Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-06-06

connected with it here at w ashmgton. DO not md
any thing in these debates which leads me to believe
that, yielding to the desire of the people OF California
TO become Immediately OF the States OF the Union,
they will take it much to heart, if we contract their
boundaries as nave proposed But there is another
striking fact shown by the debates that Convention,
and it is this that every representative in the Conven
ton present from the Territory south of the line of36
| deg 80 min. against the formation of State Co
vernment at all that the people who resided south OF
that line were in favour OF a Territorial Government
and against State Government; and it is further sta
| ted in the debate, by gentleman who took part in it
when this question was before the Convention that
the votes of those who representatives from the
territory south OF that line (36 deg 80 MINI were given
to man against the formation OF a State Govern
men should say, then, viewing this question: not as
OF political expectancy, but OF justice and
propriety, that the Senate OF the U. States, in preser
bing proper southern boundary fer the State OF Cali
ornia should restrict that boundary the parallel OF
| sc deg. 30 min To do this would enable the people
living east OF the great chain Of mountains have
cess to the Pacific coast, and would be contormabe
the wish of the large and stable population residing
| south of that line.
| Mr. President it has been asked in this Senate more
than once, with what view would contract the boun
| diaries Of California? 1t has been asked of gentlemen
from the Southern States whether, if they did
this bound airy and open way so that they could carry
their slaves there, it would ever be done! The Sena
| tor from Massachusetts, (Mr. Webster0 time
ago, declared that slavery would go there's that
| this Wimot proviso was written on every rock and
in every pan that Nature had ordained that slavery
could not exist there and that it idle to attempt
to conravene the ordinances of Nature. Sir, any gem
and acted on in the California Convention, shown
by the debates, will find that if the people Of the
Southern States had been at liberty to take their
slaves there under what | assume to be their con-
stituonsl right, they would have been taken into
the Territory by hundreds of thousands, and that
this day the larger port ion numerically would have
been the population OF slaves held by the Shareholders
Sir what could be more valuable of that labor than
in working those minesl Every body can understand
that for himself But, Mr. President it is proved by the
fact that after the Convention CT California had de-
termned upon the exclusion of slaves from the Terri
| tory,a proposition made that the constitution should
exclude the African in every form, bond free
and the reason given for it was thus summed up You
have excluded slavery Now, unless you exclude the
African altogether, the consequence will be that
the Territory of California will be inundated by free
negroes Because so valuable would be their services
to their masters, that the of slaves would take
them there by thousands and thousands upon con-
tract that they should serve them years and
then be manumltted. 1t said that by adopting this
each slave would be worth from to five thou
sand year to his master these, them are facts which
l present in answer to gentlemen who contend that
there is tor African slavery there. Now, who
can say that the same reasoning does not apply to the
Southern part of California! 1t said that gold has
not been discovered there aud that it never will be-.
Those who have said may be right, they may be
wrong. Gentlemen say that the climate, the soil, and
the desert wastes which to be found there afford
inducements for slave labor In that, too, they may be
right or they may be wrong; but say that under the
constitution, we have legal right to have the door
left open, and to have it kept open in order that may
enjoy it, SO long asst remains territory, any way
may think most expedlent.
But, apart from any question OF constitutional right
or obligation toward the Southern States glance at
the map will show that every motive OF public policy,
and just equality in the Territory requires that the I'M
reach of country lying eastward Of the Sierra
Nevada, or the proposed eastern boundary of the
State, should not be excluded from the commerce and
trade of the Pacific We told that it is idle
tempt to provide for that country to the Pacific
coast, because they separated from it by and
impossible mountains again refer them to the map,
which shows that the mountains subside south of the
parallel OF thirty five degrees; and refer, aso to the
declarations before adverted to, of OF the chief
members of the convention, who indicated the ulti-
policy Of the country the erection of six States in
the Territory, each of which should front and bind
the Pacific ocean. 1t is advantage, of value inest
mabe to future States, that they should have share in
the great OF the Pacific and is our Gle ar
duty to provide for them by taking care that the
entire coast not peoccuped and engrossed by those
who happen to have been the first comers Look, sir,
at the great valleys of the Colorado and the Ga both
to great extent unexplored but the latter giving evil
dence by the color OF its waters and the traditions of
the Indians, that it embraces highly valuable and fer
tile country. Nature has opened way for the of
these inhabitants of these great valleys the ocean, and
We are called upon to cut OIL for reason under
heaven that can conceive unless it be expressly
cude our Southern people from the whole territory.
And now sir, as to the adjustment of the difficulties
around US, beg to say that the leading and controlling
objection TO the bill under consideration far the
Territory OF California is concerned, is this extension OF
her southern boundary. think have shown that every
consideration OF national policy and of justice to the
immense country behind the State, requires that
she be restrained from engrossng the entire border OF
the Pacific; think have shown from the language of
her public in convention that there no urgent rea
son affecting her condition why this extended boundary
should be allowed and have shown further, that the
psople to be affected by south OF the line indicated are
socltous and anxious to beexceped from the limits Of
the new State But insist, more than all, that it vo-
lates the terms OF the compromise OF 1920 1t opens
anew, and in aspect OF prophetic warning to the
South the dangerous purposes OF those who claim the
right 10 limit and restrain the extension the institution
OF slavery and 1t will compel the States where this
stituton exists to rely their resources and
strength to arrest the exercise OF the power, whatever
consequences may ensue.
But, sir, TO the contrary OF all this determine abide
by the settlement OF this controverted question made
on the admission OF Missouri and the horizon clears off
at Great view the concession made by that
settlement on the part OF the South has been DONE and
we are willing yet to abide by it. So determine, and
we admit California at once, and upon the proclamation
OF the President, such form be most acceptable, upon
information satisfactory to him that the inhabitants with
in the prescribed limits have in the proper forms
tracted their southern boundary indicated and have
limited their representation at present to member
And we will do this in the earnest desire to restore tran
guilty to the country and harmony and efficiency to the
public councils, although to do must overlook the
gross usurpatons OF the executive connected with the
subject along with all the Irregularities attendant upon
the constitution OF that convention and if in all this
there can be spirit of Cancellation, then fear
that nothing will satisfy the majority but that i'm
port ruin to the South.
Isubmit this proposition, sir, to the Senator of Ken
lucky, Mr. Clayl who has asked the Senator OF Lou
sana, Mr.. Soule what it was the South wanted, and
what we would take. | offer as the mode of ad just
ment the Missouri Compromise-that upon which the
country has reposed for the last thirty years adopted
in 1890 when Missouri was admitted, and reaiirmed in
la45 on the annexation OF Texas. | believe myself
honestly believe that the South most unfortunately erred
in assentng even by acquiescence to the establishment
OF this line OF partition. We reaping all the
bitter fruits of that surrender 1t DONE however, in
spirit of concession, and for the sake of peace twas
called then " Compromise presume,
Joint agreement of the great sections OF the eoun-
try TO dUide Territory dispute, rather than bring to
extremity this issue made question OF constitutional
power Compromise is dangerous resort to those in
minority, as have sadly experienced Far better Tor
evade it for the sake OF repose And where do we stand
now Precisely where we stood in 1920, except that
the majority has increased and the minority diminished
by the operations of well known causes in the ude OF
population The South retrieve the step then ta-
ken without open rupture; and this will avoid the
North will allow it. Sir the proposition of the South