Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-05-11
REPORT OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE
OF THIRTEEN.


relating to California to other portions OF the terri
tory recently acquired by the United States from
the republic of Mexico, and to other subjects con-
nected with the institution of slavery, submitted
| the following
REPORT
| The committee entered on the discharge of their
duties with deep sense oftheir great importance,
and with earnest and anxious solicitude to arrive
at such conclusions as might be satisfactory to
| the Senate and to the country Most Of the mat
tiers referred have been not only subjected to ex-
| tensive and serious public discussion throughout
the country, but to debate in the Senate itself,
singular for its eaborateness and its duration so
| that full exposition of all those motives and
views which, on the several subjects confded to
| the committee, have determined the conclusions
at which they have arrived, seems quite unneces-
sary. They will, therefore, restrict themselves
to a few general observations and to some rehec-
tons which grow out of those subjects.
Out of our recent territorial acquisitions and in
connection with the institution of slavery, ques-
tons most grave have sprung, which, greatly d.
vidng and agitating the people of the United
States have threatened to disturb the harmony, if
not to endanger the safety of the Union. The
committee believe it to be highly desirable and me-
cessary speedily to just all those questions, in
spirit of concord, and in a manner to produce, if
practicable, general satisfaction. They think it
would be unwise to leave any of them open and
unsettled, to tester in the public mind, and to pro-
| long, if not aggravate, the existing agitation. 1t
has been their object, therefore, in this report, to
| make such proposals and recommendations as
would accomplish a general adjustment of all
those questions
Among the subjects referred to the committee,
which command their first attention. are the reso-
lutons offered to the Senate by the Senator from
Tennessee, Mr.. Bell. By provision in the res
olution of Congress annexing Texas to the United
States, it is declared that "new States of convent
ent size, not exceeding four in number, in addition
| to said State ofTexas, and having sufficient po-
| pulation, may hereafter, by the consent of said
State be formed out ofthe territory thereof, which
shall be entitled 10 admission under the provisions
fthe Federal CONSTITUTIONS and such States as
may be formed out OF that portion of said terri
tory lying south of 36 deg 80 min. north latitude,
commonly known as the Missouri compromise
line shall be admitted into the Union with or with
out slavery, as the people of each State asking adj
mission may desire.''
The committee are unanimously of opinion, that
whenever or more States formed of the terrific
ny Of Texas, not exceeding four. having sufficient pop
ulation, with the of Texas may apply to be
admitted into the Union they entitled to such adj
mission, beyond all doubt upon the clear, unambguous
and absolute terms of the solemn compact contained in
the resolution oil annexation adopted by Congress and
assented to by Texas. But whilst the committee con-
ceive that the right OF admission into the Union OF any
States carved of the territory of Texas not
exceeding the number specified, and under the condi-
tons stated cannot be justly conroverted the commit
tee do not think that the formation OF any such new
States should now originate with Congress-
| The initiative, in conformity with the usage
which has heretofore prevailed, should be taken
by portion of the people of Texas themselves
DESTROYS of constitutinga new State, with the con-
! sent of Texas. And in the formation of such new
State, it will be for the people composing it to de-
| eide for themselves whether they will admit or
will exclude slavery. And however they may
decide that purely municipal question. Congress
is bound to acquiesce, and to fulfil in good faith
| the stpulations the compact with Texas. The
committee are aware that it has been commended
that the resolution of Congress annexing Texas,
was unconstitutional. At a former epoch of our
| country's history, there were those (and Mr. JEFF
ferson, whose auspices the treaty of Louisiana
was concluded, was among them) who believed
that the States formed out of Louisiana could not
be received into the Union without an amendment
of the Constitution But the States of Louisiana
Missouri, Arkansas and Iowa have been all, never.
theless, admitted. And who would now think of
opposing the admission of Minnesota, Oregon, or
other new States formed out of the ancient pro-
| vince of Louisiana, upon the ground of an alleged
] t.
national transactions, while yet in their earlier or
incipient stages, differences may we'll exist but
when once they have been decided by constitu-
tional majority, and are consummated, or are in
| process of contamination, there can be no other
safe and prudent alternative than to respect the
decision already rendered, and to acquiesce in it.
| Entertaining these views, a majority of the COM
mitee do not think it necessary or proper to re-
commend, at this time, or prospectYely, any new
State or States to be formed out ofthe territory of
Texas. Should any such State be hereafter form
ed and present itself for admission into the Union,
whether with or without the establishment of sla-
very, it cannot be doubted that Congress will,
under full sense of honor, of good faith, and of
all the high obligations arising out of the COM
pact with Texas, decide just as it will decide I'M
der the influence of similar considerations in re-
gard to new States formed of or out of New Mexico
and Utah, with or without the institution of sa.
very, accar ding to the consttutio ms and judy
ment of the people who compose them, las to what
may be best to promote their happiness.
In considering the question of the admission OF
| California as state into the Union, majority of
the committee conceive that any irregularity by
which that State was organized without the previ-
GUS authority of an act of Congress ought to be
overlooked in consideration of the omission by
Congress to establish any territorial government
for the people ofCaifornia and the consequent ne
cessity which they were under to create govern
ment for themselves best adapted to their own
wants. There are various instances, prior to the
case of California, of the admission of new States
into the Union without any previous authorization
| by Congress. The sole condition required by the
Constitution of the United States in respect to the
admission of new State is, that its constitution
shall be republican in form. California presents
such a constitution and there is no doubt of her
having greater population than that which, ac-
cording to the practice of the government, has been
heretofore deemed sufficient to receive new state
into the Union.
In regard to the proposed boundaries of Cafor-
mia, the committee would have been glad if there
existed more full and accurate geographical knowl-
edge of the territory which those boundaries in
| clude. There is reason to believe that, large as
they are, they embrace no very disproporonate