The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-12-14

all ner stdteSncnS ner patriots anu noble Spirits,
covered deep in honorable graves than submit one
moment to single act of degradation. And he
would tell that man who attempts such an act the
curses of heavens high God shall descend upon
him.
Mr.. McCLERNAND thought it was useless to
anticipate dissolution Of the Union; sufficient
Tor the day is the evil thereof He thought it un-
necessary to argue the question further. He was
ready to organize the House Speaker could be
elected if the voting continued; and he hoped
the motion to proceed with the voting would pre-
vail
Mr.. COLCOCk had listened TO the remarks of
the gentleman from Illinois, (Mr. BAKER,) and
wished TO reply to them. That gentleman had said
that the North would not believe the South would
dissolve the Union. He felt blush of shame that
any one should believe that the South deserved
such "A reproach. The North, said the gentleman
from Illinois, would not believe the South in ear
nest He wished to tell him that in ear
nest; and push your aggressions one step farther,
and, in the language OF. my colleague, will
teach you. He wished to say To him in few words
let this Congress pass a bill to abolish slavery in
the District of Columbia, or pass the Wilmot pro-
viso, and he pledged himself TO introduce resou-
ton in these words Resolued, That this Union be
dissolved
Mr.. BAKER. But will pass that it shall
not be dissolved. Laughter
Mr.. O'CLOCK. Thus the South would show to
the gentleman and to the North that we are in ear
nest. South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Mis-
sissippi are all ready to vote for it. A voice
SO And Virginia."l Yes and Virginia; and what
was once South Carolina abstraction, Is now a
solemn truth
MIR. ALLEN was understood to maintain that
the universal opinion among the people of the
North was in opposition to the extension OF slavery.
Ii the State Of Georgia thought proper to dissolve
this Union by withdrawing from it, and sent in
her declaration to that effect, he had doubt but
that Congress would treat it with becoming respect.
But the North did not think of disunion; and 1t
was strange TO hear gentlemen speaking of dssolv-
ing this great Union who had not strength to move
of the m rble pillara of this hall
Mr.. ALLEN then reviewed, at great length, the
proceedings of yesterday in relation to the inter
views and correspondence between the member
from Indiana and the Free-Soil party, and de-
Tended the course Of his party in trying to obtain
proper number of their members on the several
committees He was understood to say, that from
the remarks of the member from Maryland MIR.
McLANE) in relation to the composition OF the COM
mittees, the Free-Soers could not expect to be
heard upon any committee if the member from
Massachusetts, (Mr. WINTHRoP) had been elected
Speaker They therefore were justified in not vot-
Mr.. WINTHROP corrected the gentleman in
matter fact The Committees on Judiciary, Dis
trct of Columbia, and Territories, composed
of five Wings and four Democrats. And owing to
the death OF one member, and the absence OF ano-
Their, these committees stood in fact four to four.
The gentleman from Maryland was correct in stat
ing that in the great committees of Ways and
Means and others, six Wings to three Democrats
had been placed. His predecessor, MIR. Davis, of
Indiana, had set him a precedent, and he did not
know but such had been the rule since he (Mr.
w } had been member of the House, now for ten
years. Another reason for the course proba-
bly, to prevent, in of the absence of member,
the very state of affairs now have in the House,
namely, division, or an impossbiity of action
Mr. McLANE explained, that he did not in the
least mean to reflect upon the late Speaker. What
he had said was to impress upon his own party,
that closeness OF vote, tie, should induce them
to elect Speaker OF the opposite party for OF what
party the Speaker belonged to, no matter by whom
chosen, to that party would be given the majority
on the committees.
Mr.. ALLEN then concluded his remarks.
Mr.. billiard considered the gentleman from
Massachusetts, who had just concluded MIR. ALLEN)
as cool and calm man ever he had listened
to in his life. While passion was betrayed, it
was still there. He (Mr. H } had passion but
what was evident in his language. He wished the
people OF the country, and particularly OF the
altogether dramatic affair. 1t feeling that
must be shown. The gentleman from Georgia
(Mr. TooMBs) had spoken with considerable feeling,
but it was with feeling that could not have been
and if he had not spoken as he had to-
day, his people would have spoken that feeling for
him. He would tell gentlemen, calmly and de-
hbcratcy, that there never was such feeling on this
subject at the South as exists now. tell gentle
men, that if they pass the Wimot proviso the best
friends of this Union must part. 1t was part of
his purpose to calculate the value Of the Union;
that could not be conceived. But once let it be dis
solved, and when and how can il be bound together
again! He would say to gentlemen from the
North and South, that if the Wilmot proviso be
passed by both Houses of Congress, then this
Union must be dissolved. We all remember
the eloquent speech of the gentleman from Vir
ginia Mr.. McDowELL) delivered at the close of
the last session upon the beauty of the Union and
the motto "The Union must be preserved" He
(Mr. FL had borne that banner during the past
year, he carried il with him around his district, he
had spoken to his people upon it, had battled for it,
had told them that he knew there was too much
Justice in the people of the North TO attempt to de-
grade them; that the Wilmot proviso could never
pass both these Houses Speaking OF these things he
felt compelled TO say that if these measures were
persisted in the Union is gone. He struck with
the figure used by the gentleman from Massachu-
sets, that they who spoke OF dissoving this Union
could not even remove one of the marble columns
of this hall. He would remind that gentleman that
the hand of child might thro~a torch into the
temple which would consume it,
Mr.. II. explained at length his course in the
caucus which had nominated Mr.. WINTHROP, and
said his reason for not separating himself, and for
wishing his political friends not 20 separate from
the Wing party in this election, was belief and
one which he still entertained, that by remaining
with them their moral influence would be greater
than separation. He called upon gentlemen to
stop; 20 pause even the brink of the precipicc
and contemplate what they would do If not, and
this course of aggression upon the South was con-
unued, then they would GO down and take the
South with them to ruin. This wilmot proviso was
to be pressed upon them. What is this Wihnot
proviso? II is a proviso which is 10 exclude the
people oil the SOuth from the common territory oil
the Union; territory acquired by the expense of
the common blood and treasure, well of the South
Of the North Is il the territory of the North? Is
il theirs by purchase, or by conquest? Have no
share in itl Why then do they dare TO exclude us'
Why this effrontery in denying a participation
in its value? The construction placed on the Con-
stitution by the gentleman from Illinois, (Mr.
BAKER,) is an unsound one. No Interpretation of
the Constitution not based upon justice can ever be
recognised.
Mr.. SCHENCK The gentleman mistakes the
character of this Wilmot proyiso. He states that
it is provision to exclude the people Of what is
called the slave States. from these territories.
This not correct. II is the provision that is
in the ordinance of 1887, "that neither slavery
involuntary servitude shall exist in the territory
northwest of the Ohio river, except for crime" &c.
That provision of that ordinance extendediover the
State represent, and over the district of which
am the particular representative. Now, ! come
here by the votes Of the people of that district, the
majority of whom have come there from Virginia,
Kentucky, and other slave States, and who there
enjoy all the blessings secured by that ordinance.
They were not excluded from the territory by that
provision
Mr.. billiard, This is not the time for dis