The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-09-05
Mr.. CROWELL said:


Mr. CROWELL said
Mr.. CHAIRMAN: My desire to progress with
the public bnsiness ana prooced .s ---s we,
upon the various propositions before us, forbad,
me at early day to take part in the discussion
which has consumed 80 much Of our time sine
the commencement of the present session. An,
after hal changed my original purpose, an,
made up my mind to be heard upon "the erea
question Of the day,n the difficulty of obtainin,
the floor among such multitude Of competitor
has been so disheartening, that have more thar
once resolved 70 cease all further efforts TO ad
dress the Committee. But not having beer
wholly unobservant Of the fruit which perseve.
rance yields and having been early taught to cul.
tvate the grace Of patience, have held out to
the present moment and now, Mr.. Chairman,
through your kindness, have secured the floor,
and will proceed at once TO the immediate subject
under consideration. And that is as | under
stand it, the Message of the President Of the
United States communicating to this House the
Constitution of California.
do not cherish the vain hope that anything
may say will have the slightest influence upon the
vote Of q single member of this House. To give
the reasons Of my own vote, and vindicate the
course which deem it just to pursue, will be the
main purpose Of my remarks. II the Constitu-
ton Of California shall be found to be in com.
pliance with the acquisitions Of the Constitution
of the United States the President earnestly
recommends that IL may receive the sasotion Of
Congress. In this recommendation, sir, IL IL
hardly necessary for me TO ny cordially concur.
| am in favor Of the immediate admission of Cal
ifornia into the Union, unembarrassed with any
other subject of legislation, with its present am
pie boundaries and its glorious free Constitution
There is no limit Or qualification In the Consti-
tution Of the United States to the power granted
to Congress to admit new States into the Union,
and when in the Union, the United States guar
anty to every State republican form Of Govern
ment.
But an unexpected and, permit me to add, an
uDjustifable opposition. has lately made Its APP
pearance, and various objections have recently
been invented and urged in q certain quarter,
against the admission Of California ne one cf the
States Of this Union. Whatever form thee oh
jec.ions may assume, and whatever disguise they
may be made to wear, 1t Is plain to my mind, and
truth obliges me TO say, that they are scsusted
by kindred motive, and all spring from com.
mon orign--a determined but most unjusti6able
hostility to the provisions Of her Constitution in.
terdicting slavery within her limits.
The first section Of her Bill Of Rights declares,
" that all men are, by nature free and independ-
ent, and have certain inaicnable rights, among
which are those Of enjoying and defending life
and liberty; acquiring, possessing, and protect
ing property and pursuing and obtaining safety
and happiness and as corollary drawn from
these great and fundamental truths the eighteenth
section provides that neither slavery nor invol-
untary servitude, unless for the punishment. Of
crimes, shall ever be tolerated In this Staten
These are the provisions in the Constitution Of
California which awaken 30 much hostility In the
American Congress, In the year eighteen hqn-
bred and fifty, and the sanction Of which, we
are told by some, would be efficiently offensive
to call for and to justify disruption Of this
Union.
Sir, am not prepared TO believe, without fur
ther proof that madness and folly have gained
such dominion, have achieved 40 complete tri-
umph over any considerable portion, even Of the
Southern people, Notwithstanding the late OCCUR
renoes in this Hall, rs q sentiment 30 discredit-
able would seem TO imply. ! am incredulous, and
must wait for further developments before ! Am
convinced.
But le, us consider the objections which the APP
plication Of California to become one Of the States
Of this Union has encountered, and weigh them
candidly and impsrtially And though they are
numerous, and urged with an appearance Of zeal
and earnestness, think it will be found an easy
matter to remove them. The first is that no act
of Congress was passed authorizing the people Of
the Territory TO form State Constitution. This
Is true, and II the previous action Of Congress
were necessary TO give this power TO the people,
the objection would be fatal But II 10 not neces-
sary. Congress has the power to admit new States,
and II is perfectly competent, In the exercise Of
this power, to dispense with ell preliminary
forms and We Aud that Il has been done repeatedly
during tho thresscore years that have stspsed
since the adoption Of the Federal Constitution.
Eight States have been admitted 10 this way,
being a majority of the whole number ever ad-
mittsd, and extending over the whols period ofths
existence of the Uuion--Vermont In 1901 Ken
lucky ia 1922; Tennessee In 1896; Maine 10
1890; Arkansas In 1896; Michigan In 1897 ;
Florida In is45, and Iowa In is4e. u may be
convenient IL 10 true, for the people Of Terri
tory to aot under the authority Of Congress In