at the University OF Virgin
49, Il
every southern hastings since, as boy, at
tended debates, and since, as man, have taken
my humble share in them. Is there my gen
tleman on the southern side of the House who
has ever attended a meeting where topics kind
red to this have been discussed, where the Tight
of every new State to be admitted upon equoi
terms with every other State has not been as
serted upon the one side and conceded upon the
others Is there any gentleman from any slave
holding State that has not himself, again and
again, asserted that rs the fundamental princl'
pie which lies at the very basis Of tho Conieder-
lacy? Was it not the ground for repeating the
Missouri Compromise, that in its effects, IT
not directly and in point Of law, did invade the
great principleg Has not every southern CON
Stitucncy been appealed to, day after day, and
year after year, that Kansas had right to enter
the Union, upCm an equal footing Nth the orig
iRuL States; mud that il her power was limited
in any particular, than she was not npon.an
equal footing! If there is any gentleman here
who can contradict inc, | will yield the floor for
him. Is it not the concession of southern poll
tics that there can be no condition appended z
tie admission Of a State nhieh ties and 6iHdR
any the smallest portion, Of her constitutional
authOrityP Ii there be any gentleman that
doubts, let him rise aud state his doubts; il
there be not | assume it to be the unanimous
opinion of every gentleman here from the South
that that is the Ian of the South on that qucs.
ton.
If so, then, while the bill which is here pro-
posed for our assent does in its terms, and di-
rectly impose, MS u condition of admission,
that one of the sovereign powers of the State
shall be yielded by an or finance, then, say, no
gentleman here can, with consistency, vote for
this bill.