The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-26
WILMOT,s CAREER.
The Famous Author OF the WiImOt
PrOVisO.

Press.
Neither slavery nor involuntary servi-
tude shall exist in any part of said ter
ritory, except for crime, whereof the party
shall first be duly convicted"
These famous words, known in our coun-
try's history as the 'Wilmot Proviso," en-
graved on a plain white slab, mark the
resting place of one who, without doubt,
achieved the widest reputation in his day
of any man in northern Pennsylvania.
wayne county, Jan, 20, 1874 There he
spent his boyhood days and received his
Wilmot removed to Wilkesbarre, and be-
gan the study of law. 1t is related of him
as a student that he was indolent and
averse to study, but that when exemina-
temporaries in the study of Blackstone
surpassed him for legal knowledge and the
manner and force of expressing that knowl
edge
On the 4th of August 1916, President Polk
sent to the Senate confidential message,
peace with Mexico A bill was introduced
In the House appropriating 600 for the
purpose specified. 1t had now become so
apparent that the movement was intended
to strengthen the pro-slavery influence IN
the general government that, at Mr. VII,
mot's suggestion, consultation was held held
who were opposed to the extension of
slavery the result of which was the offer
ing by Mr.. Wilmot of the celebrated proviso
"Wilmot Proviso,'' which provided that in
any territory acquired from Mexico
neither slavery nor involuntary seryitude
shall exist in any part of said territory
except for crime" etc.
The proviso was adopted in committee
and the two-million bill containing 1t was
sent to the Senate, where 1t was killed by
John Davis, of Massachusetts, who talked
against time and prevented its passage.
While it is true that this made Judge Will
mot immortal in the political estimation of
the time, yet in respect to the memory of
the great revolutionary fathers it should
copied verbatim from Jefferson in Virginia's
cession of the Northwest Territory to the
Union of States.
created a great sensation throughout the
entire country. and it rs alleged that it was
the thing which split the democratic
party upon the slavery question. Many of
the democrats of the diStrict-Bradford
Susquehanna and Sullivan counties-made
a bold assault upon Mr.. Wilmot for this
and tried to prevent his return to Congress
He was one of the fathers" of the Re-
publican party, in fact, the measures which
largely instrumental in bringing it into ex-
istence. Wilmot was a delegate TO the
Republican National Convention. held in
Philadelphia in 1856, and was chairman of
the Committee on Resolutions and drew
up the famous preamble denouncing 'slav-
cry and polygamy as twin relics of bar
barism." In the convention he was pro-
posed as a candidate for the Vice-Presi-
dency on the ticket with Gen. Fremont,
and could have commanded the unanimous
nomination, but was averse to it.
After his defeat for the governorship in
1857 Wilmot was appointed by Governor Pol
lock to the judgeship he had resigned, and
continued to act in that capacity until 1861,
when he was elected to the United States
Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the
resignation of General Cameron, who had
been selected as member of the Lincoln
Cabinet. At the outset of his senatorial ca
reer, with the brightest prospects for still
loftier attainments, his health gradually be-
gan to fail until he scarcely could attend to
his routine duties.
Mr. Wilmot was a member of the peace
Conference of 1861, and when coming from
one of it's meetings Is quoted SIS saying
There is no use, we cannot agree and l
am not sure that a war would be the worst
thing that could happen to this country. l
fear it is near at hand"
At the close of his term as senator he was
appointed by President Lincoln a judge of
the Court of Claims, which position he held
until his death.
David Wilmot was not an abohtionist as
is generally understood He never claimed a
place with Phillips Weed, Garrison of Gree
ley. for he fought slavery long time within
the ranks of the Democratic party and
hoped to maintain his influence in that or
ganization while making the struggle. He
soon found this impracticable. Without a
doubt he had more to do with the creation
of the Republican party and the overthrow
was a. powerful force in starting the con-
fiict which finally resulted in the overthrow
of the great evil of slavery. In the south his
proviso made him hated by the STAKEHOLDER
as an uSurper, while the slaves learned his
name and reverenced 1t.