they are already committed to being the majority, they shut their eyes,
and gulp the whole. Next election, still another is introduced in the
same way. If we run our eyes along the line of the past, we shall see
that almost if not quite all the articles of the present Democratic creed
have been at first forced upon the party in this very way. And just now,
and just so, opposition to internal improvements is to be established if
General Cass shall be elected. Almost half the Democrats here are for
improvements; but they will vote for Cass, and if he succeeds, their vote
will have aided in closing the doors against improvements. Now this is a
process which we think is wrong. We prefer a candidate who, like General
Taylor, will allow the people to have their own way, regardless of his
private opinions; and I should think the internal-improvement Democrats,
at least, ought to prefer such a candidate. He would force nothing on
them which they don't want, and he would allow them to have improvements
which their own candidate, if elected, will not.

Mr. Speaker, I have said General Taylor's position is as well defined as
is that of General Cass. In saying this, I admit I do not certainly know
what he would do on the Wilmot Proviso. I am a Northern man or rather a
Western Free-State man, with a constituency I believe to be, and with
personal feelings I know to be, against the extension of slavery. As
such, and with what information I have, I hope and believe General
Taylor, if elected, would not veto the proviso. But I do not know it. Yet
if I knew he would, I still would vote for him. I should do so because,
in my judgment, his election alone can defeat General Cass; and because,
should slavery thereby go to the territory we now have, just so much will
certainly happen by the election of Cass, and in addition a course of
policy leading to new wars, new acquisitions of territory and still
further extensions of slavery. One of the two is to be President. Which
is preferable?