Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1860-09-27


resolution of the kind before alluded to-" Page 81
The day following, MIR. Wise renewed his resolution
to lay all abolition petitions the table, and moved
suspension OF the rules IN order to get his resolution De-
fore the House. Mr. Bell lodged the vote, though he
voted Immediately before and immediately after.
resolution then introduced to raise select commit
tee to whom would be referred all abolition petltons,
the very thing the AboitiOnsts most desired, as IL
would give them opportunity to agltate and discuss
the question: and the motion to suspend the rules lor
its adoption Mr. Bell voted with Adams, Shade 20,
in the affirmative Two weeks later, January b. l04O,
abolition pttions presented and their reception
moved. Mr.. johnson, Of Tennessee, moved to lay the
question of reception on the table And on this mo-
ton Mr.. Bell though shown to be present by the Jour
nal, did not cote. Rage ll9.
On the 18th of January, we again see him voting
with Adams Slade Co., to lay on the table resolu-
ton that all abolition petitions be LAID on the table Wth-
out being debated, printed read, or referred.
1t had become absolutely necessary III the opln-
ion of Congress- discounenance and prevent any fur
ther discussion abolition petitions, praying Con
gress do what it had often been soemny declared IL
had not the power to do AID therefore they were not
bound upon any principle to consider such pettlons-
On the 28th of January, l840 Mr.. W. Cost johnson,
leading Wing member from Maryland offered what
was afterwards known as the famous lWenty-nrst
Rule" declaring that petition memorial resouuon,
or paper praying the abolition of slavery IN the District
of Columbia or any State Territory, or the slave
trade between the States or Territories OF the United
States in which it now exists shall be received by this
| House, entertained in any way whatever"
Mr.. johnson, said, on presenting this as an amend
ment to the rules OF the House. that the resolutions
which had been presented by others this subject were
too vague meet his appreciation and he therefore
wOrdtd this to leave ambiguity, so that when
gentleman voted lie could not deceiUe has constituents
and could clearly define has posltlon. tie Alr John
son. Whig1 called upon those opposed to the Abolition
lists 10 vote for it, and kill the hydra abolition in an
! instant in such manner that it could not terminate
its species again
The question was then taken on ordering the main
question to be put which was decided 10 the affirmative
/ yeas lat, nays Gl-Mr. Bell voting with Adams
Sade e. Co., in the negative. The question then came
up the adoption of the resolution, when MIR. Bell
again voted with his abolition friends, Adams Slade Il
Co. against it. 1t was not to be wondered at, then,
that MIR. Bell received the of Adams, Slade
Il Co for Speaker at three several Congresses. They
knew their man. and the pertinaclty with which they
stuck to him during this 0he 2Gth Congress, when par
ties close, showed that they had confidence III his
! fidelity to their designs.
On the 9th of April Mr.. Adams presented ADOLF
ton resolution from Massachusetts, on the subject Of
abolition petitions, when motion was made to lay 1t
on the table, which adopted Mr. Bell, with Adams,
Slade & Co., voting in the negative.
Shortly after this Mr. Bell went out of Congress- and
did not return again until December, l947.
i 1t thus appears by the record 1.-THE volume and page
of which have been careful to give that every
may examine for himsel) that upon every important
question involving the rights OF slavery, from the time
with the New England Federalists in 635 to l84l
I when he left the House. he voted uniformly with the
| Abolitioniss, Adams, Sade Il Co., and against the
| great body Of national men, North and South.
We propose to show that, with one or two excep
tions when be played the e-eater in order to make
SOaO OF fidelity to the interests of his constituents just
before election III Tennessee he has continued to
prove aithess to bis section, and willing to do the
work of the Abolitlonists, SO far as he dared.
CLAYTON COMPROMISE OF 1913.
Dtinfro cla nhOl I'M and
dent SO far local popularity was concerned, upon
seeming readiness to sanction and maintain the rights
and interests Of slavery it would have been the sheeres
madness in MIR. Bell to have avOwed himself an
open enemy the institution. 1t matters but little,
no viewer, to the South what his sentiments the
subject his acts and his votes have been given to be-
tray the interests and abandon the rights of the slave
holding States of the Union. His record, as hs
already shown, thus far dlscoses with what aacry Tor
the bait Of the Speaiership he could consort with the
Abolitioniss. Let follow him in his advent i'll
| to the Senate in lS47.
The acquisition of territory from Mexico and the
cessity of forming Territorial government for Oregon
as well as New Mexico and California led to heated
and bitter controversy the slavery question. The
Federal AbOtionistS of the North under the lead of
Hale, Hamln, Chase, Gddings i Co., were determined
to expe slavery from those Territories by the passage of
the Wilmot ProvisO. The excitement high, and at
one time threatened the peace of the country In this
emergency, the Senate conservative sought to cast
oil upon The troubled waters and allay the excitement.
They raised Committee of eight, consisting of four
Democrats and four Wings, one-half from the North
and One-half from the South. John NJ Clayton, of
Delaware, a most distinguished, able, and prominent
Wing, the Chairman of the Committee and made
50, too, by Democratic Senate in order to show that
they regarded the settlement of this question high above
all party considerations. Besides him. there the
Committee the following distinguished Wings Under
wood OF Kentucky Clark of Rhode Island and Phelps
of Vermont. The Democrats were Calhoun of South
Carolina, Atchlson of Missouri, Bright of Indiana, and
Dickinson of New York. On the 18th of July l848,
the Committee through MIR. Clayton, reported bill
providing Territorial government for New Mexico Cal
orna, and Oregon. On the subject OF slavery it pro-
vided that the Territorial Legislature should pass no law
| prohibiting establishing it but that the question
should be referred to the Supreme Court of the United
States for their decision. Mr. CLAYTON on presenting
J. the bill, remarked
This bill resolves the whole question between the North
and the South into constitutional and judicial question
ton and suffer that settle the difference by its
: quill operation. There is principle
sacrificed ANA man achO desires diScOTd eoiI oppose e
bH But he who does not desire distract the country by
question merely political, will be able by voting for this
bill to refer the whole matter to the Judiciary
Messrs. Calhoun, Atchison Berren, Butler, Clayton
u jeff Davis, Benton, Borland, Downs, Foote Houston
Hunter Mangum King and other Southern men, ex-
pressed their willingness to refer the matter to the Su-
rene Court, and abide their decision. So said also
Bright, Anterior, Breese, Dickinson Hannegan Phelps
and other conservative northern Mr.. Hale, the
noted oolitionis from New Hampshire assailed the
) bill, stating
" have confidence in the Supreme Court consti-
uted, and am unwilling that that Court Composed of
ority of slaVehoder should decide the question Again.
the bill short of the wishes people, who through
out the whole length and breadth of the land demand
ing that slavery should be abolished"
Mr.. Hamlin, the present Black Republican candidate
for the Vice Presidency designated the bill as guar
anteeng and perpetuatng slavery in the Territories
Mr.. Corwin said
You have made the land Mexico) red with blood under
the pretence that you have thther to give freedom
the captive You have shown he had always antcipa-
ted that this was all hypocrisy, and that you desire
the iron heel not only slavery but of
slavery upon them He protested against this of