The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-02-07
WASHINGTON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY T. 1850

dicious manner, and is not n concession to menaces
or demands Of factionists and fanatics. Ii other
questions can'be adjusted this one will, perhaps
occasion but little difficulty
"7. The resolutions which provide for the res.
toration of fagitives from labor or service, aud
for the establishment of Territorial Governments
free from all restriction the subject Of slavery
have my hearty approval. The last resolution
which asserts that Congress has no power to pro.
hibit the trade in slaves between State and STATE
equally approve.
"S. IL all other questions connected with the
subject of slavery can be satisfactorily adjusted
see no objection to admitting all California above
the line Of $50 38, into the Union provided an.
other new slave State can be laid off within the
present limits of Texas, to keep up the pres.
ent equiponds7onee between the slave and the free
States of the Union and provided, further, all
this is done by way of compromise, and in order
to save the Union, las dear to me as to any man
living)n
conversation took place between Messrs
Clay and Foote in relation to the character Of the
resolution concerning slavery in the District Of
Columbia. MIR Foote contended that the resolu
ton was not strong enough-that to abolish sla.
very in the District would be a fraud upon the
the want of power in Congress, &c
Mr. Clay replied:
"Suppose Virginia and Maryland both abolish
slavery tomorrow, must it still apply here, and
is there no power to abolish it? The implied
faith, according to the view twelve years ago. was
a faith implied to the ceding States They were
not supposed when making the cession, to have
anticipated the exercise Of the power of abolish.
ing slavery while it continued within their limits
That is the limitation of plighted faith we main
tanned and contended for at that time, butwe new
err supposed it included all the States in the
Union. Certainly never supposed that if slavery
was abolished in Maryland and Virginia, it must
still apply to this District for all time and eter-
nifty"
expressing his regret that Senator representing
slave State should have felt il his duty to intro
'sscS ssokrcselations The resolution respecting
fugitive slaves and that respecting the organiza-
,ion W errilural Governments wIfnour any in
terdiction Of slavery, he could sustain, but none
of the rest He was happy to find the Senator
differing so much on the subject of the Terrific
ries from the Executive message lately laid be-
fore the Senate.
MIR Davis of Mississippi, without any OF the
display of the customary Difference to the Sena-
tor from Kentucky undertook to convict him
of having changed his position since 1888. He
quoted the resolution passed at that time, at the
instance Of Mr.. Clay, as follows.
Ths, the Interference citizens any the States
with the view the abolition Of slavery in this District
+ snngsrns the rights and security Of the people Of the
aul torn
aboi,.h slavery In this District would be violation
the faith implied in the cessons by the States OF Virginia
AMI Mar land inst of alarm the people OF the
ssvshng States and have direct and inevitable ten.
deney 20 disturb and endanger the Union"
Here, them said Mr.. Davis, "was fully and
Broadly asserted the danger resulting from the in
reference in the question Of slavery in the Dis
trict Of Columbia, as trenching upon the rights
of the slaveholding States. Twelve years only
have elapsed, yet this brief period has swept away
even the remembrance Of principles then deemed
sacred and necessary to secure the safety Of the
Union Now, an honorable and distinguished
Senator, to whom the country has been induced
to look for something that would heal the existing
dissensions, instead Of new barriers against en-
croachment dashes down those heretofore erected,
---~--~-.-A i.- ~-:.s;-. I--~~~ A --r---~-..
alive from one OF the slavehoidiug States raises
his voice for the first time in disregard of this
admitted right"
He objected also strenuously to the resolution
respecting the boundaries Of Texas--not only to
this, but to the whole argument of the Senator
from Kentucky.
~ desire at present merely to notice the asser.
ton Of the honorable Senator, hat slavery would
never, under any circumstances, be established
in California. This though stated as fact, is
but mere opinion-an opinion with which do
H. Il. Al
continent that the Spaniards FIRST brought Afrimns 10
this country. The European races aow engaged IN
moyking the mines of California sink mdtr The burn
ing heat and sudden changes ofhe climate, 10 mhich
he African race ore altogether htter 0daped. The
production OF rice sugar, and cotton, as no beter
adaped 10 Slnre labor than The DIGGING, nuashiag and
qu0rrping OF The gold mineS. Sir, after
agitation Of he subject m1hm these halls and ELSE
nhere has prevented me Introduction Of Sldrery bv
preventing The EMIGRATION of slopehoIdeys mIh Meir
propeuy--are we now to be told that the question
is settledl More than that When we have ac-
qured territory over which the Constitution of
the United States is thereby extended, and which
the citizens Of the United States have a right to
occupy and TO establish tbereia what laws they
please. in accordance with the principles of the
CONSTITUTIONAL which they have a right to es-
tablish what Institutions they please-it is now
claimed that the municipal regulations which pre-
viousy existed shall still govern the people-and
that portion of the citizens of the United States
sbal thus be precluded from going there with
their property. This rule has, however, in dis
cnssion here, only been applied 10 the property
Of Shareholders, as though slaves were the only
under the laws Of Mexico prohibited
from entering California II is to be remembered
that the late Secretary of the Treasury, in a re-
port TO Congress, stated that the Mexican law
prohibited the entrance Of some sixty articles Of
commerce; this was under the sanction of the
special authority of Congress and slavery has
never been so prohibited. II never has been pro-
bibited by Congress in California and the only
prohibition ever issued was that contained in the
edict of usurper, under the specious pretext
that it was necessary in order to oppose the inva
sion of the country by Spain. This decree was
by subsequent Congress, so far as TO
pass law authorizing payment for slave. 80 fib-
Grated IL was the emancipation OF all the slaves
in Mexico act, If you please, OF abolition, not
of prohibition; not, in any construction which
may be placed upon it, done in accordance with
the forms Of law and requirements Of their Con-
But we have not proposed to inquire
into the legality Of the abolition, neither has any
Southern man asked that that decree should be
or that those liberated under its provi-
sons should be returned to slavery. We only
claim that there shall be an equality Of immuni-
ties and privileges. But, sir, we are called on to
receive this as measure of compromise. Is
in which we Of the minority are TO re-
ceive nothing, a measure Of compromise look
upon it as but a modest mode Of taking that, the
claim to which has been more boldly asserted by
others; and that ] may he understood upon This
question, and that my position may go forth 10
this country in the same columns thst convey the
sentiments Of the Senator from Kentucky, here
assert that neuer nil take less thGa The Missouri
Compromiss line eucnd,dto Hs Pacific oceaH, NTH
,he specific rtoogn1iOn Of fhe righto hold shares ~
fhe icrraory belom that lns; md fho', b3ore s"eh
,eyyi,oyi,s ere admitted INTO tAs Union States sapss
NAV he taken there from any Of the Unnsd States, al
,hs Onion of their omners | can never consent to
give additional power to commit further aggres-
.;ous noon the rn;nor;tv in this Union and will