The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-07-22
Congressional.

Mr. Clayton submitted joint resolution, which
was passed directing the Secretary Of State 70 trans
fer TO the Solicitor of the Treasury four volumes OF
the Statutes at Large, and authorizing the So
Gcitor to make use of the Congressional Library.
Mr. Dix reported substitute for the bill establish
ing a collection district at Whitehall, Ny.
Mr.. Turney moved a reconsideration OF the vote
on the Texas Navy BILL and the motion lies on the
| table.
Mr.. Benton reported an amendment to the bill to
carry INTO effect certain stipuatQns of the treaty
wit. meMco, and it was ordered to be printed.
Mr.. Underwood reported a substitute, from the
Committee on Public Lands, for the bill relating to
claims of officers of the Continental Army.
On motion of Mr.. Atherton the bill to provide for
the payment of hqudated" claims under the
recent treaty with Mexico, taken up and passed.
MIR. A. stating that the Secretary of the Treasury
was ready to pay these claims at once. These are
the claims under the Convention of 1899, to which
Mr. Reverdy Johnson the other day referred in CON
nectiOn with an alleged error of the President
A message was received from the President, com
municatng the proceedings, called for by resolu-
ton, in reference to the mutiny in the North Caro-
lima Regiment Ordered to be printed
On motion of Mr.. Badger the bill to carry into
effect the provisions of the ninth article of the treaty
of Florida in reference to the claims of certain
Spanish claimants in Western Florida was taken
up and passed.
Onmoton of Mr.. Bright, the consideration of the
| Oregon Territorial bill was resumed.
Mr. Jefferson Davis addressed the Senate. The
twelfth section of the bill, he sad is practical abo
ltiOn blythe Government of the United States, and
for this reasOnas it that he had offered his amend
| ment.
| Mr. Clayton thought if it was the intention of
! Congress 10 adjourn at the ordinary period it was
| time something was done TO concentrate the Opin-
| ion of the Senate some one proposition. With
| a view to concentrate operations, he moved that a
committee of eight membeTs--tOur from the North
and four from the SOuth--to be constituted to
| DC oh DplitipoI at
| and two at the SOuth--to whom should be recon-
mtted this bill and all the amendments-that tmay
be ascertained whether any thing Gun be done, and
if not, that they may proceed to the other business
| Mr. FoOte had felt rejoced when the proposition
| of compromise had been made by Northern men,
and he felt gratified now at the proposition OF the
| Senator from Delaware. But if that committee
should not be able to agree upon any thing satsiac
| tory he should still feel it his duty TO struggle on
| for the object desired.
Mr. Fitzgerald rose tomake few remarks in re-
| ply to charge made--unntentiOnaly, no doubt
| upon the State which he had the honor in part TO
| represent by the Senator from South Carolina MIR
| Calhoun Ii was that Michigan had violated the
terms of the ordinance of 1887 He desired to give
! the Senator an opportunity TO say whether he had
| correctly understood him.
Mr.. Calhoun would answer very cordially, but
he regretted that he could not do satisfactorily.
| Under the ordinance of 1887, solemn compact was
entered into for the delivery up of fugitive slaves
| among the States, and he regretted 70 state that
| Michigan was one of the States which had re.
| fused to comply with the requirements of the
| compact
! Mr. Fitzgerald said that there were few abO
| litionists in Michigan who might have violated
| that ordinance, but the great body of the people
DESTROYS TO see the spirit OF the ordinance car
| red out He put it to the Senator whether the
| whole people of Michigan should be held respOu-
| sble for the acts of few.
| Mr.. Calhoun said emphatiCally that the State Of
Michigan was bound to carry out the stipulatlOnS
| of the compact. But so far from having done so,
he had never known more fragrant violation Of
| obligation.
Mr. Corwin inquired whether the Supreme Court
had not decided that the States have no power to
make laws for this object!
Mr. Calhoun would let his colleague answer the
question
| Mr. Butler said that the case before the court did
not require the Chief Justice to go far he had
gone. So far as the point at issue was concerned,
he did not think the decision could be so construed.
Mr. Calhoun thought at the time, the decision
referred to, of the most extraordinary ever made
i'll a court of justice He insisted that the States
have the power to carry the law into effect
Mr. COrwin referred TO embassy from the
State of Kentucky to the sovereign State Of Ohio,
to negotiate in reference to this question Of fugitive
slaves and to the result, in the passage byOhlo Of
law not only III reference to tugltlVe slaves, but
for the protection of her citizens against kidnap-
pers from Kentucky. He insisted that the decision
of the Supreme Court embraced the entire ques-
ton, and was against the power OF the States TO
| pass such law.
Mr.. Calhoun insisted that the ordinance of 1887,
being compact entered into before the Conslltu-
ton of the United States was adopted the COuven-
| ton which framed that instrument had no pOweF
! to annuI the contract had they been so disposed
But, so far from annulng the compact, they had
made express provision for carrying it into effect.
The Supreme Court, constituted under the consti-
tutiOn had the power to COnstrue the provisions of
that instrument but not to annul a contract which
previously existed,
Mr. COrwn had no objection to the Senator from
| South Carolina taking appeal from the decision
of the Supreme Court, but until that appeal was
decided, the States We're bound by the decision.
After some further remarks by Mr.. Calhoun, Mr..
Bright expressed the hope, if the bill was to be
referred proposed by the Senator from Delaware,
that the portion Of the Presidents message relating
to Territorial Governments in California and New
Mexico, would be referred to the same committee.
Mr. Dickinson conceded with Mr.. Bright, and
thought the proposition indicated the return Of
clear sky.
Mr. Hale disagreed entirely with the Senator
from New York, and could see no indication Of a
g clear sky" in the proposition. lie was, Tor one,
ready to take the vote at once on every proposition
brorGht forward and if it was thought that by
| their votes here they TO settle this question
upon the terms proposed they would find that they
vjould have a different account TO settle with their
constituents when they got home
Mr. H. said it was a question which could not
he settled by compromise He thought the vote on
the proposition to strike out the provision approving
the act Of the territorial legislature, and the send
ing Of the yeas and nays to the people, would do
far more to settle this question than any such com
promise.
Mr.. Butler replied. He thought it The duty Of
| the Senate 10 make an efort-an honorable effort
to settle this agitating question Though politicians
might be disposed to sport with elements cacula-
ted to shake this Union TO the centre, he had not
the courage to do so.
Mr. Hale was willing, where a moral principle
was not concerned, to go as far as any one in the
way Of compromise. And he would this day vote
to give back to Mexico every inch Of the territory
| taken from her, and thus remove altogether the
bone of contention But he could never lend him
safto extend over the land the black pail ofslavery
Mr.. FOote said THAT as the Senator from New
! Hampshire had voted for the treaty by which this
! territory was acquired, which he is now willing TO
give back, he had Of course, he supposed, right TO
/ say something as to the manner in Whlchut shall