Congress would exclude slavery from any territory that in the future might be acquired from Mexico.

Wilmot immediately offered the following amendment:
"Provided That as an express and fundamental condition to the acquisition of any territory from the Republic of Mexico by the United States by virtue of any treaty which may be negotiated between them and to the use by the Executive of the moneys herein appropriated neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist in any part of said territory except for crime whereof the party shall first be duly convicted. As the 1848 presidential election took shape the Democrats rejected the Wilmot Proviso in their platform and selected Cass as their candidate to run on a popular sovereignty platform. He is interred in Riverside Cemetery; a Pennsylvania State historical marker is placed at Williams St at Riverside Cemetery Towanda identifying the cemetery as his resting place.

David Wilmot (January 20 1814 – March 16 1868) was a U. political figure.