The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-07-25
Mr.. WEBSTER ONCE MORE.


own, had become anything but fattering. Th
opponents of the measure, confident in thei
strength desired to lay il upon the table, and
motion to that effect was made by Mr.. Hale
The friends of the bill, alarmed, earnestly ap
pealed to Mr.. Hale to withdraw his motion, MI
Webster at the same time signifying his desire
address the Senate in relation to it. Grace wa
extended to them, and the next day "Wednesday
Mr. Webster made strong appeal in behalf @
the bill. We have no room for his speech, nor
it necessary to republish it, as in the main it is
reproduction of the leading ideas of his grea
speech delivered in the early part of the discus
sion
He assumed that the policy recommended by tn
late President and that embodied in the Compro
mise bill were not opposite or antsgonistic TO escs
other but he did not prove his position. How
could he7 The former policy contemplates tn
admission of California alone, not making it de
pend upon any other measure. The latter con
meets the question of her admission with, anC
makes it dependent upon, other questions. Th'
former by abstaining from any effort to establish
Territorial Governments, seeks TO avoid the con
troversy concerning Slavery, to waive the Wilmot
Provso, and would demand no sacrifice Of opinion
on the part Of the North or South. The latter
boldly meets the controversy, decides it in favor Of
the South, by sacrificing the Wilmot Proviso in
the establishment of Territorial Governments
without it, The former virtually affirms, what the
latter denies, the expediency Of admitting New
| AZ O. - A.
and Senators can reach here. The former con-
templates the settlement of the question of boun-
dairy between Texas and New Mexico by the
Supreme Court the latter, by an act of Congress
paying Texas some ten millions of dollars for her
claim.
On every point whether it respects California,
New Mexico, or the Texas boundary question
the two plans are antagonisticn to each other
and Mr. Webster, in supporting the Compromise
of Mr. Clay, opposes the plan of General Taylor.
Mr.. Webster says, in the beginning of his
speech
81 have been careless whether the things me-
cessary to be done were done in one bill in sep
arate bills, except that, as matter Of erpediency,
has been my opurion from TIE beginning lhat peald
That was matter of Judgment upon the expedi-
ency of the case | was Of this Committee of
Thirteen. Circumstances called me to my own
home II seemed to be the general opinion of the
Committee at that time, thought, that it would
be better to admit California, and then take up
the other measures
Why did not the Committee adhere to that
opinion What were the reasons that induced
them to change their policy? At all events, we
have the unqualified declaration of Mr.. Webster
that it has been his opinion from the beginning that
rpould hare been bter 10 have proceeded measure by
MEASURE How does this square with his argument
and avowal, soon after, in favor of the expedien-
cy of supporting the bill which conglomerates
these measures
of we admit California, my honorable friend
from Illinois will then bring in bill for Terri
torial Governments for New Mexico and Utah
We must open our eyes to the state Of opinion in
the two Houses, respectively, and endeavor to
foresee what would be the effect of such bill
If it be bill containing the principle Of exclusion
we know it could not pass this House il it be q
bill without the principle Of exclusion we know
what difficulties ii would encounter elsewhere; so
that we very little relieve ourselves from the en-
barrassing circumstances of the condition in
WHICH VIC aIC Ny tdhiuS up ShillOTulA HLu hCtlnR
upon it alone 1 am, therefore, sir, decided'y-de-
cidedly IN faUor Of passing the JM in the form IN
mich 1t IS"
That is, it is his opinion that it would have
been better to take up the admission of Califor-
MIA alone, and then proceed with the other meas
ures, one at a time-and yet, 1t is his opinion
that by pursuing this course, we should every
l;ttla raliava from tho s.v,ont
80 that he is "decidedly in favorn of
acting upon all the measures together, not sepa-
rately
Without comment on this apparent confusion
of ideas, we may ask, why is not MIR. Webster
found side by side with Mr.. Benton, in pursuing
the manly, reasonable, ordinary mode Of legisla-
ton; that of acting and deciding upon each great
measure, by ITSELF in reference to its own merits
Why has he not from the beginning conformed
his course Of action to what he declares has been
his opinion from the beginning-that it would
have been better to proceed measure by measure,
instead Of attempting 10 dispose Of all the qucs-
tions in one bill In vain we look in this speech,
or in any that he has delivered, for reasons to
justify or even explain this contradiction between
his policy and his opinion.
Some time since, MIR. Foote, denouncing with
severe Indignation the action Of the People of
New Mexico in the organization Of State Gov
eminent, claimed that Messrs. Clay, Cass, and
Webster, had announced their unwllingness to
vote for the admission Of the new State Those
gentlemen heard, but did not contradict him. II
such was the determination Of Mr. Webster then,
he has changed his mind; for In his speech last
Wednesday, he made the following avOwal
"Ifa motion be made, as it has been announced
il is intended TO be made, to lay this bill upon
the table, and that motion prevails, why, this
measure is dead. Then there must be q resort
to some other measure and am disposed to say,
and will say, that in case Of the failure Of this
bill shall be in favor of bill which will pro-
vide for three things namely the admission Of CAL
1ornia nIh us present Consultation and boundaries,
the satlemu o., ths 7sras boundary, and the admis.
sion of Mem Me7ieo as STATE Such measure nil
tend TO fall and Endi TERMINATION Of the controversies
mich nom agIate us, and relieve The country from
distraction"
We hope he may have an opportunity Of vo-
ting for such bill but why, believing as he
says he does, that 1t would have been better to
have acted on all these measures separately, does
he not vote to get rid Of the Omnibus bill to
prepare the way for one, which, In his judgment,
4" win tend to full and final termination Of the
controversies which now agitate usp The truth
IL, Mr. Webster's conduct Is not easily explained,
unless We assume that he has an insurmountable
repuguanoe to being chased with those Northern
men who love liberty too well On all questions