Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1859-03-12

Uefzlv Standard 81 per annuna, in Gdsance
Semi Wee (including tie 7ri- Weekly during tie See
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they desire the change to be made.
The Wilmot ProvisO-.-Popular Sovereignty. |
The Kansas.Nebraska Act.
Ever since 1917, when the Wilmot Proviso was |
offered in the House of Representatives. the people
Of the South, acting in concert with the national |
Democracy, have been anxious to remove the slave
nv question from the halls of Congress and confne
it to the people of the Territories to be Immediately
affected by it. That Proviso and its history are |
too well known to render it necessary that we
should dwell upon them. It is sufficient to remind
our readers that it was proposed by Mr.. Wilmot and
others that no territory should be received from
Mexico at the close of the war, unless upon cond-
ton that African slavery should be forever prohibit
ed therein; the free States thereby manifestins
determination not only to monopotize all territory
north of the Missouri line but all south of it it
should be acquired Mr.. Buchanan was the first of
the prominent Democrats of the free States to lead
off against the Proyso as he did in his celebrated
Berks County letter; and Gen. Cass soon followed
in his Nicholson letter The effort then was to ex
tend the Missouri line to the Pacific ocean, Mr.. Cal
houn, Mr.. Cobb and other Southern men uniting
with Mr. Buchanan, Gen. Glass; and Judge Douglas
to effect this object. But the effort failed and at
length the "Comprcmise measures" of 1850 were
adopted. Meanwhile California came in with
Constitution prohibiting slavery, which was the re-
suit of irregular action proceeding from military
camp, under the auspices of the Taylor administra
ton. The "Compromise" as to Utah and New
Mexico provided that those Territories when organ
lied into States should be admitted into the Union
"with or without slavery" as their Constitutions
should prescribe. This was regarded as to some
extent triumph for the South, inasmuch as the
whole of Utah and portion of New Mexico are
north of the Missouri line. The acts organizing
those Territories substantially abrogated the Mis-
souri, restriction: but it was not until 1854 when
the Kansas Nebraska act was passed, that this re-
striction was, in so many words, repealed
The leading object, as We have stated, of the
South and of the national Democracy was to remove
the disturbing question of slavery from Congress,
and to confine it to the people of the Territories.
At late period in the struggle however, Southern
statesmen struck boldly for the repeal of the Mis-
souri, restriction, and were aided in the movement
bv the true men of the national Democracy in the
free States This was the inevitable effect of the
doctrine of nonintervention proclaimed in 1858 and
1854; for without it. and with the existence of that
line and its extension to the Pacific, the doctrine
would have been Intervention on one side and non
Intervention on the other. 1t Uas great principle
achich ras contended or rather than the hope that
slavery would secure permanent foothold in Nebras-
ka and Kansas,-the principle that the people Of
the South were joint owners with those of the
North of all the Territories and had as good right
to emigrate to them with their property as the
North had with theirs All hope that Congress
would do Justice to the South in the common Terri
tories had long since vanished As early as Sep
TENDER, 1s4S, we said in this journal sit is idl
to calculate for one moment that the Representative
in Congress from the non-slayeholding States con
shutting as they do the majority, and holding tn
power-wll ever vote to establish slavery, or enae
laus to protect 1t, in these new Territories" Gu
reliance was therefore, on the people Of the TER
tories; on the federal Constitution, which we insist
ed then, and still insist, carried slavery into an
protected it in the Territories and on the Suprem
Court of the United States, which has recently full
confirmed and sustained the Southern view Of th
subject. This however, was not all that . lare
portion of the Southern people thought they had
right to expect; but it regarded as greatly pr
ferable to continued agitation in Congress, and
the Wilmot Poyiso itself, which the Freesoilers il
sisted, and may Southern men admitted, Congre
could constitutionally pass. r.
Having said thus much by way Of introductio
we shall refer in our next to the recent debate
the Senate on Popular Sovereignty and the Kanss
Nebraska act, and submit such views on these su
jects as we deem just and proper. Our purpose is
if we can do so with strict and jealous regard I
Southern rights-to continue to cooperate with t
national Democratic party; because we believe tn
the preservation and the ascendency Of that par
are indispensable to constitutional perpetuation
the Union Our opinion is that we can contin
thus to cooperate; but the party in both sectio
must act with prudence between this and t
Charleston Convention, and in that body, to rene
this cooperation certain and successful
FIFTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Maurice G VI
dell, Esq. of Chatham, announces himself in the ]
Register q candidate for Congress in this Distri
Mr.. Waddell withdrew two years ago for the bent
OF Mr.. Gilmer and now considers himself thorouI
ly and properly in the ring We believe the p
posed Democratic Convention in the District '
bring forward a nominee who will be able to def
either Mr.. Glmer or Mr.. Waddell, or both Of til
together. By the way, what is Mr.. Waddell 4
FAYETTEVILLE CARoLNIAN.-P. j. Sinclair, Z
has purchased the interest of Mr.. Martin in this
and sterling Democratic journal, and, together "
Mr. Pierce, will conduct it for the future. The
utatory Of the Editors is in good taste. and breat
the true spirit of national Democracy. We v
them the most abundant success 's
INCREASE OF TAxEs.-We learn that George
ger, ESQ.,, of Catawba, is the first County CO
Clerk to return his abstract of taxables to the Coz