The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-04-01
""r Washington Correspondence,

} warrington COrresp0ndences
WASHINGTON, March 30, 1919.
A"s A-e'e~ OF Governor Se,card-7Ne Last Sxvursf
for California in Congress.
governor seward publishes his explanation M
me case IN this, mornings Iateii,rereer Ne ,.,,-
all that Is necessary, if not little more tb.n
required We have some additions. howsv., 80
submit toward more complete understsnd;r, ~
the subject.
1t was notorious that In the House of Reore.
sentatives, on the third day OF March, there were
two sets OF deputies from the Senate, operating fol
temporary government for California The
friends of Mr.. Polk, consisting of Senators Foote
Westcott, flanagan, Mason, Hunter, Douglass
Downs, Walker, and others, were busy IN behalf
OF Mr. Walkers amendment, which, even as a
ehPorary law, left the slavery question in sfatx
quo standing, TO this extent, sort OF compromlso
U ,,as the North and South This amendment
snd No Many Me production OF Southern Senators.
s anu Mt; aiker, as Northern man, WISCONSIN,
was INDUCED to iather IT, with the view of conciat-
nS ue NoIh 70 It's adoption by both houses. We
Fooe Do ns emo was framed by Messrs
Messrs Douglass and Walker; for, when II was
submitted by Mr.. Walker a somewhat s;m;lsr
one, offered the day before by Mr. Foote. was
'I,n S being at the beginning Of the
weeks discussion OF the subject as an amendment
| to me blll OF general appropriations.
| The objects OF the democrats OF the Senate. WIN
were mus active In behalf OF Mr.. Walkers amend
/. To secure some sort of compron,se of IN.
slavery question.
z. temporary government for California.
g.; Inc benefit OF the appointment OF the officers
been made out, includng certain land inspectors
agents, DC
In The SECOND place, the wings of the Senate,
lnclud ing Mr. Webster, Mr.. Seward. (Sen ator
then eecD MFR. Dayton, and others, of the North.
employed the Mselves among the members OF the
House, together with certain lobby members, on
the thlrd day Ct March, In behalf OF Mr. Weoster's
thing more than the recognition of the existing
laws In the territories of California and New Next
GO, win certain restrictions upon the military au-
thority; and they urged 1t as neither making any
concession 10 or invasion of the claims Of the
South on the slavery question, for the interval to
the next Congress.
Towards evening, however, March sd) there
was current report among the lobby members Of
the House, that both Col Polk and Old TACK had
their agents at work among the members in behalf
OF Walkers amendment, as it came from. the Sc
nate, on the plea that nothing else would be adopt
cd but more particularly by the Southern trlepds
OF General Taylor, because this amendment being
indefinite In It's operation, might be suffered to ex
list as law till the people of California in conven.
u9n should settle the question ossIavery for them
selves; and that by this means General Tayler
could be saved from the perpexlties of any direct
Issue upon the provlso whereas, Mr.. Webster's
amendment was mere transfer of the question
10 the next session of Congress.
we say that 1t was believed on the floor of the
House. on the evening of the third of March, that
Colonel Polk and General Taylor each had their
agents In the hall, urging upon the members the
men took the alarm. They feared that there were
some individuals IN their. ranks who might
be bought and sold and hence the protracIed
bght which succeeded. The provlso men sus.
IA fho N( e.,
were combined, and at work together among the
members OF the House, and to some extent they
were right In this suspicion. From the same ge-
neral motive OF evading the slavery question by
Mr. Walkers compromise, Southern wings and
democrats supported 1t, though, apart from this.
they were actuated by different objects
It was past midnight when the House decided
IN favor OF the proviso party, in an amendment en-
larglng upon Mr.. Websters, so far as to recogn 70
the existing Mexican laws for the time being,
which included the Mexican laws excluding the
institution OF slavery This amendment being
reported back to the Senate, Mr. Webster urged
concurrence as the only hope of passing the civil
and diplomatic bill to which il was attached; but
the exposure by Mr.. Berren, of the provlse which
was covered up IN 1t, defeated the experiment, and
lett Mr. Webster the single alternative of sse ntinp
to The expurgation of everything appertaininp TO-
California, from the bill.
In conclusion, from review OF all the clrcum-
lleve that certain friends of Gen. Taylor were
anxious Tor the adoption of Walkers amendment,
as afording loophoe of escape from an issue
upon the provIso that the body Of the democrats
sustained 1t as compromise, aud as a measure,
the Offices OF which would accrue to their friends
that the Northern friends OF Gen. Taylor urged the
adoption OF Mr.. Webster's amendment as sort
OF compromise with the free sollers, by defernug
the proviso to the next Congress, and that all the
TRENDS OF Gen. Taylor who were anxious for any
amendment, were the more active because he had
expressly gwen them to understand he desired
something, and because the responsibility of re-
mr. ad m m unit, ~ II lii l.
any event, whatever might succeed, Gen. Taylor
was perfectly safe, for 1t was Col Polk who had to
sign the bill; and whether the provIso, or a com.
promise. or the admission of slavery, was passed,
the outgoing President would have the responsl.
billy OF Its approval, and the incoming one all the
benefits OF the law
But the tree soil party defeated all efforts at an
accommodation of the difficulty, and Gen. Taylor
will be called to act upon the naked question of
the proviso, at the next session Of Congress.