Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-12-15
THIRTIETH CoNGREss--2d Session
"WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER Is, l846.
SENATE


After some unimportant business, Mr.. Benton
rose and presented a petition, received BY him
self and The Senator from Delaware, (Mr. Clay
ton from a convention OF the people OF New
Mexico, signed by The president and secretary OF
that convention, and daled Santa Re, Nov. Ia,
900, --,.. - - the Come - =. 49,,
and praying lnat territorial government, purely
civil in its character, may be provided for Them.
The petitioners state that the laws in force in Sep
TENDER, 1916, would be acceptable TO them pro
test against dsmemberment, in favor OF Texas, or
10 any other manner-and express their oppOS-
lion 10 the introduction Of slavery. They con
clude with the remark that, as The territory now
contains from IS 900 10 100 900 Inhabitants, they
trust that their prayer may not be deemed unreal
sonable. A printed copy OF The laws referred 10
accompany The memorial
Mr. Benton moved that the petition oe referred
10 the territorial committee, and printed
Mr. Clayton said that as he had labored at'the
last session 10 give civil government 10 the new
territories, he should do The same at The present,
and he cordially concurred in the reference pro
posed BY The Senator from Missouri.
MIR. Calhoun rose to express no opposition 10
The reterence-bul 10 protest against The ,nsotent
character OF this application, from the people OF
conquered territory, The properly alike OF every
portion oflhe Uniied Sta'es.
MIR, Benton said that when The application OF
those for whom he acted was thus Pronounced
insolenr, he deemed it his duly 10 rise and dis
claim for them anything ofthe kind.
Mr. Calhoun replied, it was not at all strange
that the Senator from Missouri should view The
subject as he does, and that he MIR. c. should
also view it differently. He (Nr. c. considercd
The territory OF New Mexica as belonging 10 the
United Stales, and therefore the common proper
~ OF all The States.
Mr.. Rusk made no objection 10 the reference
and deemed il proper that civil governments
should be established in The new territories, bul
al The same time he must enter his solemn pro
les, agans, any such government being establish
ed in territory east OF the Rio Grande, acquired
By The blood and treasury OF The State which nc
represented.
Mr.. Benton said Thai he hal done in this just
as lille as could be done, and comply win The
parliamentary forms in regard TO petitions. The
Senator from Sou;h Carolina had declared The
petition insoenl. The petition was neither 'nso.
lent nor di.respectiu, but entitled 10 respectful
consideration. These people have used The
express words OF The Virginia Legislature 10
George iii before the breaking out OF The ReVo-
ution but though George ILL.,, did not grant their
request, he made no excuse that il was disre-
specliul.
Mr.. Calhoun considered the petition distespect'
full, because il aimed 10 dep ivelh South OF their
riehts-and j; was for his reason tina; he had
termed il ins1lent
Mr.. Benton again denied the insolence, and
asserted the constitutional right, conquered or
not conquered, by Inc people OF New Mexico 10
petition Congress for Civil Government. he
pronounced the declarations Of the Senator from
South Carolina graluilons and untounded.
Mr. Calhoun said, that it was not against The
RICH, of petition that he had spoken but ne had
a right 10 remark upon every word oil Inc peti-
lion presented. He commended that that petition
attempted 10 exclude one halt of the people OF
The Uniled States from the benefits 10 which the
whole we're entitled, and in This nc deemed II IN
solcnr. What The Senator from Missouri lhousht
on The subeci, was 10 him mater OF perfect
indifference.
Mr. Wesrco,t said he had examined the petl.
ton. and found II signed by only fifteen persons /;
and wi,hou, Intending 10 be disrespecIful either
II The Senator from Missouri or The Senator nom
Delaware, he could not hui pronounce The petiion
an a,temp: 10 impose upon the Congress OF the
United States or those fifteen names, oul Two
or three we're English or American, ana one Of
these I'VE or three was Mr.. Giooings, VINO
acted as secretary TO The Convention referred 10 va
me pelition. He denied that this petition could
be- considered a: the voice oil The people OF N-W
Mexico. =,
Mr.. Benton declared that MI WeslcoH hau
read the heading OF The petition as II II were
coming direct from the people-ot New Mexico,
and had not included the words also " 10 conVen-
lion assembled Ii came he-e as Inc proceed
mos of an organized body Of The people OF New
Mexico. in convention assembled, and If there
had been any attempt a, imposition it was not on
their part. -. (.
had stated explicitly that il purported 10 be pc
,ion the people Of New Mexico in convention
assembled. There was no evidence that Inc
members of this convention were elected as Inc
renresen,atiyes of The people of New Mexico.
ae had seen as yet no evidence that such con-
yeu,ion had been called, or that il was more than
a local meeting a, Santa Fe.. There was nothing
before The Senate even 10 shew Tor what object
This meeting had been called. Wha, he protested
against was that. without such evidence, Pc
lilion, signed by fifteen persons, nearly all Mexi-