Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 20.pdf/282

 LESTER BURRELL SHIPPEE

266

through its oppressions, you will have driven us to the necessity of withdrawing from it, in order to avoid its despotism. By interfering with the rights of property, you will have driven us to the necessity of withdrawing it from your grasp." 8 Leake was supported by Rhett of South Carolina and was

opposed by Thurman of Ohio who flatly stated the point of view of the North as this while not agreeing with the abolboth of the North believed and Democrats itionists, Whigs that the Federal Government had supreme power over the territories, and through that government he and his colleagues were going to oppose the extension of slavery. Hamlin also reiterated this sentiment and said that each side might as well know where it stood; the North proposed that no territory then free, nor any territory subsequently added to the Union,

He, for one, was in favor of a declaratory the Wilmot (like Proviso) to that effect. The vote on the passage of the Oregon bill was 133 to 35

should be slave.

law

Of the negative votes two came from the North and one Native American) the other thirty(one Whig three from the South were cast by twelve Whigs and twentyone Democrats, but a considerable number of the southern 9 Representatives would not vote. The Senate referred the House bill to the Committee on 10 Judiciary which retained it until the twenty-fifth of January. It was then reported out with amendments, and on the twentyninth recommitted that some errors might be corrected. On the last day of the session Mr. Allen called up the bill, and, when objection was made on account of the many important measures which would have to be neglected if it should be taken up, declared that he understood the scheme. The interest in the Northwest was at that moment the weakest of the three interests in the Union; it was overshadowed by the Northeast and the South, both of which conspired to check action. The in its favor.



8 Leake in Globe, 188-90; Hamlin, 195-7. 9.

Ibid

10 Ibid.,

XVII,

188; Appen.,

197. 199, 246, 283, 570.

111-3; Rhett, Appen., 214-7;

Thurman,