The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-07-30
DEFERRED DEBATE.
TUESDAY. JULY %, 1850.
Observation-Disclosures OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Mi. FOOTE having offered the following amendment

tssnth line alsr the word thereto" as follows.
And that The .sd Stats e oaons shall never
Jurisdiction over. any Rosrs q hs h,ns s sh
following boundaries to Wi, Commencing in the Pacific
three Engl.h miles from the Shore a. the lzd de-
limo Of the Territory Of Oregon the summit Of the Sierra
Nsvads thence along the Gees, Of that mountain to the
81 min thence with said parallel Of latitude 70 point
and thence 10 the beginning including all islands, bays
and harbors adacen. acluded within tue limit. here
es,.b:bsd to be called Colorado 70 consist residue
Of the territory embraced within the limits Of the said State
sdopssd by the people Of Calrnis Tor the Of
which Territory, q e:sabshed all the provisions Of this
therein spscisd are hereby declared be- in
force in said Territory OF Colorado.
Mr.. DAVIS. Of Mississippi presented the following
as amendment to Mr., Foorx's proposition:
And that all laws and usnges existing in said Territory
the date of its acquisition by the Unsd Sates which
deny obstruct tue right of citizen Of the Unted
spsoss Of property legally held any Of this
Union. be and are hereby declared null and void
Mr.. YULEE. Considering this material amendment,
M NJ will assnd s ss fate o. h s think
II some respess advisable for me to state the views that
The senator from Mississippi who has just taken his
seat Mr. FoorE continues TO charge that because some
Of this side the chamber believe that the Mexican
dsws q Mexican a'is " act
with that opinion - pressing amendments q me mature
Gent justification for legislation upon this point that
doubt exiss in any quarter to the correctness OF the
opinion entertain; Will the senator deny that there
is good ground for doubt when eminent statesmen and
urlss upon this floor and elsewhere express opinion
directly the reverse OF our own and when s asserted
by many OF them. as was once BY himself, that the Su
preme Court stands committed TO the opinion they urge
With this grave diverey of opinion existing, conscious
as all Of the fabily OF human judgment may
seek 10 resolve the doubt by the exercise Of an
power to declare what shall be the state OF the law 1t
is very appropriate province OF legislation to remove
doubts which may affect the security enjoyment Of
private political right Our reluctance 10 leave this
point open to further cav BY oni,tng such legislation as
would close the controversy upon it, Is not relieved by
the very positive opinions expressed by the senator
II is too brief time since his mind was disturbed,
not only by very serious doubts. but apparently bya
force the Territories. justify spreemptory reliance in
his present judgment
MIR. FOOTE. How recent,
MIR. YULEE When the Clayton Compromise was
under discussion The senator then not only doubted
but seemed strongly 70 apprehen that the Mexican laws
aboshnx slavery did remain in force
Mr.. FOOTE How is that, sr!
Mr.. TuLEE, will repeat for the benefit OF the sena-
tor said that SO recently as the discussion upon the
objections hat bill upon the apprehension that the
Mexican laws remained in force, and that no provision
was made in It for their repeal.
Mr.. FOOTE, You are mistaken, think
lir. YuLEE. have your speech before me. II was
delivered on The 25th of jay, ls4she Clayton Com
promise beng the subject Of a,.ca ~,
MIR YULEE Il was certainly not very remote oc-
mote occasion. 1t the general scheme OF compro-
miss next Immediately preceding the one how under
NJ FOOTE 1t was, then, before those doubts had
bean removed by the cogcnt reasoning OF gentlemen
The PRESIDING OFFICER Does the senator from
NM rULEE fpreIer 70 read the extract first, il the
senator will allow me. Here il is:
He INr Foorxl referred argument OF tho senator
from south Carolina, tMr CalhonnI that tho Introduction
Of new Territory acquired by conquest, into tho unon
carried slavery with it, To this his heart assen.ed but h
udnest could not yet ascent % t. He was ss! IN doubt
bad NOT been answered. and that could not be met in this
and Of tina, court as il is now
would b against tho South And them said he. where
Mr.. FoOrE. Will the senator from Florida do me
the jastcs 70 send that report of my speech to me'
Mr.. YULEE. shall have occasion 10 il further
Nov = evident The senator did not consider the ques.
there wss reason 70 fear the Supreme Court constituted
~ il was. would be against the South" The same
pregnant the question when he asked the sntcpa
oa al IN adverse decision, Sand, then, sir where
xsr repeat the question now. II the result, Of the
undsr this bill Where would he by his present course
have helped to place us But to forty the propriey Of
our acting in this matter with reference TO the doubtful
iasas q de point. and with logged confidence in
oar own Judgment, beg to present q striking example
Of r. same course Of action BY the senator
jumsnt Of the Texas boundary which yields large part
Of the territory claimed by Texas Now. it is no, long
Ancn was ~ this very sessionhe senator introduced
yell. considered series OF resolutions, one OF which
will read
2saovd That the boundary Of Texas already
6xed upon the Rio del Norte and that the tide OF Texas
70 al tho tsrrtories within Der boundaries, the
Smsiy specified In the Of tho Congress OF the
bossdaxtes 81 ths republic Of Texas" clear
Questionable that be formally violated
seroasy dawn into dispute by this without
serious violation Of the principles OF good faith.
Nov, this was very decided language. The senator
declared that the right OF Texas an territory within the
boundaries described n the Texan law OF 1886 was
eisdr and unqu<sfoae and could not be disputed by
this governmcnt "vhora serious viodfio~ Of he prsn-
olptes Of good Joh." Yet we find the senator quite
willing to concede TO New Mexico a very large part OF
the tefnofy to which he then regarded the night OF Texas
"cleor and unquestonable" dare say he still thinks il
10 "sleas and UNREASONABLE. hope he does Yet in
sm9:A = other distinguished senator's have declared an
qEH nfm, but quite opposite opinion, he has probably
bscome les confident OF his own and. acknowledging
To &1srsnee OF opinion to Justify reasonable doubt he
cSassas 10 end dspute by positive legislation. This
u The oolY hypothesis upon which his present course
upon TIE Texan boundary question be accounted for
Cesnnay he would not agree that sovereignty could be
proper snbect Of traffic between the United States gov
eminent and State OF the Union He IT, of course them
acting upon the assumption that subject in respect
10 which reasonable doubt may exist and that he should
therefore, exslate With reference to that fact
but ne senatos has HIMSELF at this very session, voted
IN favor OF amendment substantially the this
nov under consideration His colleague offered. at
previous stage OF this BILL amendment similar TO this
ane me senator voted for it, He could not have done 40
unlee, ne scknowiedg ed our 70 sDactt and we