The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-06-22
N CONGRESS- OF THE U. STATES.

rALIFoRNIA--TERRrToRIaL OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
The Senate having under consideration the bill Tor The
admission of California into the Union, The esaDlsh-
ment of territorial governments Tor Utah and New Mex
o and making proposals Texas for the settlement OF
her northern and western boundaries
The question pending was on an amendment 10 the lst
section, offered by HALE yesterday, as follows;
New States not exceeding in number. Of convenient
and having sufficient poPnla,on may heseale py
,be territory thereof which shall be entirled 10 admission
under the provisions OF the federal constitution
Mr. FOOTE moved to amend the amendment by adding
thereto after the word constitution" the following;
With or without slavery the people OF SAID state ask
ing admission may desie
Aher some debate By Senators DOUGLAS, BERRIEN,
HALE, and CLAY, heretofore published -
Mr. CHASE said: MIR. President, agree with What
has heen said by The senator from Georgia, that there
can be no objection 10 the airmance OF constitutional
principle But am opposed 10 the amendment o. me
senator from Mississpr { Mr. FooTE.l and wish now
10 slate briefly the distinction which appears to me TO be
obvious between the proposition into which his amend
men would convert the amendment OF me senator from
New Hampshire and the proposition voted upon yes'ef
That proposition related 10 The erection Of States out Of
Terrtories The proposition Of the senator from New
Hampshire is that Congress authorize the erection o
TWO new States out OF California; after her ADMISSION
into the Union as State. She will come in Tree Tor
slavery i ssaay qhDsd within 1aasa hsI ms ,na rohboo
Mr. CHASE. So she may and when she does,
proposition that Sttesso be erected thereafter within he
limits shall be admitted win Or without slavery W no,
stands; and yet the senator from Missssppl proposes
that slave States may be carved out of this free State II
the people OF the parts to be erected INTO otaes SO eject
Ths1s not the case presented to us yesterday.
MI. President, the annexation resolutions conaineu a
provision that States created out OF Texas souh oil 80
deg 80 min may come IN with or without slavery as
lbey may elect Why' Obviously because slavery ex-
sied in Texas south OF 80 deg 80 mn, ahu congress
was willing to give TO future States within their hits
an option 10 continue abolish the system the free ex-
rcise OF which should constitute no barrier TO admission
But this amendment would provide that States created
Of free State may come N with slavery. is aaop
lion would, in my judgment, be insulting TO California
What would be thought OF proposition that new Stale
should be created within tue limits oil ONO, or Penn
sylvana, or New York with an option 70 come nlo ine
Union slave State or free State, as me convention
framing its constitution might deierminet would " mol
be credahle to the people OF those States TO suggest
that they were prepared to endangeI helr institution .,
the proposition OF the senator from louisiana, lMr
SoULEl did not regard il simple affirmation OF q
ss pn's ba rst declares that
States may be admitted BY Congress into ihs Unlon
distinct section provides that "ihe United STATES shaii
guaranty to every State in this Union republican form
olgovernment" There is no provision IN The constilu-
ton that know Of declaring that Congress shall admit
States without conditions other than mat theT gov
mmenis be republican IN form. On the contrary, nave
misread--and greatly msfead-ihe language OF the ira
Of that instrument II 1t was not intended thai Inc
whole matter oil the admission Of new Slales shouu De
entirely within the sound discretion oil Congress
Sir the original policy OF The government was TO Gre
and admit free States, not slave States That is clear
danyhing is clear That Is certain Il anything Ger
tain refusal 10 admit slave State would merely re-
store that original policy.
Every way, then, this amendment seems to me 10 be
wrong and its adoption IN my Judgment, would a oe
ston lar merely reaiTms principle OF he con-
siuton. am ready, upon any proper occasion 70 re-
affirm the constitution, TO enact the will oil God
MIR. FO0TE Mr. President. beg leave TO suggest 10
the honorable senator from Ohio lblr CHAsE] that he
has committed great error in one respect he asserts
that the proposition which submitted TO the Senate
insulting 10 California Now. the trst place, i IN
capable Of practising anything like insult to any State or
Territory of this Union But, secondly the senator did
not make out his should like him to explain how
that the simple indulgence OF the supposiilon that
Territory now claiming ADMISSION as Tree State may
hereafter upon ascerainng that her climate and soil and
mineral productions are Of nature 10 make Il beneficial
10 her introduce slavery within her lIms-bow is il
thai such supposon can be insulting 10 California; IL
cannot be insulting. unless there Is something IN the sys
lem OF domestic slavery intrnsically degrading And
DO not presume that the honorable senator will assert
that DO not believe mat he would undertake 10 insult
Us and the States we represent by expressing the opln
ION that the slave States OF this coniedefacy are not az
respectable the free States do not presume lac would
make any such declaration OF opinion. How, ask,
can Il be insulting TO California TO express The opinion
tbat she may hereafter possibly alter her institutional
The honorable senator says that II Is insulting TO the
People Of California 10 suppose that ;hey will change
lhef civil institutions Why, the people oi California
lave lately adopted civic institutions aud lake Al
o granted that they, like the people o The rect OF The
epubc viii from tme TO time change Their organic law
such manner as time and experience may dictate TO be
Hossy insung 10 the people OF CalifoTna TO suppose
hatihey would live under constitution so hastily adopt
60, however skiltully framed, forever, without any
amendment o u whatever. IL would be certainly Insult
g 10 them suppose that their laws, like those OF the
htdes and Persans are TO remain forever unchanged,
While the whole world is IN state oi progress while
science and arts all advancing; while the science OF
government, in PARTICULAR 10 every part OF the world in
boh hemlspheres, is advancing with celebrity never
heretofore known.
The honorable senator from Ohio supposes that the
leople Of California very stupid, ignorant 50
ceuous bigoied, 10 have resolved hereafter
70 change their political institutions II there be any
gont al all to the senator's argument, be must
either that the people OF California should live under
heir present constitution unchanged for all me come,
he suposes that the simple introduction OF the usltu-
Tons now existing n The South would have the effect oi
degrading the people o California. know that the
honorable senator will not undertake to maintain this
latter proposition. He may tirDw out dark innuendoes,
which mean something in ore part o le county, and
something very different, nothing, M another; but
must confess that The geaera deneanof OF the senator
here has been sirkIngy courteous and KIND nolwh-
standing certain rather offensive speeches 81 his DELIVERED
mere that had certainly formed the opinion that he
would be very far from offering deliberate insult "a
hose OF US on this door who are representing slave
States
Dir SMITH. II seems TO me, Mr.. President, that we
nave quite enough difficulties 10 encounter with this sub
ltL without raising all OF hypothetical questions
iot The Consideration OF the Senate.
i MI FOOTE, (ln his seat) Inis amendment was IN.
hoduced BY the senator IRON New Hampshire.
I Mr. SMITH know all that very well and object
olhs whole course OF proceeding, will vote against
,exacty upon the ground upon which voted yesler-
i cay We have here What has been denomnated ON.
mou bdl, and there three passengers IN that bill
Ialorna, the territories, and the question OF the bound
AK.I kAnnr t.Ia aufia iau2an