The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-08-03

which might be relied ON hereafter I coud re-
tort on the very aimsy ground on which titles are
sometimes set up, but | will not do it /; could
retort that matter very well upon the United
States. Now, SIR, between whom is this contro-
versy' Between the Government of the United
States, the most powerful Government on the
face ofthe earth, and between State of the Union
coming IN under circumstances which incurred
much responsibility, which was not chargeable
upon her, but upon those who brought her in -
coming IN exhausted by long overcoming in
with but few men and no money, and at this very
time bleeding along her whole frontier, from the
Sabine to the Rio Grande And the Hon Sena-
tor must basea bill that assumes tile without de-
Gliding the question in dispute that the simple en-
actmen of one of the parties claiming here, makes
out the title of that party forever and turns Texas
with her claim adrift. That is the amount of il
And is this the way the United States are 10 OBJ
tain andi If the Congress OF the United States
will say that the Government is poor, that it needs
this land for its ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, that it is neces-
sary to carry its operations and that it will give
Texas the credit of generosity in doing il, she
will give it, but as her representative will con-
sent to no measure here or elsewhere, that shall
take it from her by force without title, and with
out giving her fair opportunity of being consul
ted with regard to the surrender. Because, when
it comes to that, the Government Of the United
States in doubtful questions can become the Judge
herself, make the law and execute it by her bayo
nets, the liberty of this country is gone-gone
forever. You may appeal to its former history,
you may talk of its achievements on the battle
field; but whenever it arrives that point, that
a majority, regardless Of the constitution, regard
less of the principles Of justice, can make laws to
curtail the boundaries of State, form new one
within it, and with the bayonets of this Govern.
ment enforce submission on the part of the State
say that the spirit of our institutions will have
departed, and that would be the effect of passing
harm III r1i fbor
putting Territorial Government into operation
upon their territory.
| | know that cannot discourse so eoquently as
the senator from Kentucky upon his subject but
/ will follow him to support of this Union so lone
ms life shall continue with me, but it must be the
Union which our fathers formed, Union which
regards the weak, and protects and enforces the
fright That is the constitution have sworn tc
support. When you tear 1t from under my feet
when you ask me to follow the bidding ofa majority
who disregard that instrument, you ask me to Dc
! that which my conscience prevents me from doing
If difficulties come in matter Of this description
l shall take the responsibility Of standing upon
the side Of the right, though it be the weakest, and
| will stand there as long as any man.
| Sir, whenever there was an enactment put init
the bill to put into operation in this Territory
Territorial Government under the authority of th|
United States, before they had adjusted or agreed
with Texas to settle this dispute, voted againd
the bill. would vote against it again, and woulI
4 extend my opposition even further than that AMI
| am willing to take all the responsibility which
attaches to an act Of that description, fit sind
me. am willing to bear it in the newspapers, il
| the Senate chamber Of the United States, and Oh
the battlefield, amid the din ofarns, if necessar,
The PRESIDENT. The question before ii
Senate is the amendment ofthe senator from Mi |
sissippi to the amendment ofthe senator from I'LL
nois, and gentlemen must confne themselves /
4 setoY, of that
Mr.. MASON. The proposition Of the senatd
from Mississippi, as understand it, is to decla
that California is admitted upon condition that (
territorial limits shall be reduced upon the southe
border to the parallel of $50 30'. Unjust nece
sarily be followed, ! suppose, by proposition
return the question to the people Of Californi
| whether they will or will not accept of the pr
/ posed conditions. l shall vote for it, because
eve if California is to be admitted, it will be bett
4 for the people of the State that represent that
boundaries should be restricted $50 3U than tn
they should be extended to the 32d degree, whi{
are the limits she proposes for herself; but it W
! be very far from reconcing me to the b-ve
far. think 1t prop to announce so in advand
Sir, if there be any event which has not yet tran
pred, but upon which we can reason from fad
that are known, apprehend it to be this, that
slavehodng States of this Union have made
their minds irrevocably to admit Of no furtl
trenching upon what they believe to be their rig
than was done in the instance Of the comprom
lcalled the Missouri Compromise, Think, sir,
!. those who are conversant with the people Of
Southern States, those who read the newspap
from those States, and who have looked at tn
4 primary meetings, and the resolutions of tn
i General Assemblies, will find that, although I'll
declare unanimously that it was concession
submit to the line Of 36 deg. 80 min, they
submit to nothing below it. take it for gran
that at the proportime the same amendment VIII
was offered to the bill lately under discussion
/ the senator from Louisiana (Mr. Soule) will
offered to this, as substitute for the amendm
,ofthe senator from Mississippi, if it shall be
ried, or in place it, fit should be lost. / W
to know why it is that the majority ofthis Sens
having the power, will refuse to do now, in
case Of California, what they were prepared to
within two short years past, affecting the
i territory now in question, the Territory Of
fornia Sir ia refusal is to be made let il be dc
and let ourpeople understand distinctly where Il
stand. Sir, l have looked at the record, beca
it has been said that this line Of SO deg. 80 m
much as it has beer, sought by the people of
! Southern States, had been refused by them
former day.
] In 1S4S proposition was made by the hone
BILE senator from Illinois Mr.. DoUGLAsl to ext
that line to the Pacific ocean, together with
4 compromise therein contained, which was
clared to be in full force and binding forthe fui
organization ofthe Territories of the United Sta
| lie effect Vi lilul pTOpOslllOI was 70 run the ~
souri, Compromise line through this very Te
tory of California, which they now propose
admit as a State And how was the vote!
amendment was carried by vote of thirty-tI
to twenty 1.-TWO. The whole Of the Southern 81
tors voted for. it, with the exception of one sen
from the State of Florida, whose name does
appear on the journal, aye or no. Twenty
votes were given for it by Southern senator's
! the senator's from the South voted forit ex
1 the one senator from Florida. From the ST
which have no slaves it had seven votes, inclu,
four senators now upon this floor. When
position followed TO engross that amendmer
received twenty-five votes from the South
senator from South Carolina, who is now
4 more tMr. Calhoun being the only Sout
senator voting against the engrossment.
amendment was ordered to be engrossed by
! of thirty three, including eight senator's
States where there are no slaves, one senator
/ Illinois changing his vote. Now, sir, / pre-
this from the record ito show that when this
promise line was offered in lS4S, it met the u
imous assent of the Southern States upon
floor, with the exception Of one senator
South Carolina And further, when it was st
en- out in the other wing Of the Capitol, and
a motion was made in the Senate to recede,
Southern senator with the exception of one
| gentleman who made the motion to recede)
against receding, and this vote included the