The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-06-20

the saiu ctate, In such manner as the Legislature
thereof may propose, the admission of said State
into the Union on on equal footing with the orr
ginal States, shall, by proclamation of the Presi-
dent of the United States, be declared completed
After some merely formal amendments. moved
and withdrawn, Mr.. Ashmun had moved to strike
out so much Of the amendment of Mr. Green as
extended the Missouri Compromise line to the
Pacific ocean. This was the amendment first in
order to-day.
The general debate ceased yesterday, at one
o'clock; but one of the rules allows FIVE minutes,
for explanation, to any gentleman who may offer
an amendment. Under this rule, to-day, members
expressed their views some of them Offering mere
formal amendments, and then Withdrawing them.
MIR Schenck offered an amendment in good
faith. The gentleman MIR Green said that the
Missouri Compromise was 10 be extended as a
basis of settlement Now, in order to convey
what it meant, he (Mr. 81 proposed to add pro-
viso, to the effect that its binding force shall de-
pend on public opinion.
Points Of order were raised as to whether Mr..
Schenck could offer the amendment
The Chairman decided that he could
Mr.. Stephens appealed from the decision Of the
Chair; and, the question being TAKEN the Chair
was sustained.
After great deal of confusion, the question
was taken, and Mr. Schencks amendment voted
down-7o yeas 10 uavs
Mr.. Asnmun wiInurew MS amenUmenS.
Mr. Hiliard renewed his amendment, to make
! the parallel of $50 3O the southern boundary Of
California and, in lieu Of the territory thus cut
off to give Utah to the new State.
Mr. H. having advocated this proposition in
speech of five minutes duration
Mr. Seldom asked if it would not be in order to
offer an amendment to a portion Of the amend
ment of MIR Green, which the proposition of Mr..
Hilliard was designed to strike out. His (Mr.
Seddon's) proposition was to insert that the ex-
tension Of the Missouri line was proposed to be
made in accordance with the public understanding
before the acquisition of California
Mr. Hall raised point of order. The prop
osition of MIR. Seldom, he held, was not in
order
The Chair overruled the point of order, when
an appeal having been taken, and the decision Of
the Chair being sustained
Mr.. Seldom spoke for FIVE minutes, Ito his
proposition) arguing that before the acquisition
of California, it was understood generally that
the Missouri Compromise principle would be ap-
piled to any territory acquired; otherwise the
South would not have voted q dollar or man
with which to make the acquisition.
Thu Qvsstio9upon the last amendment TO the
ame9dmspi p5eRossd by Mr. Seldom having befn
put IL was hoS agfeeo 10. ~ - ~
to the amendment; which was to declare that the
non-slaveholding States had realized the benefits
Of the Missouri Compromise.
Mr. s., speaking to this proposition, continued
his remarks in favor of the Missouri Compromise
line for five minutes.
Mr. Seldom having withdrawn his proposition,
Mr. Carter renewed it, and argued against the
spirit manifested by the South to intermeddle in
the affairs of California Withdrawing the
amendment
Mr. venable renewed it, speaking 1--WE minutes
with great warmth in opposition to Mr.. Carter,
and then he withdrew it.
Mr.. Stanton of Tennessee renewed it. He
held that there could be no question of the truth
on which the proposition was founded as he
argued to prove. The people Of the North had
enjoyed all the benefits Of the Missouri Compro-
mise Before the acquisition of the territory from
Mexico, the South had no reason to dream that
she would be excluded from participating in the
territory under the operation of an extension
of the Missouri line.
Mr. s., continuing his five minutes speech, re-
piled in detail to the remarks of Mr. Carter.
Mr.. S. having withdrawn the proposition
Mr.. Nilsson renewed it, and spoke for five min
utes to show that it was the right and duty of the
Government to extend the Missouri Compromise
Mr.. M Having withdrawn the proposition
Mr.. Vinton renewed it, and spoke to c0ntrovert
the remarks Of Mr.. Seldom, in which that gentle
man had urged that, before the acquisition from
Mexico, it was the general understanding that in |
such case, the Missouri Compromise was to be ex-
tended to the Pacific Mr.. v. reviewed the his |
tory Of the action Of the House on the Proviso to
show that it was virtually understood that that |
measure should be applied (rather than the Mis- |
souri, Compromised to the Territory, II acquired.
Mr.. v. having withdrawn the amendment
MIR. Thompson Of Mississippi renewed il, and
combated the statement Of the facts as made by
Mr.. Vinton.
Mr. T. Withdrawing the amendment
Mr.. Root renewed it, and spoke for five minutes
to prove that, from the commencement of the war,
it was we'll understood that, in case territory was
acquired, the Wilmot Proviso would be applied
to it,
Mr.. r. having Withdrawn the smendment--
Mr.. Bayly renewing it, urged that the Govern
ment, in all of its departments, as late as ls45,
had committed itself to the pledge embraced in the
Missouri Compromise. This WAS done in the
Texas annexation as well as in the Oregon bill.
Mr.. B. having withdrawn it
Mr. Meade renewed the proposition, and spoke
for FIVE minutes to show that the North had sus-
tanned the annexation of Texas, and thus effected
that object, in order to obtain for herself the
commercial advantages believed to be within her
reach if she would receive Texas into the Union.
to the last extremity, and at all hazards.
Mr.. M. having withdrawn the amendment
Mr. Stephens renewing it declared that what
Mr.. Root had said concerning his Mr.. S.s) former
propositions was true yet he did not believe that
there was any general understanding. He had
been abandoned on that occasion by North and
South, both going in for indemnity for the past
This indemnity now threatened to end in the
disruption Of the Government-that being all the
"security for the futuren apparently to be gotten
MIR s. next argued to show that the Democra-
cy were responsible for the present condition Of
things; and that, instead of being recognised at
that time the Missouri Compromise had been
expressly voted down.
Mr.. $. having withdrawn the proposition
The amendment was successfully renewed and
withdrawn by Messrs McMnlien of Virginia,
Orr of South Carolina, Morse Of Louisiana, and
Averett Of Virginia, each speaking FIVE minutes
with great vehemence
MIR Van Dyke renewed H. demanding that the
question upon it should be put.
Mr.. Caldwell moved that the Committee rise
which motion was not agreed to.
The amendment to the amendment, TO declare
that the non -saveholding States bad realized the
benefit of the Missouri Compromise, having been
again reported to the Committee, the question
upon it was put and it was not agreed to-yeas
6S noes l03
Mr.. MCQUEEN moved that the Committee do
now rise; which motion was not agreed TO-
Mr.. Stanton of Tennessee offered an amend
ment to the amendment, to amend the clause pro-
posed to be stricken out, by adding provision
that no State should hereafter be refused admis-
sion into the Union, formed out of the territory
south of 800 3V, because of a failure to prohibit
slavery in its Constitution.
MIR. spoke five minutes, advocating the prin-
ciple of the Missouri Compromise, and continued
the general debate upon that subject of the day,
speaking on the Southern side of it,
Mr.. s. having then withdrawn it
MIR. Seldom of Virginia renewed it, spoke FIVE
minutes, and withdrew it.