The national Republican., 1860-12-31
THE COMMITTEE OF THIRTYTHREE.

THE COMMITTEE OF THIRTY.THREE.
The proceedings Of this committee, yester
day, we're Of unusual interest.
The pending proposition was that of Mr..
Nelson, being substantially Mr.. Crittenden's,
to establish and protect" slavery south of
$50 3O>, not only in all present territory, but
"in all territory hereafter to be acquired"
The first vote taken was upon a motion to
strike out the words "territo,y hereafter 10 be
acquired" This vote was carried in the affirm.
ative.
Hereupon, Mr.. Taylor of Louisiana read
written protest, to the effect that no compro-
mise was possible, and retired from the com.
mittee, accompanied by Mr. Win low Of North
Carolina. There were no others present from
the far South, except Mr.. Hamilton of Texas.
This shows that Messrs. Taylor and Winsow,
and those they represent, will not be satisfied
with any division Of the present territory, but
must have a constitutional guaranty for the
Airicanization Of Mexico. The sooner such
men go home the better.
The question then returned upon Mr.. Mel.
sons proposition as amended, being to estab-
lish and protect" slavery, by constitutional
amendment, in all our present territory south
of 3G' 3O>. This would only apply to New
Mexico, and the public will not fail to see the
extrepe scandal of the proposition.
Not satisfied with the pledge of the acts of
1850, that New Mexico may come in ,cith
or ,cithout slaue,y," not satisfied with having
decision Of the Supreme Court in their favor,
and not even satisfied with having slavery es.
tablshed as it is by positive Territorial law,
these men have the effrontery to demand that
the Breckinridge platform, which was kicked
out even of Democratic National Conven.
ton, shall now be voted into the Constitution
of the United States.
This proposition was, of course, promptly
voted down by the Republicans.
What increases the general regret and sur.
prise at the extreme cher acter of Mr.. Nelson's
proposition, is the fact, that he is leading
member Of the Bell and Everett party, whose
motto was, "the Union, the Constitution, and the
Enforcement fthe Laws." Surely that party,
of all parties, will not sustain the idea of de.
stroying the Union, as the alternative of not be.
ing permitted to destroy the Constitution, under
the aimsy pretext of making a new one
We are most happy to add, that Mr. Davis,
Of Maryland, voted against the revolutionary
proposition of Mr.. Nelson.
Mr.. Nelson's attack upon the Constitution
having been successfully repeled, by the un.
shaken conservatism of the Republicans,
Mr.. Adams, of Massachusetts,, offered reso-
luton, that the committee report for the con.
sideration of the House, a bill to enable New
Mexico to form a State Constitution and come
into the Union in accordance with the act of
1850, which would be, ,ciM or githom sla-
rery," asthe people thereof might determine.
Thiswas carried by vote of IL to 10.
The Republicans divided, yeas Q, nays 5,
having two members absent, or paired.
The yeas were Messrs. Ferry, Adams, Hum.
phreys, Campbell, Corwn, Dunn, Curtis, How.
ard, and Window.
The nays were Messrs. Kellogg, Washburn,
Morrill,, Robinson, and Tappsn.
Messrs. Davis of Maryland and Bristow of
Kentucky voted in the affirmative, and the
twelfth affirmative vote was from either Califor-
MIA or Oregon.
The effect of the passage of such bill, as
Mr.. Adams proposes to report for the consid.
GRAFTON of the House, would be, that there
would remain no territory for the Southern
demagogues, who live by slavery agitation, to
clamor about. This would be great good.
There is no objection in principle to the
proposition. But it is undoubtedly objection.
able upon the ground, that New Mexico has
not the proper elements of State, looking
either to the numbers, or character, of its pop.
ulation.
And it was this conflict of considerations,
which divided the Republican vote in the COM
mittee, and which will probably divide Repub-
lican opinion in the country.