The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-06-27
THIRTIETH CONGRESS-.
FIRST SESSION.
Senate.


WAsHINGToN, June &C. 1S4S.
The Senate convened at eleven o'clock The Vice
President George M. Dallas, being absent, motion
of Mr. Benton, Mr. Atchson, of Missouri was appoint
ed President pro tenn
WISCONSIN SENATORS.
Mr.. DODGE, of Wisconsin, presented the credentials
Of Mr. Walker, his colleague from said State, who
forward, was duly qualified, and took his seat,
On motion of MIR BENTON Mr. Dodge and Mr. Walk
proceeded to draw ballots for terms service Mr.
Walker drew the shortest term his period expiring in
1S49, and that of Mr.. Dodge in 1851
Mr.. DAVIS of Massachusetts, from the Committee
Commerce. reported the bill in favor of making ap
preparation for the erection oflght houses light boats,
buoys, &C.
Mr. BoRLANp, from the Committee on Public Lands,
reported joint resolution in favor of grants of land
for the construction of Whtney's Railroad from Lake
Michigan to the Pacific Ocean.
After the transaction of some other unmportant bu
sness the Senate laid aside the morning business and
proceeded to take up the Oregon bill.
MIR. DIx's SPEECH.
Mr. DIX spoke at length in support Of the proviso
the ordinance of 49, He cited the opinions of Madi
and many cotemporaneous authorities the Of
Congress- from the date of the ordinance down to the
period of the formation of the territorial of
Iowa. He quoted various decisions of the Supreme
Court to sustain these acts and number Of auhori
ties establishing the power OF Congress over the
ton Of slavery in the territories of the Union After
of Congress- he to consider the expedency of its
exercise in regard to Oregon The exercise of the
power might be freely considered because infrnged
upon no existing rights He was decidedly opposed to
eav ng Oregon open to slavery He diverged into
examination of the laws of population - the dis
tnctien between the various races of men-the
nferiority of the African race and the superiority
OF the Caucasians. He argued the policy of encour
ng the increase the whites and OF as
far possible the increase of the colorcd races-it
our manifest interest to do ths-t too, the
fest destiny of this continent that it should be peopled
ultimately by the Caucasian With this view of
the subject, striking and selfevdent, he be
opposed to the extension of slavery into the territories
Of this Union where slavery does not exist-t is
unjust to refuse to exclude it from Oregon Gentlemen
may argue that the latitude will of itself exclude the
therefore this proviso is not practical question Not
The climate Of Oregon is mild notwhsta ndng it's
high atude and slavery might be profitable there fer
while but shall we do the free white settlers in Ore
gon the injustice to that territory to the intro
duction of slavery? Should do this proposed by
striking out this twelfth section it would be act
reversing the policy of the government since its foun
dation-its introduction is in accordance with the
spirit of the age and its exclusion would manifest
hostility to the people of Oregon and to the
prosperity of the Union He preferred the direct pro-
position of the ordinance of 81 to the indirect pro-
visions of the bill; and If other Senator did he
should move to insert the proviso into the bill He be-
lieved first, that all interference with slavery in the
States is unauthorized by the constitution in violation
of its compromises and dangerous the perpetuity
the Unonsecond, that in territories of the United
ought not to be nterered with but that where
not exist 1t ought to be prohbited-thrd that Con-
gress has power over the question, the admission
of the territory as State into the Union This
the spirit of the resolutions of New Yorkthe only
sonabe basis for compromises these were, also his
opinions New York will oppose any interference with
slavery where it exists but she will also oppose its ex
tension into territories where it does exist by all
the means in her power the extension of nstitu
ton inconsistent with the humanity and civilization
Of the age.
MIR Calhoun will speak tomorrow.
After the transaction of some unimportant business
the Senate adjourned over till to. morrow (Tuesday)
House of Representatives.
| The House met at IL o'clock, when the SPEAKER
called to order. The journal read and approved
BILL.
Mr. FEArHERsroS, of Mississippi. moved to suspend
the rules. with the view of taking the engrossed
Post Office bill The yeas and nays were taken. and
resulted in the negative Twothrds voting for the
same, the House refused to suspend.
Mr. EMBREE, of Indiana moved to suspend the rules
proviso The yeas and nays called for and de-
cided in the negative. So the House refused to
suspend the rules.
Mr. VINroN, Of Ohio then moved that the House re-
solve itself into Committee Of the Whole on the
State of the Union, which agreed to- Mr. Root, of
Ohio in the chair, when
THE GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS BILL
was taken up.
Mr.. FEArHERsroN being entitled to the floor, spoke
at length against tho Wilmot proviso He inter-
rupted by MIR. Lahm, of Ohio, and Intercepted Mr.
Featherston proceeded to conclude when
Mr.. ANDREW STEWART, of Pennsylvania, obtained
the floor and made political speech, in the of
which he out against the Union's editorials and
General Cass extra charges when territorial governor
of the Northwest.
Mr.. CLARK, of Kentucky, followed in a speech tho
veto power and in favor of Gen Cass's construction
of it.
Mr. THOMPSON, of Kentucky, next obtained the floor
and spoke half hour. politically, and moved that
the committee rise and report progress, which
red; when, on motion, the House adjourned till
tomorrow.