The North-Carolinian., 1850-02-23
FAYETTEVILLE, n. c.
FEBRUARY "a, 1850.
THIRTY-FIRsT CONGRESS,
MONDAY, Feb'y II.
FIRST SESSION.

MoNDAY, Feb'y H.
In the Senate, another long debate the sla-
very question occurred. The question before
the Senate, was. 'shall petition from Pennsyi
vania, asking peaceable dissolution of the Union,
be received 90 Mr. Chase, frees soil democrat, 1--WE
hate to write those three words,) Mr. Hale, an
other, and Mr. Seward, whig, Of N. York, spoke
and voted in favor ofreceiving it; while Mr. Cass,
Mr. Clemens, and others, spoke and voted against
it. 1t was not received, only the three above
named having voted for it.
Mr. Berrien of Ca, then made speech in op-
position to Mr. Clay's & compromise" resolutions.
Without concluding his speech, he deferred till
tomorrow, and the Senate, after some ordinary
business, went into Executive session. 1t was
said that the nomination of James Watson Webb
was rejected almost unanimously.
In the House, the joint resolution to limit the
expense of collecting the revenue for the present
fiscal year, taken up for consideration; and
after several attempts to amend, all anne ndments
rejected, the House adjourned without taking a
final vote the resolution.
TUESDAY, Feb. 12.
In the Senate, 81 petitions presented,
from citizens of Maine, praying Congress to abol-
lsh the practice of dealing out spirits to the
y.
the same character, were presented from other
parts. And also asking that f1ogg ing sailors be
abolished in the Navy.
Mr. Hale presented the petition of 1883 women
of Dover, Massachusetts,, praying that slavery
may not oe authorized in the new territories. 1t
excited considerable debate. Mr. Douglass main
tanned the position of Mr. Clay, that the laws Of
Mexico prohibit slavery in the territories
Mr. Davis of Mi ss, ma ntains the opposite. That
point will be discussed hereafter by these gen.
IL emen.
The further consideration of this petition was
then postponed, and Mr. Berrien concluded his
speech on Mr. Clav's resolutions.
1t was then announced that the House had
amended and passed the joint resolution limit
ing the expense of collecting the revenue. 1t
was referred to the committee on Finance.
In the House, the joint resolution limiting the
expense of collecting the revenue, was again un-
der discussion, and after more attempts at amend
ment, passed, and sent to the Senate.
The House then went into committee of the
whole, and Mr. Brown, of Miss, addressed the
committee in "a f ew remarks on the position of
Gen Cass on the subject of the Wilmot proviso
Mr. B. said:
Having already taken his position
against the Presidents re recommendation OF
the California constitution, and having ex-
pressed his abhorrence of the whole series
of movements which led to its adoption by
the people in that country. he should not
further alIutIe to the President or cabinet
in that connexion.
A new character had presented itself as
one Of the champions OF tins new and extra
ordinary political movement. He alluded
to General Cass, the late democratic can
didate for the presidency. That distin-
guished gentleman had redeemed his
pledge, and the pledge of his friends, on
the subject Of the W,lmot Proviso. He
had spoken against it. He had expressed
his determination not to vote for it. With
this he was satisfied; he would go further,
and say that the speech, far as it rela-
ted to the Proviso. challenged his admira
ton. and excited his gratitude. 1t was
replete with sound views, eloquently and
happily expressed; and no one could read
it attentiveIy without conceding to its au-
thor great ability. If the distinguished
gentleman had closed his speech with his
argument against the Proviso. there would
not have been man in all the country
more willing than himself to award him the
h'g hest ho"ors. But tie speech was mar
red by the expression of opinions in its
-
and the southern people generally would
dissent. General Cass had (lf Mr. B. cor
rectly understood HIM avowed his opin
ion to be, that the people of the Terrific
ries have the rig hit to exclude slavery;
and he was understood to sustain the ac-
ton of the people of California in forming
a State government. Against all these
parts of the speech Of Gen. Cass he (Mr
B. entered his solemn protest. He felt
bound to do this, because in the late pres
idential canvass he had, as the friend Of
General Cass, given different interpreta-
ton to his views, as foreshadowed in the
Nicholson letter. True, he had not done
this without some msgivings, at first. of
its correctness. But gentlemen nearer
the person Of General Cass than himself
had interpreted the Nicholson letter to
mean, that when the people of Territory
were duly authorized to form State con-
stitution, they could then admit or exclude
slavery at will, and whether they did the
one thing or the other was not a matter to
be questioned by Congress. He now con-