The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-02-16
CONGRESSIONAL.


he Senate Of the Usaed STATES. on Wednesday ans
Thursday, February is ard II, 1850
The Senate having, a. il committee q he whole
proceeded . the consideration of the resolutions sub
Mr.. DAVIS addressed the Senate as follows;
Mr.. PREsiDEnT: One OF the greatest OF appre-
hension which dill my mind under the existing state o
belong 10 the majority 81 lie United States Yei from
every quarter OF these broad States daily evidences
Of the excitement whi.h il felt. and Of the gathering
eas daily % break upon u.s. That Ibis Senate chambe,
should be crowded. that the galleries should be filled
and admlttance be sought upon the floor OF the Senate
when men OF high national reputation address the Senate
does not surprise me- and should not surprise any
But when is repeated again occasion like this
and when Il must be the cause and not the advocate
that there is that within the breasts of the people which
claims the attention OF the legislature
When the honorable senator from Kentucky lMr.
CLAY introduced the resolutions under discussion,
thought il my duty 10 present my views Of what
sdered nidsice To- those whom represent and 70 oer
some opposition TO the dangerous views which believed
be then presented Whether il was impotence a, find
ing any OF his opinions conroverted, or whether il was
that ne sought an adversary in me so feeble as 10
secure an easy victory, know not and matters not
to me, Tie challenged me TO this discussion whenever
was ready. was ready then, and meet him now. y
has been postponed at his option, and not mine; and
The Senate / did not Immediately follow him, was be-
cause could not obtain the aoor now cGme to lift
the glove he then threw down, and trust In the justice OF
the cause III WHICH l btdnu.
The country has been induced to expect--and notwh
standing all previous evidences against il bad cher
ished the hopethai the great power OF that senator and
his known influence in the country would have breA
exer,ed in crisis so dangerous this with The high
and holy purpose Of preserving the Uncn had hoped
from him compromises thai would have contained the
spirit of that which, another dangerous period OF this
country had brought calm and sunshine, instead Of the
storm which then lowered us. In this hope have
been disappointed griev0usly ygrievously disappointed
by the character OF the resolutions which he has in
troluced, and yet more grisvoasly disappointed m
the remarks by which they were preaced II that great
power anu influence to which have alluded, and that
eoQuence upon which multitudes have hung enffanctd
and remembered onyto admire, had now been exer'ed
the Of the weak against The strong, the Cause OF
the constitution against it's aggressors the evils bylwhich
we are surrounded might perhaps have been removed
and the decline OF that senator's sun been even
bright than its meridian glory But instead OF this, he
has chosen TO assert his undspuie though vehementy
asserted right to express his opinions fearless of ali man
kind Why, sir there was nothing TO apprehend aud |
presume will dispute the right OF any senator 10
advance his opinions ia any decoous language he might
choose. on every proper occasion
MIR President, my feelings and my duties run in the
same channel My convcaons OF what u necessary to
preserve the Union correspond with my opinions IN rela
ton The local and peculiar ireresis which paTueu
larry represent have therefore no sacrifices 10 make.
unless II be that personal sacrifice make In appearing
under circumstances like those which now surround me-
The great argument OF the senator has been directed
against the right o the southern States TO that equality oil
enjoyment in the Territories TO which they ser they are
eniiied He has rebuked thar spirit of abolitionisn
which is the evil oil the county, but, in doing
passion Now Mr. President. coa,en ihal The reverse
is true contend that il the want OF party which has
buli up this faction and rendered ii dangerous that
long party organization preserved It's integrity, there
place for third party, and no danger iron It, Ii
this were merely the result OF passion should have then
hoped what cannot now cherish. II il the
outbreak Of violence should some prospect Tor It's
subsdence. But considering H. as do, The cold cacu-
ang purpose Of those who seek for sectional DOMINION
nothing short OF conquest the side, or sub
mission the other. This is the great danger which
hangs over usno. passion mot party but the settled,
calculating purpose which alone can sustain the move
ment That upon which it originally rested has long
since passed away This is the which the
ator descrbeda creyasse which he hguravey says Is
threatening submersoL the whole estate, while the
quauellinc about the division OF its profits
Yes s, moral has occurred: fanaicism and
ignorance-poiical riyalry-secionai baie-stnfe ior
sectional dominion, have accumulated into mighty
food. and pour their iurgid waters through the broken
constitution, threatening not total sabmerson, but only
the destruction OF a part OF the esate--hai part IN
which my constituency, as well as thai oil the senao Is
found.
What, then, under such circumstances as these, does
the senator propose remedy Does he call ior all
the parties 10 check the evil which threatens danger TO
onel Does he lend his hand to arrest the progress
Of the flood No He comes In here, representing hose
interests which al stake, sunenders the whole clam
Of the South and gives support 10 aboiiiIonism, which
no northern man--no, nor every northern man in the
Senaie-could have afforded And yet had sDne cause
70 anticipate this The public press hal given US this
last sumner letter from him. addressed to the abolition
lists OF Oho-a most notorious among them being
upon the commities-in which that very ordinance OF
1851 treated a a great blessing and slavery as
curse. The representatives OF the South have
never sought 10 violate that compromise or con-
eess'on, whatever Il may be called, that was made
1851 The representatives OF the South have not en-.
tered into argument upon The blessings and evils OF STA
very They have said, from time TO tme that II was a
domestic institution that under their own control
and that they claimed for ony the projections which the
constitution accords to every other species OF property
Less than that they take, unless they are vii
Ing TO become inferior class, degraded race in tie
Union
A large part of the non slaveholdng States have de.
cared against the institution OF slavery. They have
announced that IL shall not be extended, and with that
annaecaiion have coupled the declaration that Is a
stain upon the republlc--that il Is moral blot which
should be obliteraied. Nov. sir, any believe,
does amy ono hope that the southern States IN this
lederacy wall continue, IN times gone BY, 10 support
the Union. 10 bear s burdens, peace and war
degree disproportioaed TO their numbers, II that very
government IS 10 be ed IN hostility against an
institution interviewer with its interests, its domestic
peace and all lie social relations, that IL be dis
,urbed without causing their overthrow IL this
can il be expected OF any Of them that they Will
consent to be bound by its acts, when that agent
nounces the settled purpose IN the exercise OF rs power
TO overthrow that which was is duty 10 upnoiuf That
duty whenever such aconstrncon shall oe placed
upon lie power by the federal government But the
claim set up for The federal government not only to
restrict slavery from entering thr Territories, but TO aoo
sh slavery Ia the Dsset Of Columbia. 70 abolish y ~
The aTsens- and dock yarJs 10 withdraw from y the
protection OF the American flag wherever II - iopnd
upon the high tact, 10 strip of ever, protec
before the formation of this Uniou Il derived IRON lhe
consfifuon thai rcroun,ou which it~wOuli not have