Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1848-09-02
THE OREGON BILL,

THE OREGON BILL.
Mr.. BENroN's CouRss-TnB CoMpRoMisH
STRICKEN OUT ON ms MOTION.
On the lolh instant. the bill providing
for the organization Of the Territory of
Oregon. was returned to the Senate with
amendments. The most important was the
rejection ola proposition from the Senate
to attach to the House bill, which contained
The Wilmot Proviso, clause adopting the
Missouri Compromise as an adjustment of
the question of Slavery, in relation to New
Mexico and California.
Mr.. Douglass moved the appointment Of
a Committee Of Conference.
Mr.. Benton rose to make motion which
would supercede this motion. He moved
tina, the Senate recede from The amendment,
Thereby leaving the Wilmot Proviso in
the bill. but minus Of the Compromise Pro-
vision. ...-.
Some conversation ensued, when Mr..
Mason inquired if the motion to recede
would appear on the Journal. On being
answered in the affirmative, Mr.. Mason
moved to lay the bill and amendments on
the ,able--which was decided in the mega.
tive--yeas Is, nays l3.
Mr.. Benton then renewed his motion to
recede, and assigned his reasons:
The question had been long time before the
Senate. He had patiently waited with an snxious
desire TO adop, soma measure OF concIiation.--
From the first he had been opposed 10 clogging
Oregon with California. He wished to see Ore>
gor 90 through by herself When the subject
was referred 10 select committee Of eight, a bill
had been brought in. constructed for the purpose
of conciIiatine different feelings. He had not ap
proved OF that bill; bu, he had always determined
10 vote for il. He had not mpeded it's progress
by interposing single word. He gave his vote
for it. while he dsapproved Of il at the same time.
Then there come up the adjustment on the paral
lei line Of Sc deg. 80 min. He was extremely
reluctant TO 60 for that measure. Oregon was
400 miles distant from the nearest, and nearly
900 miles from the remotest point OF CALIFORNIA;:
and there was no rule which applied equally TO
both. Still, he had voted for that bill, in order
to put an end to the question: and on similar
grounds he had given he vote for the Oregon BILL
That bill had been sent to the House, and had
been returned from the House with the Missouri
compromise stricken out. He thought he had now
done enough to secure Cancellation and compro
mise. He had done enough when he consented
to attach Californis to Oregon. Oregon was
now in deplorable condition. A few years sgo
we were ready TO fight all the world to &c, posses.
sion Of her; end now we are just as willing to
throw her away as we were then TO risk every
thing for her possession. She is left without o
government, w;,hou. laws. while at this moment
she is engaged in war with the Indians. There
were 12, 900 or Is, 900 persons settled there who
had claims on our protection. She was 5000
miles from the metropolitan seat OF government
And yet although she had set up a provisional
government for herself, and this provisional gov
eminent had taken on itself the enactment OF
laws. it is left to the will OF every individual to
determine for himself whether he will obey those
laws or not. She has now reached poin, beyond
which she can exist no longer. She can work
along no further, no longer. The war hereafter
will not he between whites and Indians; it will
be conflict between whites and whites. II will
become necessary that every dispute shall be set.
tied by resort 10 arms. And can this Senate
satisfy itself that it will have performed its duty,
while it sits with folded arms, and declines to do
any thing? II is duty, a solemn obligation,
enforced by the awful solemnity Of our oalhs,
which we cannot avoid without violation OF that
duty. II we refrain from extending tho protec.
ton OF this government to the people Of Oregon,
we violate these obligations. He held it 10 be
our bounden duty TO provide a government for
Oregon; and he would not so far as he was able,
perm, The bill to establish that government, by
putting weight Of ex.raneous matter on it, to
sink il down.
Mr.. Berrien followed
Mr.. Calhoun expressed his apprehension that
there was fixed majority in this Senate end in
The House opposed 10 any further trial a, concil.
son. Still he hoped The Senate would preserve
correct position and vote for The appointment OF
a committee Of conference. He might say withou,
any self faery, that he had all along forseen this
result. Let those who opposed the views Of the
South lay their causes before the country and de
frnd il as they could. The great strife between
the North and the South is ended. The North
is determined 10 exclude the property OF the slave
holder and OF course. the stakeholder himself,
from its territory. On this point there seems TO
be no division in the north. In the SOUTH he
regretted TO say. there was some division OF sen
rilnent. The effect Of this determination OF The
North was 10 convert ell the southern population
into slaves; and he would never consent to entail
that disgrace on his poserity. He denounced any
Southern man who would not take tho same
course. Gentlemen were greatly mistaken if
they supposed the presidential question in the
Souh would over ride this more important one.-
The separation OF the North and the South is
completed. The South has now most solemn
litigation 10 perform--to herself-lo the consli
fha HIN 81