The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-12-19
h.. Ill 81 thaiL nd

not supposed to be the only appropriate committee to
which should be referred all matters of that kind.
NOW am surprised, SIR, 10 see any struggle IN thlS
matter why Is II that gentlemen are anxious 10 sehd
this bill 10 committee where it has not been usual to
send such bills IN preference to the committee where II
has always been the custom TO send them Is there any
intention OF forestang the auesuon-to decide matters
of primary importance by the bias the minds OF mem
beers OF a committee Why is il, ask, that this struggle
going on IN regard to the reference OF this BILL when
is known that such bills have been uniformly referred
TO the Judiciary Committee, with the exception OF the
isolated referred TO by the senator from Illinois, Sir
IN that case there was very extraordinary decision made
on the part OF the committee and sanctioned by the Sen
ate and Congress OF the United States That north west
ern territory intended, and il understood,
to form certain number OF States. Did they adhere
to that understanding Did they not take off part
OF Wisconsin TO form another State out OF territory
which was set apart for five States? | ask the sena-
tor If that was not the case If that done by the
Committee Territories, should hesitate long before
sent another bill, involving matters OF right or OF law,
to the committee. am decidedly III favor tor do
not intend to take up the time of the Senae) of sending
the bill to the committee, the members OF which have
been selected for their legal attalnments.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. | will merely remark 10 the senator
from Alabama, that if he had looked at the journal he
would have found the reason why in the course OF his
twenty-five years in the Senate, bill OF this kind has
not been referred to the Territorial Committee and that
simply that there never has been Territorial
Committee until recently That explains why such bulls
have been referred TO such committee; there be-
ing none. And the why such reference has
been ordered since, is, that there has been such
committee
Now sir, | have only word to say in reply to the
geneman reference TO the admission OF the Northwest
Territory He says that the Territorial Committee
have violated the ordinance of 7s7 making than
five States, instead of five only, that ordinance re-
CURES. wish the senator had listened to the senator
IRON Georgia. who stated that that very bill came from the
Judiciary Committee and TO the senator from Florida who
stated that it carved ~t by the Judiciary Committee
1t is in that bill which came from the Judiciary Commit
tee sir, that you find that the Northwestern Territory
made into than five States and the Territorial
Committee, last session, only bowed in Difference to the
Judiciary Committee. ! hope, therefore, the gentleman
must at any-and arraisn that committee, and not ours;
and hope that he will understand what the facts are be-
fore he makes charges upon our committee.
Mr.. BRIGHT. As at present advised, am opposed to
any legislation looking TO the organization of Territorial
governments in either California or New Mexico during
this Congress-; nevertheless will lend my aid in giving
legitimate direction. The senator from Georgia moyes
the reference of the BILL offered by the senator from ILL
nois, to the Committee the Judiciary. This regard
as departure from the presidents established by TINS
body, under similar circumstances, upon like propositions
Ii the senator from Illinois had proposed by his bill to
organize Territorial governmental California, instead OF
admitting California directly as State apprehend no
senator would have objected TO reference to the Com
mittee Territories. All would have acquiesced in this
disposition of the subject But because the bill conem
plates abridged method of disposlng OF question
that has lately occupied so much Of public aen-
ton, therefore it is said the Committee on the Judi
eiary is the proper one to investigate and report up
who believes that any bill or proposition having for It's
object the organization of any OF the Territories OF these
United States can be passed upon by Congress without
an issue made directly as to whether slavery shall not
be absolutely excluded He who 10 this conclu-
sion, must have been an nattentlve observer OF what
passed in this Chamber at its last session This geo.
graphical question then 1t will arise again, and
with increased strength To send this bill to the Com
mtee the Judiciary is useless waste of time, as far
as their reasoning and recommendation are concerned
accord to the members of that committee large share
of legal talent belongs to the number of gentle
men in out of this Chamber but when recoect that
four out OF the five members OF that committee are from
the slaveholdng States of this Union, not mistaken
in saying they cannot present bill that will receive the
sanction OF this Congress.
The Committee Territories is free from the geo
graphical objection I have made as applicable to the
be in conformity with past usage, and more appropriate,
to refer to the former, and shall vote accordingly
have said, Mr. President that was opposed to the
ganizaton of all Territories during the present session of
Congress- am still, believing do that there great
public necessity existing for haste in this natter and
sion to the will of the majority. If the American
people decided anything in the late national election,
it reference of this question of territorial acqus
tons and organizations TO the "ncomng administration
1t in November last bequeathed to them as rich
political legacy, pregnant with capital, mar keable in
every section of this Union For one, think 1t would
be in bad TASTE and out of place. for this expiring admins
traton to prevent the execution of the will in the
pointed out by the tesators, would be the
we to PREJUDICE and settle the question this session.
Mr. BALDWIN, Ii appears TO me, sir, mat the ques-
ton now before the Senate is very different from any
that has heretofore occurred with regard to the matter OF
reference The question ordinarily presented when
bill is introduced for the admission of State is
which influences the matter of detail regard to that of
which the policy is already determined The question
of policy here presented is whether this territory,
pIised within the limits of country by the treaty
with Mexico, shall be organized into more Terri
toria governments whether it shall be organized into
a State government This bill includes California and
New Mexico, and proposes TO establish State govern
ment the whole. The people of portion of the
territory have already applied to Congress to be
organized into Territorial government Another
portion have asked for a State government. But
the Territory of New Mexico has already transmit
the Senate, and if mistake not, referred all events,
the matter is before the Senate, whether they shall
have Territorial government not Now sir, this ques
ton OF policy appears to proper for the Territorial Com
mee TO consider and report upon does not involve mat
ter which requires peculiarly the action OF a committee,
constituted for the purpose for which the Judiciary Com
mlttee is constituted. think, therefore, sir, that aside
from any of the presidents which have been cited by
those who are in favor of reference to the judiciary
or To the Territorial Commee-standlng upon the
merits of the queshonit is isolated case, distinct
from all the others. 1t is peculiarly appropriate that it
should be referred matter of policy TO that commit
tee which is conversant with matters OF this sort, and
established to consider them rather than legal ques
ions, arising from settled policy.
Mr.. RUSK. | shall vote Mr. President against the
reference of this bill to the Committee Territories
and for its reference to the Committee on the Judiciary
and shall do without being influenced by any of the
exraneous circumstances which have been brought to
bear upon the subject for the that all the prece
dents Tor referring this BILL with the exception of one
are in iavo OF referring to the Committee the Judi
cary: AT the same tme if they equally appropri-
there wOuld he in (which