The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1846-09-12
Me Two Mlllions RlII.

4MO VIZ NAAAAVMo DAAR II
The Washington correspondent Of the Bal
timore American, under date of the 18th ult,,
says
There is a secret as well as a public history
Of the two millions bill, asked for by the Pre-
sident of the United States, which ought to be
written before the proceedings Of the first SEES
sion of the Goth Congress cease to be recOr-
ded. had but time to give a brief sketch Of
the debate on Saturday evening, which took
place in the House upon the Mexican peace
message and the bill proposing an appropria-
ton Of two millions Of dollars to buy a peace
with Mexico, or rather 10 take possession Of
California, The debate and action took a
most singular turn during the two hours allot-
ted to the discussion. Those who defended
the bill generally voted against il upon the
question Of the final passage; and those who
opposed it generally voted for it, all Of which
was accounted for by the amendment in regard
to slavery.
For the FIRST time, perhaps, in the history Of
the Government, there was u sectional vote
upon this momentous question, and the friends
of the Administration from the free States led
of the opposition to their southern brethren.
They remembered the 'bad faith Of the South
as they called ii, upon the Oregon question,
and were resolved that no more slave territory
should some into the Union with their consent,
Mr. Wilmot Of Pennsylvania, (the only mem-
Der from that State who voted for the British
tariff, and who had been much lauded therefor
since then as the only true tried friend Of the
South from the Northern States) introduced an
amendment prohibiting forever the existence
Of slavery in any territory which should be
purchased with the two millions of dollars
r with some modification not affecting the prin'
ciple, this amendment prevailed; and then
came the changes Of opinion to which have
s referred. The bill was made palatable to the
: North and West, and unpalatOble to the Soutt
and Southwest, and hence the vote.
: This bill was not sent to the Senate unit
yesterday morning, at half past I o'clock, bu
Q in the meantime a secret influence was at worl
TO kill the bill, and at the same time to say
h the appropriation. The joint committee o
conference undertook to settle the matter en-
tirely to their satisfaction, and yet very covert
lie " to all the rest Of the world. Not having
rs charge Of any such subject, they undertook t
take charge Of it in their W. way and in thei
l. own time. In a long and laborious meeting
re- from nine O'Clock until half past two, they sci
ID tied all the points in dispute upon principle
II, which | have named, but nothing was the
whispered Of the twO,milliOns bill for maxim
IT. peace, or Of making an application for an
n, such object.
nd AS night approached there were signs Of IL
es trigue on foot. MI. Johnson, of Maryland, tn
Of Wing member OF the Senate among the thre
III Senate conferees, (Messrs. Lewis, of AlabamI
and Benton being his assOciates,) and Mr.. s.
ID yerance, Of the House, (Messrs. Mckay, of
IN, Carolina, and Boyd, Of Kentucky, being h
Ike aBsociates0 were sent for privately. The gel
81. tlemen all found themselves at the Capitol Q
Sunday evening, where, as murder will GU
the secret was known. It was here that Il
attempt was made to kill the House bill
ng sitting it altogether, and to add two millions
in dollars to the civil appropriation and diPlOm
tic bill, for the purchase Of California!
ire The Wing minority were Powerless and
up necessity yielded all to their associates, nc
lal however, as ! believe, without a protest again
ire what was here attempted; but as soon as I
lot design was known abroad, which was not un'
re- early yesterday morning, the members from d
me- free States, and some from The slave States, q
10 string no more territory, took fire at the frau
M When the House met yesterday, the excii
to ment was like that Of a smothered fire real
or to burst forth at q moment upon all around.
3, The instant the chairman Of the committee
lar conferees (Mr. Mckay should rise to subH
M, his report, was to have been the signal for d
by bursting Of the storm. Every Prelimina
! 3 motion from the Ways and Means committ
ap- was resisted, aud for half an hour every Thu