The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-06-04

ed in 1920 will be tolerated, as us. and be-
| lieve, be endured
Now, Mr.. President to the bill itself What are its
terms proposes, FIRST that the southern States shall
submit to the exclusion of slavery BY law in California
down 10 The 32d parallel OF north atude being four and
half degees below the Missouri compromise line, and
embracing the whole front the Pacific because
i provides for the admission of California, with the
boundaries she has prescribed which down to the
32d parallel Of north latitude. II proposes to the people
of the southern States that they shall acquiesce in their
exclusion from the territory now belonging 70 the people
Of all the States, within the limits OF the State OF Cali
forna, low the 32d degree OF north latitude, bring
ing down, have said four and half degrees below
the Missouri compromise line. That is the first propo-
sition .t4.s4 e.s6 XIV ss4sst
And what is The second The second is that the gov
ernment Of the United States shall procure from Texas,
s Liberal m gran, q money e session q AZ The err
TO the 3fh parallel of north latitude comprehendng about
$4,000 square miles and sufficient for the erection Of
two medium sized States; the effect OF which would be
to release much of the territory OF Texas from the in
slituton OF slavery, and to subject 10 the sole urisdic
tion Of the federal government These are the two prop
offered an equivalent The sole equivalent is, that
the North will Organize territorial governments for the
residue 9f California, usually called Utah" os .Dese
Producing the "WiImot Proviso"
/ Now, sir. to these propositions, as made in the bill,
down yet lower and the extent OF four and half de-
grees, the limits from which to be excluded with
slaves. And II does il takes from OF the
States OF this Union large territory subject to the
institution Of slavery. and converts into property Of
the United States to be governed and controlled in its
institutions by majority from the non.sayeholding
States.
Sir the forbearance TO enact the Wlmot Provso is not
only no equivalent for such concessions but there s no
equivalent that can be gvenat least none that can
conceive as being within the capacity OF Congress TO
offer.
My FIRST objection, then. Mr. President to the bill re-
ported by the committee Tor the adjustment of this qies-
lion is that il brings down below the Missouri
promise line in Texas; and the second is, that excludes
the South from admission with their property into 50
much oil the territory OF California embraced within
the Limits al the State below the line. Sir. it
violates the compact with Texas, under which that State
was brought into the Union. BY the terms OF annexa
lion, the Missouri comromseline to be sacredly
garded in the formation OF States out Of the territory
Of Texas But the bill, in dismembering Texas adopts
new line, reaching four and half degrees below the
compromise ne and releases all the territory lying north
and west Of il from the obligations Of that compact
So, in reference TO California, il trenches again the
spirit OF the compromise of 1920 by excluding slavery
the Pacific border, as low down The 32d parallel Of
north latitude, am aware sir, It will be said that this
exclusion OF the people Of the southern States below the
line of SO deg 80 min. in California is the act of the in
habtants OF the Territory and not the act OF the Congress
Of the United States; and, therefore, that il is violation
of the Missouri compromise on the part Of the latter
Sir, shall make argument to prove that California,
in the whole extent as well the territory embraced within
the limits OF the States that without them yet in
the political relation TO olhsgovernmen OF a"Territory
Territory within the meaning Of the terms Of the cons
tutonthe property OF the United States and the act
OF such OF the inhabitants the coast assembled in
convention and formed constitution has not the slight
est effect to change that relation. California throughout
the whole extent was Territory when that constitution
was formed and s Territory yet nor has that consttu
less made good against this by force OF
or ratified BY an act OF Congress- and this assented TO,
or should rather say asserted as the law OF the question
Whenever, then, the constitution OF California is rati
fed By Congress, the clause prohibiting slavery will be-
come law, by the act OF Congress. and by j alone We
have had the same question presented in the same form
in regard to the Territory OF Oregon The inhabitants OF
that Territory IN the absence OF any government prov
themselves, and by Of their ordinances excluded do
mestic slavery from the Territory In the bill reported
for the organization Of territorial government, provs
ion was inserted rafyng and confirming all the laws
acted by the provisional government amongst which
that prohibiting slavery, and the controversy then
was upon such raucaton, all agreeing that TO confirm
such law equivalent 10 direct enactment by Con-
gress
Now sir. as TO this right in the inhabitants OF por-
ton OF the Territory OF California. They have au-
thorty whaievernone in law, and little in jusliceto
assemble themselves upon the property OF the govern
menhe common property OF all the Sates-and TO pass
law which shall nterdct from that Territory the cit
zens OF half Of the States Of this Union unless they
leave their most valuable properly behind them and that
very property which, OF all other would be OF most value
Mr. President, we have fallen upon strange times. in
deed, since this question OF the extension Introduction
Of slavery first brought up for discussion in the Con-
gress OF the United States Sir what have the
Of the Executive OF the United States in reference
these maiters In prescribing TIN duties OF the President
the constitution enjoIns, amongst other things that he
shall take care ha the laws be faithfully executed The
Territory OF California is the properly OF The United States,
acquired frs, by conquest and the title subsequently
hrmed by solemn treaty, and for the consideration of
many millions OF dollars paid and payable by the United
States to Mexico. Now, one would suppose IL there
any duty the President, the great head of the
government cogent than another, was that which
would require him 10 see TO the safety OF the public
property, and that the laws concerning were faithfully
executed"
Yet monsrous as il may appear the fact nevertheless
remains, that under the evil counses OF those around
him, amongst the first acts OF his administration was
through the military commander in the Territory OF Cali
foDa, 10 invite the inhabitants found there TO assemble
in convention, and pass laws and ordinances in contra
venon OF the authority ofibe United States-laws and
ordinances by which the inhabitants to defeat and an
null The title OF the United States acquired under the treaty
with Mexico, which the constitution declares shall be
he supreme law OF the land" and to from the
government of the United States this large and valuable
domain, the property OF the United States.
found this charge sir, the terms of the procama-
ton OF Bevet Brig Gen. Riley addressed TO the people OF
California, dated at Monterey, the Sd day OF June
1s49 acting, as be says, n accordance with instruc-
tons Of The Secretary of War"
BY this proclamation, election ordered OF dele
gates convention the number OF such delegates pre-
scrbed, election districts assigned, the day OF election
and the qualification OF the voters asceained and fixed
and the day ordered for the convention to assemble in
discharge OF the duties to be assumed by hemacts OF
highest sovereignty, exercised by military commander
the property of the United States, without shadow
habtans oil the Territory in deprvng the people OF the
United States OF their property.
How many people so assembled, and what portion OF
the inhabitants actually represented, we shall pres
emily learn. remarkng only at present that the procama-
ton issued the Sd OF june for elections 10 be held on