The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-02-21

1 from Missouri For years the Senator from Mis-
souri, and himself had not been on friendly terms;
there non-intercourse, embargo between
them; but few years ago, much 10 his satisfac
ton, friendly terms had been resumed. He had
never seen the bill of the Senator from Missouri be-
fore its introduction, and had had no conference
with him since about it, nor had the Senator from
Missouri ever his resolutions before their pre-
| sentation 10 the Senate. Now, what facts had the
Senator which 10 base his assertion of co-ope-
ration between them9 Had he the right TO speak of
the fact that the Senator from Missouri came
| round to his seat and had private conversation
with him; and from that has he the right to suppose
that any bargain had taken place? The Senator
| from Mississippi had alluded to this incident.
MIR. F0OTE said the Senator alluded to ii him
self
Mr. CLAY said the Senator declared he saw it,
When the Senator from Missouri came to his seat
il to confer about this matter; but has il come
to this, that Senators cannot confer together on
matters relating TO the public business, without
rendering themselves liable to suspicious? He pro-
tested against it. But so important was the crisis
that il the Senator from Missouri the greatest
enemy he had in the world, and he thought that by
| conference with him any thing could be done to
bring the difficulties to happy settlement, he
would have gone TO the Senator himself. He thought
that he had not conferred, before introducing his
resolutions, with sufficient number of his frends
while in 1889 he had conferred with too many.
He had said in his resolution that, by admit
ting California, there concession by either
section; and how did the Senator from Alabama
| =
her, Congress adopts the provision in her consti-
tuition excluding slavery. Now, suppose census
had been taken, and all the other supposed prere-
quisites complied with, and then California was
| TO exclude slavery, would not her admission then
be as much the adoption by Congress of the prohib
tory clause as it would be were she to be admitted
| now.
| But with this Congress had now nothing to do
The only question for Congress to decide, whe
Their the constitution of California republican
or not He admitted that there were Irregularities
in her proceedings; but, statesmen, was il not
their duty to overlook these for the purposes Of har
mony and peace?
California entitled to greater consideration
| than Michigan. California was abandoned by Con-
gross. She now comes here with constitution
comes TO that parent who had abandoned her, cut
her aloof from the protection of all law and govern
ment. Does she come threatening secession and
dissolution? No: she comes humbly TO ask that
you will admit her to the enjoyment of those sacred
privileges to be found only in the Union. Yet she
is calledan usurper and you wish to push her from
you. The difference between her and Michigan is,
that Michigan, though long time denied admis-
sion, had good government and good laws.
California had bad government, or no government,
| but was in a state of anarchy.
| He had heard with great surprise the remark
that in certain contingencies, the South would
take particular course, regardless of conse-
quences. He could not conceive how any man
could, with respect to himself, to his race, to his
God, and to religion, take any step regardless of
consequences No man, be he on the broad prairie,
on the ocean, in any situation of life, who had
any regard for religion and morality, could, in any
contingency, take any STEP no matter how trfiing,
regardless Of consequences.
Mr.. CLEMENS said that he had not expected to
hear in the Senate the distinguished Senator make
an argument that it was right to do wrong. He
had not expected to hear that religion and morality
taught that, under any contingency, it was right
| TO do wrong, that good may follow.
The Senator asked what right he had to allude to
his actions'. II was the right of every American
citi1en-a right to comment on every public act OF
every public man.
Mr.. CLAY. Certainly; but not on my private
! intercourse.
| MIR. CLEMENS said he said nothing of the scene
alluded to; he not in the Senate on that day
But, from the perfect accordance with the Senators
that subject now, and the different view taken in
the Senator's speech some days ago, when he said
| all these subjects should be settled at once, he
thought it but fair inference that the two Sena-
tors had come TO terms of mutual agreement that
California should be admitted without any connex-
ion with, or settlement of, any other subject. The
Senator asked, If census had been taken, would
he oppose the admission of California; He would;
he would refuse her admission on the ground of the
| great fraud committed against the South.
He had made no charge of inconsistency against
the Senator from Michigan; but the explanation
given by that Senator of the meaning of the Mich
olson letter was different from that given to it by
his friends in Alabama. In fact, Mr.. Yancy and
others were driven from the Democratic party in
that State for interpreting that letter the Senator
did himself to-day. The Senator said he was
broken down on account Of his opinions. IL SOL
for entertaining such opinions the Senator was
broken down at the North-what was to be the fate
of the South itself in the hands of such people'
Mr.. DAVIS, OF Mississippi. said that he under
stood the Senatorfrom Michigan now and he un-
dersood the Nicholson letter exactly the Senator
had explained it now. He differed from the Sem
ator in parts of that letter. but that portion which
related to the powers 70 be exercised by Congress
he agreed with him. For this reason he supported
him for the Presidency. There no fanaticism
at the South which denounced a northern man for
| his abstract views on slavery; but when abstract
views were attempted 70 be carried out by egisla-
| ton the matter was different one.
! Mr.. FOOTE rccapituated the history of the
scene alluded to by him few days ago, as having
been witnessed by him, of the Senator from Mis-
souri, visiting the Senator from kentucky in his
scat of the events which followed this interview I;
Of the Senator from Missouri asking the Senator
from Kentucky to make the motion TO refer the sub
ject Of California, &c. He had witnessed and heard
all this, and believing that something foot TO
smuggie California into the Union, he had spoken
OF il to the Senate. He had no disposition 10 play
the Paul Pry, nor TO seek information Of the
ments Of Others but when things occurred before
his eyes, he felt bound TO speak Of them. When
ever ne discovered any thing that was wrong, he
| would speak Of it-woud tell the truth the whole
truth. and nothing but the truth His duty to his
constituents and TO the country required il Of him.
In the language of st. Paul, he would say, Wo is
me II preach not the Gospel" He would never
|
! il appeared
He then at great length pursued an examination
into the various speeches Of Mr.. CLAY for years
past, reading the speech Of that gentleman in 1899
rebuking the Abolitionists for driving the South
TO dissolution Of the Union; Of his letter 10 the
Free-Soil committee Of Ohio during the past sum-
mer Of his letter on tho Texas question /; and Of
his reply to a Mr.. Mendenball Also, TO the pro-
positions Of Mr.. CLAY to Kentucky 10 adopts grad
ual emancipation of her slaves. He then com.
mented upon the great euogies and praises passed
upon the late speech Of Mr.. CLAY by the northern
and Abolition presses and particularly by the or
gan Of the Senator from New York, (Mr. SEWARD
the Albany Evening Journal; and contrasted Il
with the speech Of lS39-contending that the Sena.
tor bad given more aid and comfort TO the foes o.
the South by his late speech, than they had
ceived from any other source
Mr.. CLAY said that be never complained Of any
comments upon bis public acts; but what. he OBJ
jccted TO was the invasion Of his private intercourse
and judging thercfrom that he had been actuatec
by sinister influence.
Mr.. F0oTE said that he imputed nothing Of the
kind 10 the Senator.
Mr.. CLAY said still the impression might b,
given that he allowed and permitted IT, Mr. G
then reviewed his letter 10 the Free Sellers Of Ohio
and TO is contents, which we're nothing more thar
he would never vote 10 carry by law slavery TO terri
tories now free. He had been the best abused mar
int he Hxrf