The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-02-21

ground since his speech Of the other day--a
change had come over the spirit Of bis dreams"-'
that no understood the Senator as recommending
| in his speech that the whole matter be referred
to Select Committee, and intimated that there
| was some connivancen between Mr.. Benton and
MIR. Clay, TO drag California into the Union as a
| free State-aDd reminded Mr. Clay that he was
Southern man.
! Mr. Clay arose and replied very briefly. He
said he had been often reminded that he was a
Southern man. and should protect Southern in
terests. He needed no such prompting-he
would allow NO such dictation. lie acknowledged
no allegiance to the South. lie owed allegiance
only to two Powers-the State of Kentucky and
! the Union.
HOUSE OF REPREsENTATIyEs.
On the motion to reconsider the vote upon he
resolution passed yesterday, shat special clerk
be appointed to the Supreme Court quite an
animated debate arose. Members on both sides
of the House opposed the appointment of clerk
upon various grounds, but principally that it
did not appear that the Judges of the Supreme
| Court were in actual need Of such clerk, and
that it was understood that some of the Judges
were opposed to it, that the duties of copying opin
ions, &c, should be attended to by the Clerk Of
the Court; il necessary, he should employ extra
clerks. The vote was reconsidered, and the reso-
luton laid on the table.
ne I1Ouee having IebOlNeu lleeI INTO CON-
mittee of the Whole on the state of the Union
MIR. King of New York rose to make motion,
but was interrupted by MIR. Hilliard of Alabama,
who, having given way day before yesterday to a
motion to adjourn without closing his speech, now
claimed the floor. The Chairman lMr. Linn
Boyd decided that he was entitled to it. From
this decision Mr. King appealed. and was about
proceeding to state the facts, when luminous
cries Of order drowned his voice He persisted
so soon as there was lull, in his attempt; but a
storm Of cries of order order! again arose.
Still standing, aud speaking Whenever he could
! be heard the Chairman at last decided that it
was the gentlemsn's privilege to make a state
ment of facts but many members Of the Commit
tee raised tumult whenever he attempted the
statement. After q long struggle of this kind,
Mr.. King at last succeeded, and in a calm manner
made brief statement not occupying more than
a minute, Of the facts in the case. The question
was then put-Shall the decision of the Chair
stand as the judgment of the Committee and it
was decided in the affirmative
- The explanation of this tumultuous conduct
of the Committee is to be found, we suppose, in
the fact, that Mr.. King was about to submit q
motion in reference to the admission of California
as State
Mr.. Hilliard then proceeded to address the
Committee. He was opposed to the admission of
| California into the Union Would not consent
to part only of this great question, but was
ready to settle the whole question, fairly and
literally but let our legislation be for the whole
country. He never would consent TO tranquil
| 1ity which a despotism imposes Confronted as
the South were on all sides. with their nstitu-
| lions covered with abuse, and their citizens op-
pressed by legislation, he would say, as South
| ern man, and representing Southern feelings and
Southern interests, in the language Of a distin-
! guished South Carolinian-" Millions for defence,
but not one cent for tributen
Mr.. Fitch Of Indiana followed.
when he arose. he seemed TO be but little
known by the members, and not much interest
was manifested in the commencement; but as he
proceeded, members on all sides drew around
him, and listened to him with marked attention
He said, newborn zeal seemed to have arisen
in the House in relation to an old and wellestab-
lished prinoiple-that by the Ordinance of 1857
Slavery was abolished where it had previously
existed, and that was admitted on all sides; and
now all that il asked under the same power, is a
prohibition where it does not exist. The princi
| pie Of non-intervention was established by the
Ordinance of 1887. The principle Of non-inter-
vention, as adopted in the Democratic Convention
in lS4s in relation to the States, and not the
Territories.
There were many Southern monomaniscs on
this question of Slavery. He quoted from a
speech, which he said had been laid upon all their
tables-"If the North do not choose to swallow
the dose prescribed to them by the Southern men,
then disunion must follow p What was this but
Madness On his side Of the House, he was
sorry to say, such sentiments found supporters,
and on the other side there were many found re-
spoadug to the tune
Hark! from the tombs a dolefal sound,n sc.
The North were willing to submit TO the will Of
the majority, which certainly must govern but
the South were not. The South were even bucklng
on their armor, and, with lance in hand, charging
a Ia Don Qnttote, when there was no foe in the
field Much of the excited feeling in the North
was chargeable to the South
But the South say "they will teach US les.
son The Congressional schoolmaster is abroad
He trusted we should take their instructions with
becoming humility but ii must be recprocated
We have got some things TO teach them. He
commented upon the violent course pursued by
some of the Southern Legislatures and quoted
from an Alabama paper certain resolutions, adopt
| ed by their Legislature. "lt was terrible indeed
1t was well those resolutions were not received
| by the House until after they had organized, or
they might have been frightened into subjectionD
Just before the close of his speech, Nh Cling
man of North Carolina begged to interrupt the
gentleman, and to correct his statement in rela-
ton to the feeling manifested by the South to-
wards the North, particularly the ladies. lie had
been North, and had been always received by the
ladies with the greatest kindness and attention.
That the Southern men, being of pretty hot blood,
generally managed to make themselves very ac-
ceptabe to Northern ladies and he held in his
hand letter that had just been laid upon his
table, coming from a New England lady; and as
evidence of the fact, he would present it to the
House-holdng out, amidst roars Of laughter,
huge Valentine, upon which was pictured a
non-descript decked off in the most gaudy colors.