The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-04-10

this confederacy is pending question growing out oi
this institution Of slavery u ,hal Y " say So .na
cealed; but lei it come out and show itself II the ad-
mission OF this State with its present constitution - one
questions growing out Of he institution OF slavery
saw So; and say that il is the determination oil gentle
men, in certain sections OF the Union, that State offer
ing herself. and excluding slavery, shall not come into
the confedeacy and that the admission ola State, with
free constitution, is one Of the questions growing out
of the subject OF slavery, which must be compromised
by combining il with bill for catching runaway me-
groes Sir, let that be undestoodleit be stated candid
~ and fairly, that the admission of Sate with free
constitution is to be an obstruction, and is TO keep out
California from this Union and shall have to
promise, in all coming time, for the admission OF free
is formed out Of Territory. and applies for admission,
she will be met at the door and embarrassed, unless
she brings domestic slavery along with her. Let that
be known, sir, and then we shall know what we are
There Is another reason why I am opposed 10 this
scheme OF compromise II has been said that the laws oi
God settle these questions Well sir that be the case
L has been said that this question has been settled by
rrepeaable and rreyersble decree. Are we, them CO.
ing to invite the Almighty to compromise with us' Are
these iTepeaable and irevesibe laws to be referred 10
committee, who to take them into consideration
am opposed to such proceedings, sir.
Well, then. sir, am opposed to It for another reason
and that is because see that this is scheme that has been
concocted BY a clique behind our backs, whose views
have already found their way to the public prints, and
their names have been before the public for month
COmmltIee
tee Of the Senate but such will not be The case twill be
a committee OF committee and not committee OF the
Senate II It s to be committee for the transaction OF
business, It is altogether too large. Thirteen! Why,
that large the Senate when the confederacy
was first formed. We have already had large com
mitee of eight and It did not amount to anything They
reported bill and failed to satisfy either themselves,
The country, any OF the rest Of mankind therefore
am opposed to it. because it will be labor thrown away
Now, sir. in regard to this famous matter OF compro
mise, about which much has been said, and which
has haon hu al fa hat
Mise is the great law OF life Well, so itis but there
IRE some things that man will not compromise There
3 one thing that the senator from Kentucky will not
He will not compromise his honor. lie
will not compromise his conviction OF his moral duty.
He will not compromise his strong ef right !, sir
will 90 as far as he wLtor compromise but il there are
strong convictions which are impressed upon me as
part of my being, cannot compromise them And, sir
when told that the admission Of State into this
with free constitution is one OF the pend
ng questions growing out OF this controversy, and Is to
smbarrass all action and that to compromise that,
I'M not willing to weigh in the scale the right Of the peo
pie to form their own constitution, and prohibit the In
possibly be raised in this or any other body look
lpon itand claim the honorable senator from Michi-
ran lMr CAssl to go with me 70 the extreme verge IN
his positionhat the people OF California had an avow-
ID right to insert that provision in the constitution The
senator mods his assent Well, sir, do not
hink there is single senator upon this floor that will
ieny that in the establishment Of their institutions. they
nave an undoubed right TO say that slavery shall not ex-
right am opposed 10 weighing il in the balance with
anything else. l am opposed to compromising clear
light TO any matter Of doubtful right These, sir, are
lew OF the many that will operate my mind to
induce me 10 vote against the proposition for this COM
promise.
Mr.. CASS. / will say only one word to put myself
ight The honorable senator from New Hampshire mis-
me- never even intimated that ii the
Universal opinion of this Senate that the California ball
N account q the boundaries @ q is he as Others
who opposed il because no previous law had passed
Congress authorizing the proceedings in California What
said was that no one Questioned the admission o mat
hose alluded TO, but which hope will not be employed
and if was the fear Of such result which led me to
hope that this committee would be raised For We all
know that there gentlemen who opposed 10 the
admission OF California, an insulated measure, but
whe would abandon these objections, ii other measures,
and especially governments Tor the new Territories, were
provided at the time and to remove these objections
Is the very for the organization OF this committee
As to abandoning or hazarding the application OF Caor-
MIA, one thinks Of it. repeat that am tboroughly
sastised that California will into the Union
by this process than By any other.
Mr.. SMITH. desire to say very few words in re-
aton TO this matter II has been observed, and believe
ray .hn, the question oi s admission 2, EaioT9s Ths
honorable senator from Michigan has declared that he Is
now convinced il will pass the Senate by large ma
orty And will add. further, that y is equally fore
gone conclusion that no territorial bill containing the
Wilmot Proviso possibly pass the Senate II s entire
y certain from the discussion that we have had in this
chamber for four long months after nearly every mem
Der OF the Senate has been heard upon the subject that
there is most decided majority in favor OF the admission
Of California; and that there is an equally decided ma
ory against The Introduction OF the Wilmot Provso in
any territorial bill that may be passed. This was
evident after the able speech that was made
by the distinguished senator from Massachusetts, on this
subject some days since While majority oil senators
Of the Wilmot Provso in any territorial bill, while now
the honorable senator from Michigan who has been in
ssng Tor the last two years that the insertion oil the
Provso in territorial bill was unconstitutional and
void, declares his adhesion 10 the doctrine. and
while the honorable senator from New York declares
himself equally opposed 10 it, il has become morally
tain that such Provso be introduced into any ter
rtora bill And have further to say, that myself will
not vote for any territorial bill either containing the
Wmot Proyiso or not containing IT,
am opposed TO the passage OF any territorial bill
whether any other senators are OF that opinion not
cannot say We have, then, the opinion OF the Senate,
far il be ascertaned in favor OF the admission
of California into the Union. We have also declaration
OF opinion here, BY majority OF the Senate IN opposition
TO the introduction Of the Wimot ProvIso into any terri
tora bill though wish to add here, order TO avoid
that il territorial bill is pending here,
into that BILL shall vote for its introduction but shall
vote against the bill whether the Wmot Proviso is ~ II
or not IL is therefore certain that such bill can pass
the Senate IL is matter concluded, and we know
that If honorable senators desre they can take up the
territorial bill any time. We have been four months
and the Senate bad been brought to vote two months
ago. the result would have been the same il will
There would have been majority in favor OF the adms-
sion of California and against the Wmot Pfovso in any
territorial bill The and judgment OF the Senate s
known already. What, then, is proposed al this late
II is to take up these bills for the admission OF California
and territorial governments, and refer them TO what is