The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1860-10-10
Peonage in New neutrality-suspicious.
Voting TO sustain it.

iE00u8R0 IN NOW Observation-Disclosures
Voting TO sustain it.
Negro slavery exists in New Mexico,
and the Legislature Of that Territory has
passed an act regulating and projecting
lie. but not whit more rigorous than sim
liar laws in many of our slave States.
Peonage, with which our readers are
familiar, existed in New Mexico under
Mexican laws, at the time of her acquisi-
tion by the United States. By the treaty
with Mexico. it was provided that all &C.
quired personal rights in the territory &C..
ded to the United States should be pre-
served inviolate. This was recognition
Of the relation between the master and his
peon, and also Of the right of the former
to the service of the latter, for this was
not natural right, bat one acquired under
Mexican law. If white slavery, as our
Republican friends allege, exists in New
Mexico, it was established there, not by
the Territorial Legislature, but by Mexi-
leo, and by the treaty between that Repub.
lie and the United States.
The Mexican peonage laws, which, by
the treaty, still remain iu force in New
Mexico, were more severe than the slave
code in any of our States. They gave
the master unlimited power over the per.
son and life of the peon. The Legislature
of New Mexico passed an act. not abol-
ishing the system, but essentially modify
ling it. by taking away from the master the
absolute power he formerly had over the
peon, and otherwise alleviating and eleva.
ting the condition of the latter.
The notorious John A. Bingham, oi
Ohio, at the last session of Congress, in.
troduced into the House, for political eff.
feet, bill to abolish negro slavery in New
Mexico. and to repeal the Territorial laws,
modifying and softening the Mexican sys.
TEN Of peonage. This bill was voted for
by the Republican members, and opposed
by the Democrats, including Mr.. Cox,
from this district. The State Journal
and i,s Republican allies charge that Mr..
Cox and the other Democratic members,
opposing Bingham's bill, voted to sustain
white slavery in New Mexico.
The truth of the case Is just the re-
verse. 1t was the Republicans who op.
posed the bill, that voted to re.instate the
old system of Mexican peonage in New
Mexico, and thus perpetuate in that Ter
ritory the most irhuman form of white
slavery. A few words will make this Of
plain as MONDAY. The continuance Of
the peonage relation was provided for by
treaty. 1t was not in the power of Con.
gress to nnllify the.provisions of a treaty
which the United States mad made with q
foreign State, by abolishing that relation
Consequently. had Bingham's bill, repeal
ing the New Mexican act for the relief O
the poems, been passed into law, the ole
Mexican peonage laws, which gave, tht
master absolute power over the persor
and life of the peon, would have been re
vived and again in full force. Thus it wa!
that Bingham and his Republican asso
ciates in Congress sought to re,establisl
aud continue in New Mexico the horrit
system of Mexican white slavery, and sucl
would have been the result of Congress
sionai interference in the domestic affair
of that Territory. - Statesman.