Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-03-04
CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES.
IN SENATE, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY Is.
Mr.. REIJ,S COMPROMISE.


plantations OF the resolutions whcs have to present,
owe an apology to the Senate Mr.. President, and
TO the public for being the medium OF presenting any
series oproposons or resolutions upon wlin
has occupied the attention of this body so long, ana IN
relation to which great number OF Plopositions
have already been submitted and commented on o gen
emen far distinguished tor aplty ana lnluence
in the country than myself And, SIR desire 10 state
that trust am not actuated in the slightest degree by
any petty ambition of desiring to present propositions
of my own; that have the presumption 70 suppose
that snail be able to offer any thing that will meet the
general accepation and appreciation OF this body; Or
least of all that could aspire to the honor OF being
pacificator Ineither pretend to, nor am entitled to
that position here, IN the country as respects any
weight to be given to any propositions shall submit,
| because they come from me- No, sir, do not claim
this consideration, and rather think that no parcu ar
weight influence be given to any propositions for
the adjustment of this controversy made by any gentle
man from the South They must come from gentlemen
from different quarter-rom the North, where the
power exists to settle this question. The only small
merit that claim ia that of being compiler cannot
say that there is single of the propositions which
intend to present, that is entirely original, or one
which has not passed through the minds OF at least
dozen honorable Senators.
do not propose upon this occasion, enter into a
general discussion of these dsractng questions lmpor-
tant and interesting they may be- only desire to
submit such brief exp anaons OF any suggestion con-
tanned in the resolutions which have to present. which
may be different from those embraced In the numerous
propositions heretofore presented. will not trouble
the Senate by reading more than the last clause oil the
short preamble by which have thought proper to pre-
face the propositions which design to present 1t in
| these words.
Whereas the joint resoutionsfor annexing Texas to
the United States, approved March l. lS45, contains
the following condition and guaranty, that is TO- say
New States of convenient SIZE not exceeding tour In
NUMBER in addition to said State OF Texas, and having
sufficient population may hereafter by the consent OF
said State be formed out of the territory thereof,
which shall be entitled to admission under the provisions
of the federal constitutions and such States as may pc
formed out OF that portion OF SAID territory lying soulh
L of Iao 0r,ip lnt u6p pOmmOnlV known
the Missouri compromise line, shall be admitted INTO
the Union with without slavery as the people Of each
State asking admission may desire; and In such state
States shall be formed out OF said territory north
osad Missouri compromise line. slavery or involuntary
servitude Except for crime shall be prohibited"
The first proposition propose to submit, sir, is in
Resolved, That the obligation to comply with the
condition and guaranty above rscited in good faith be
distinctly recognised and that in part compliance with
the same the people OF Texas shall, by an
of their Legislature signify their assent by restrict
ing the limits thereof within the territory lying east OF
the Trinity and south Of the Red river, and when the
people of the residue of the territory claimed by Texas
lying south Of the Bath degree OF north latitude and west
Of the Trinity SHALL with the assent OF Texas, adopt
constitution republican in form, they be admitted into the
Union upon equal footing in all respects with the
original States.
| do not know, Mr. President, that there has been
any desire manifested in the Southern States that
slave State should be admitted into the Union, if
it were practicable. have notice of any such
desire no manifestation of expectation that
such proposition would be offered. Nevertheless,
I ana Of opinion that would have most salutary and
healing influence at this time throughout the whole
South. | am aware OF the existence OF sentiment
prevalent to extent at the South which supposes
probabe-so strong is the sentiment at the North, In
the free States against the extension OF the slave power
in Congressional, any time hereafter, when in the
course events this proposition shall directly from
the people of Texas the guaranty and conditions oil the
Joint resolution referred in the preamble will not be
complied with. They feel no assurance upon this
point.
do notsay that this expectation or this apqrehen
sion justified by any thing have seen avowed at the
North certainly not by any thing have heard avowed
in this halls Tor upon this point must do the gentleman
of the North justice and say that in speaking OF the
comparative extent and quantity OF free and slave
territory in the United States the large territories Of
| Texas embracing some two or three hundred square
miles, have been uniformly pointed to slave territory
out of which other slave States may properly and with
out infringing upon the sentiments and opinions OF the
North, be admitted into the Union 1t is for the pur-
pose Of meeting and quoting this apprehension OF the
South and for the soothing effect which tine admission
of such State into the Union would have, that
4 thought proper to propose It,
Again. Mr. President, 1t has been commonly the prac-
tice OF the Government heretofore when practicable,
that when slave State has been admitted, new tree
State should be contemporaneousy admitted And so
when free State at the North was newly admitted il
found practicable new slave State at the South came
in at the same time 1t upon this principle that
Maine was severed from Massachusetts and erected into
| a separate State when Missouri came IN Michigan
and Arkansas contemporaneously admitted, be-
lieve in conformity with the same sentiment. Iowa
and Florida were, beeye, admitted IN the same way
Sir am that this practice cannot be long con-
tnued No expectation can be- or Is as far as know,
INDUCED by the South that can be continued TOR any
length oftime to But now it proposed to ad-
init California free State Here is Territory, here
is population authorizing the admission OF slave
State and thus if Texas were to assent to the formation
othe new State, the practice might be continued up to
this time at least. have said, sir, that no expectation
of continuing this practice which has obtained hereto
g.. ha ip6ul hv
prospect before the slave States this subject! Ne
braska and the Territory OF Minnesota will soon, very
soon, form two additional free States Oregon will pre-
the country with four new States two very soon,
and two more to follow at subsequent time speak
advsedy this subject, from my knowledge otthe ter
rory there. Two free States will, before "a great
some more remote period California and New Mexico
will give four States, it not SIX Here, sir, at
the lowest calculation have four to Oregon four to
| New Mexico and California, and two to the Ter
rores already formed in the Northwest to say MOTH
ing of the Territory still further north and ives. OF the
waters of the Missouri, we shall have ten new free
States And where is the equivalent to the slave States
to be found My first proposition is to admit one
State now in conformity with ancient practice, which
must soon be abandoned propose TO restrict the State
of Texas the territory lying east of the Trinity and
south of Red river territory large enough to form
magnificent Staeone OF the first class. The popula
ton in these limits altogether sufficient to authorize
the formation OF State. am advised that it is equal
to the existing ratio ofrepresentalion IN congress.
with the assent of Texas, includes all the territory now
claimed BY Texas lying West ofthe Trinity and South of
the Thirty fourth parallel of North latitude. The territory
proposed for the new State, it will be perceived is Of
very large extent; the population more than sufficient
to Justify the formation Of new State, exceeding the
population East of the Trinity by many thousands
The proposition does not invole ask of the North
any violation OF sentiment or feeling there, unless it be
based upon design OF violating sacred obligations,
which sure does not exist, tits in strict coniorm
ty with the pghted public faith of the whole country
North and South What torbids, it then9 Texas, Mr..
President, may not give its assent have no infoma
ton to give to the Senate upon that subject am not
authorized to say that any one member Of the Texas
CATION in this House, in the House of Represen
taves is prepared to give his to this proposition
But be that as it may, say that Texas refuses her
sent yet there is peace offering from the North. So
far as it is calculated have any influence whether
is rejected accepted by Texas just credit will be due
to the policy and magpanImy or rather Justice Of the
pend upon the consent OF the South of Texas0 whether
this new State shall be admitted into the Union,
My resolution, Mr.. President, proposes, if Texas
NJ