The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-04-25
[coNrrNuED FROM FOURTH pAGE1
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.
THURSDAY. April IS. 1850.


The Vice President announced the members of
the committee of investigation on the case Of
Messrs. Benton and Foote, as follows
Messrs. Dodge of Wisconsin, Webster King,
Phelps, Rusk, Bell, Shields.
Mr.. Dodge, for personal reasons was excused
from serving; the requests of other members to
be excused were refused
During the morning hour, Mr. Benton moved
to postpone all business before the Senate, and
take up the California bill.
Points of order were raised and discussed un-
til the morning hour having nearly expired, Mr.
Clay moved to lay the motion upon the table,
and on this the vote was
4EAs-Messrs. Atchison, Badger, Bell, Bor-
land, Bright, Butler, Cass, Clay, Clemens, Davis
of Mississippi, Dickinson Downs, Foote, Hunter,
King Mangum, Mason, Morton, Pearce Rusk,
Sebastian, Soule, Sturgeon, Turney, Underwood,
Whitcomb, and Yuee-27.
NAYs-Messrs Baldwin Benton Chase Clarke
Corwin, Davis of Massachusetts,, Dayton Dodge
of Iowa, Dodge of Wisconsin, Douglas Felch,
Greene, Hale, Hamln, Jones, Miller, Norris,
Phelps, Seward, Shields, Smith, Spruance, Walk
err, and Webster-24.
So the motion to lay upon the table was agreed
to.
1t will be found that during all this voting,
Messrs. Bright, Cass, Dickinson, and Sturgeon,
were always present, and always in the ranks of
the Slavery party and that Mr.. Cooper of Penn
sylvania the famous Wing Free-SOiler, wSs al
ways out of the way
The Senate proceeded to the special order Of
the day, the unfinished business of yesterday
Mr. Foote. simply rise for purpose which |
have no doubt win crafty gentlemen on all sides,
sincerely and profoundly DESTROYS of action prso-
tical action, on the proposition before the Senate
in NH tha fao1o Iaax .,4a /
shall waive any feelings merely OF personal ma
ture out of consideration to the exigencies of the
hour. | design therefore, saying not another
word | only ask for an early vote
Mr.. Clay's appeal having been withdrawn, the
question REQUIRED on the amendments submitted
by Mr.. Benton.
Messrs Mangum Clay, and King, hoped that,
If there were any discussion it might all be con-
fined to the opponents of the committee, and
agreed as TO the policy of voting down all the
amendments
Mr.. Benton. never saw the Senate so harmo-
NOUS. | am entirely Of the same opinion with
the gentlemen who have spoken all around me-
votes and no words. The Senate will recollect
the great encomum pronounced upon the Able
Seyes, the great constitution maker, during the
period of the French revolution. IL was said by
the wits or witngs, as the case may be, OF that
day that he kept Constitutions in pigeon holes
and took down one or another as the occasion re-
quired. But the point is, that one of those Con-
situations contained clause for q dbsaJ Legisla-
ture; one that should vote and not speak He
read it to friend, and the friend exclaimed
" All, Monsieur Seyes, that dumb Legislature
will immortslize youm do not know whether
that part of the Legislature in France who were
in favor of voting instead of speaking were able
to stick to that part Of the Constitution or not,
but hope shall all be able to stick to it here
vote and not talk And now, Mr. President we
seem to have made some progress, and the way
seems to have been entirely clear for me to make
the motion which was suggested TO me by The gen.
temen on the other side. | asked to take up the
California bill it was objected to because there
was unfinished business. 1t was objected to be-
cause the business of yesterday ought 10 take
precedence. Good have nothing to say against
that now. That business has been taken up; now
the objection Of unfinished business is removed.
And now act upon the suggestion of the gen
tleman upon the other side Of the chamber, and
move, though it involves a double notion TO lay
this question upon the table for the purpose oil
taking up the California bill and as the gentle
men have given you programme Of the manner
in which they will act, will give you mine. My
programme is this: That, if this bill be taken up
as suppose it may be now, in conformity to the
suggestion of the gentleman opposite, and after
the reasons given for not taking it up have passed
away, my course will be, IL gentlemen on the
other side offer amendments which may be in the
nature of adding further measures to that bill,
of attaching other bills to that bill-why, sir,
have said enough already to let the Senate know
that am what is called uncompromisngy OPP
posed to IT. and, as have given as many les
for my opposition as can be necessary IN ,hs
therefore am willing to content mysen .;,;ons 10
vote Of nayn on the different PloP I'm, ~ :,
add other measures to the Calfornia Oh. "nen
comes up Now, sir, my opinion - ~, 'i ~ IN. 81,
way we can finish the CsiiIo,I, "'sn are here who
ting to-day, while the six senusmsn ~ ~ So WV
will be absent next week by oraer o' 'ne Hena.r,
| thereforc make the motion: when ! 'h'nk vii,
aooomnlish that object, and ask Tor the yeas and
nays. -. u "a ,novaa that The
~. - under consideration be laid on the
MI. snd on that motion the yeas and nays are
demanded.
Ths yeas and nays were then ordered by the
ssnsts. and being taken, resulted as follows:
yx.s-Msssrs Baldwin, Benton, Bradbury
Chase, Clarke, Corwin, Davis OF Massachusetts,,
Davton, Dodge Of Iowa, Dodge OF Wisconsin
Douslss, Fetch, Greene, Hale Hamlin, Jones
Miller, Norris, Phelps, Seward, Shields, Smith,
walker, and Webster-24.
NAYs-Messrs. Atchison, Badger, Bell bos-
land, Bright Butler, Csss, Clay, Clemens DAVIS
of Mississippi Dickinson, Downs, Foote, HnnIeI'
King Msngum, Mason, Morton, PsArcs' n''A'