Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-01-26
MONDAY, JANUARY %. l849.
GEM ne


SENATE
The Vice President laid before the Senate two
| executive Communications, called ior Dy iesoiu
lion, an! the annual report OF The secretary
The Treasury on The commerce and navigation
the country.
On mo ion OF Mr. Dix, $500 extra copes
The latter were ordered 70 De printed OF them
for the use Of The Department.
Mr.. Dix presented the resolutions oil the Ne"
York Legislature, 10 opposition TO The claim o
| Texas 10 all territories east OF The RIo Grande
| against The extension OF slavery INTO Calilo MA
| and New Mexico, and for the prohibition OF The
slave trade in the District uf Columbia.
Mr.. Dix moved that the resolutions, in conlor-
mily with The usual practice. lie on the table, and
lhat they be printed. The first part Of the me-
ton was agreed To- and the question then being on
The motion TO print, debate ensued, which was
| continued lhrou ehoul the entire session.
| Mr. Russ was ia favor 81 printing, aud gave
his reasons at length, bul sir. YuIee op os-d tie
motion TO print, on the ground that The language
o. the resolutions was insulting 10 the Senate
and the people OF The South, as they declared the
institution u slavery revolving TO the spirit Of The
age.
He was replied 10 by Mr. Dickinson, OF New
York. who defended the resolutions, and also by
Mr.. Fooe.
Mr.. Dix, Of New York. also condemned Mr..
Yuee's position
Mr.. Mason OF Virginia upheld The righ, OF the
| New York Legislature 10 be heard tie was in
favor Of printing.
Mr. Rusk was surprised a, the language OF
| New York as we'll as The Course recommended
| 10 regard to the boundary of Texas.
IAN extended iebale ensued on this motion 10
| prinr, Tor which we have only room ior the con-
| GLIDING portion
| Mr.. Yulee knew OF but one rule in such
case, and thai was 10 repel insult, wnen offered
bv one Stale towards others OF the confederacy.-
| Whatever might b. the course Of other Senators,
tina, was the course he fell himself called upon
now to pursue. The policy oil The South, in per-
miuiug within their limits an institution which
had 50 greatly conduced 10 their sIuHth and pros
perity, was defended The atlemp, 10 in rotuce
insulting and reproachtul language into The reso-
ulions Of States should now be met 10 prevent
similar practices hereafter. And his vole would
be given in accordance with his judgment, even
though il should be recorded alone. He would
MOI give his vote 10 print resolutions Of any Stale
insulting 10 The State which he reptes-ned.
Mr.. King said no man could regret more than
he did The debate which had taken place. The
Senator from Florida was entirely mistaken in
the oupposition that such language had no, be
fore been used. He regretted that more tempe
rate language was not always used, but he SHOULD
certainly vote Tor the printing. He believed tha,
il would he productive OF good rather than evil.
Tire uniform practice OF the Senate had been 10
treat with this respect The resolutions OF sove-
reign State.
Mr.. Butler was for letting The people Of The
South know fully The character Of the resolu-
tions.
Mr. Berrien concurred with the Senator from
Alabama, that the uniform practice had been 10
rIor tha thAIi orr nj tItk.y
solutions, that was another question, which, how
ever, opposed 10 them, this was not The proper
lime 10 discuss.
Mr. Yulee would never allow il to be supposed
that he would give his sanction 10 the printing OF
such resolutions
Mr.. Jefferson Davis coacured in the senli-
menls expressed by lbe Senator from Florida and
should vote against The printing They were mol
bound 10 respect the legislature OF sovereign
S,ale, when Ia, legislature refuses 10 respect l.
self
Mr. Fitzpatrick, also, felt hinlse;' b,und by no
practice 0. his Senat" 10 vote for liz aIssemina-
ton OF documents calculated 10 influence The pub
lie mind-of resolutions from one portion Of The
Union dis especuu 10 the people Of another. H.
could not con ur in The opinion that such resolu.
tons a. these should be spread throughout the
lave States II agreed with he Senator from
Mississippi, [Mr. Jefferson DAVIS; that WHEN
sovereign Sla.s ceases 10 respec; herself, they
were no; bound 10 respect her.
NJ Niles made few remarks in favor OF the
printing, and inquired of The Senaior fiom Flo.
ida, Mr.. Ynlee whether there were any facts
N his possession which were likely 10 head 10
dissolution Of tn Uninnl
Mr.. Yulee repeated, al length, The views which
ne had previously expressed. and with much car
aeslEess opposed The printing o! The resolutions
t,-t ar, ipp rStn Ia of
iosut t. Tie South and calculated 10 cndangef
the permanently oil The Union.
Mr. Dickinson certainly should not have been
disposed 10 vote Tor the resolutions had he sup
posed Ina, they ws.c u dissolve The Union.
Mr. Douglass cuniended that he language OF
The resolutions vas no, diSsimil4r 10 that which
had been used before by no less Than Is other
States. This was question OF which every State
mas right 10 judge for itself. And no action
which they would have here would ether extend
or restrict slavery.
There was fundamental error in the resolu-
lions in regard 10 the extension OF sa very 10 ter
ri;nrie> now Tree. No one advocated any such
dncirine Il vas thatthe people Of the territories
themselves. in establishing State governments,
should decide the question as they may deem fit.
Il this h though there was an error in The reso.
lu,ions. But they were not The FIRST series Of re-
solutions founded on error, nor The FIRST which had
been ordered 10 be printed, from which he had
dissenied. He should vote TO print these resolu-
lions As he should for all others from sovereign
Stale. from whichever side they might be present.
ell. He was not prepared 10 depart from the usu.
a! practice.
Mr.. Downs objected 10 the resolutions, on the
ground that here are yf4cts in them which will
become part Of The history OF The country. As
hal been stated by the Senator from Texas, (Mr.
Pnsy hs memorial from Npw Moyion mo
seoted sometime since, had been cot up and sent
on, there, ard returned, and now adopted by the
New York Legislature. He did no, object 10 the
opinions but 10 the facts contained in them In
reply 10 he Senator from Connecticut, mir.
Niles,) as 10 whether there are any lac;s in his
possession which were likely TO lead 10 disso-
luton of The Union, he would take i. upon him
self 10 say there are facts which il persisted in,
would lead 10 such an event. There had been
no iniraclioa by he South Q! me ;ishis OF The
| North, and if me Union we're dissolved by these
constant agsressions Of the North upon The South,
! the consequences would lie at The door of the
! North and not that OF the South. The character
/ OF these resolutions were such that be would not
vote for the printing
| MIR Foote said that inasmuch as there were
Southern friends who had expressed an opinion
opposed 10 the printing he fell bound 10 state the
SIouuos uPoh WHICH liz shouiu give MS Vote
He shonld vote Tor The printing, merely because
Of The established usage in such cases, bu, he de-
sired il TO be distinctly and emp1atically UNDER
stood that by SO doing be was NOT approving either
| the facts or The docirinal VIEWS embraced It'll
Mr.. Miles, 10 reference 10 portion OF Mr.. Yu-
lees remarks denied that there were any combi-
nations at The North against the rights Of the
South, or having for their object dissolution OF
the Union. Nor did he believe that there we're
any combinations to prevent the recovery of fu-