The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-06-17
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
pRIvATE CLAIMS.


Mr. DANIEL expressed the hope that there would
be no objection to proceeding with the regular bust
ness during the morning hour II there should be
objection, he would deem 1t to be his duty 10 SUD
NIT a motion TO go into committee on the private
calendar He, how ever, preferred the regular bust
ness during the morning hour.
MIR. HARRIS, of Illinois, moved that the House
resolve itself into Committee oil the Whole on the
state of the Union.
MIR. DANIEL moved that the House go into com
mittee on the private calendar
The question being taken, it was decided in the
negative--yeas 50, noes los.
The House then resolved itself into Committee
Of the Whole on the state of the Union.
! Mr. McLANE, of Maryland, moved that the bill
for the admission of California be laid aside, and
that the bill for the improvement of the Cumbcr-
land dam be taken up.
The question was taken, and the motion disa-
| greed to-ayes ~, noes SO.
ADMISSION or CALIFORNIA.
Mr. INGE, of Alabama, asked that the pending
question be stated.
The CLERK reported il, when MIR. McCLERNAND
withdrew formal amendment. which he offered
yesterday; and that oil Mr.. GREEN, proposing to
run the Missouri boundary line to the Pacific, was
announced Us before the committee for their con-
| sideratiou
MIR. ING E moved To amend it by adding provi-
TO the effect, that the people Of any portion OF
| the territory, when assembled in convention, in
| pursuance of constitutional authority, to form
State constitution, have the right to adopt or
| cude African slavery; and their determination of
the question, either adopting or excluding African
| slavery, shall be no obstacle to the admission of
such State into the Union. He said that the object
of the amendment was to reverse the decision OF the
House when this subject was last under consdera-
ton. The proposition of the gentleman from Ken
| lucky (Mr. STANToN) declared that it shall be no
4 objection TO the admission into the Union of any
State which shall eater be formed out OF the ter
rtory lying south of the parallel OF latitude OF 36
30, that the constitution of said State may author
| ize or establish African slavery therein. His
amendment was broader than that of the gentleman
from Kentucky. Itextends to the people north and
south of the line (the Mssouri) proposed by the
| gentleman from Missouri. 1t proceeds on the prn-
ciple that the people, when assembled in conven-
ton, have the sole power to determine their own
domestic institutions. He trusted that the com
mittec would adopt this amendment and that the
members who insist on the power of Congress to
control slavery In the Territories, will at least
cede that the power does not extend below the line.
A few days ago, the southern people were informed
that slavery Is to form an objection to the admission
of any new State. He,would tell the people and
their Representatives of the North, that this decla
ration would have prejudcial effect on the mind
of the South Can we anticipate settlement OF
this question, terms which southern men can ac-
cept, when they met with the declaration that
no more slavehoding States be admitted into
the Confederation. He called upon gentlemen to
rc,race their decision. The distinguished gentle
man from Massachusetts, (Mr. WlNTHaoP,) who
may be regarded the representative of his party
in the free States, said that he voted against the
amendment of MIR. STANTON, not designing 10 COM
init himself, but because il would embarrass the
gratuitous. There was no design, no wish, TO en-
barrass that measure, and there has been none to
embarrass the question by frivolous amendments.
The gentleman from Kentucky offered the amend
mcnt in good faith; and his CHR. I.'s) amendment
offered in good faith.
Mr.. WINTHROP remarked that the question
was the admission of California.
Mr.. INGE. II the gentleman would examine,
lac would hnd that the admission of California was
not before the committee. 1t was amendment
of the gentleman from Missouri to extend the Mic
tn a~ttlT
precedents of our Government Ii entirely
proper, nay he regarded it as necessary, that there
should be some act declaratory Of what our under
standing OF the compromise is. Ii applied to
Missouri, and to Texas; and he and his southern
friends wished it to be applied 10 California.
MIR. VAN DYKE, of New Jersey Will the gen
lehman withdraw the amendment!
MIR. lNGE. Ii you promise To renew it. "A
voice: "in the same spirit."l don't care in what
spirit.
f Mr. VAN DYKE renewed the amendment; and
then expressed his opinion that because the consti-
tuition OF new State recognises slavery not, il
was ground of objection TO her admission If she
{ came in all other respects properly. He did not
vote Tor the amendment OF the gentleman from
Kentucky, for the that it grew of the
sumption that California is to be divided.
MIR. lNGE. IL does not touch that question
! at all.
MIR. VAN DYKE. The amendment (the Mis-
souri, compronise) is TO divide the country, and to
1 run the line through 360 80 and the amendment
4 of the gentleman was To make a new State out OF
proper, at this time, for Congress TO express
opinion upon the subject lIr did not expect 70 be
here when this question shall be raised and he could
not speak Tor his successor. lie did not know whe-
. ther the gentleman from Alabama (Mr ISGE) will
be here. Why, then, express an opinion when you
are not in situation 70 determine it? If "a state
should be formed out of Texas, and the question in
all respects fairly before the House. he believed that
IL would not be proper for him TO vote against it,
merely because slavery was tolerated by the con-
, stitution.
Mr.. McCLERNAND Of illinois, referred 10 the
5 amendment Of MIR. STANTON, which vas rejected
on Thursday lie voted for it, because the princi-
pie IL asserted sound and for a similar reason
hc should vote for that now before the committee
although he might be inclined To vote against the
: amendment Of the gentleman from Missouri, if il
y should be thus amended And he recommended
the same course of conduct 20 gentlemen Of the
North IL belongs not to Congress 10 inquire into
the subject Of slavery, when new State presents
herself for admission The only condition required
is, that the constitution shall be republican in form
This has been the practice heretofore and should be
hereafter
e Mr.. HIBBARD, Of New Hampshire, suggested
amendment TO the proposition Of Mr.. INoE, 80
TO read-that no State hereafter applying for adj
mission, which shall in other respects be entitled &c
admission, ought TO be excluded by Congress, foi
the reason that her tolcratcs slavery OF
not lie held to this a national doctrine, and b,
believed that IL the doctrine Of the people Of h'
own State. But, while he was in favor OF this
. principle, he wac not ia favor Of Incorporating i
In bill for the admission Of California. lie wa,
in favor Of the bill as IL Is. He would not vote e
exclude California if her constitution recognised
slavery. lie should vote for governments for tn,
Territories.
Mr. STANLY did not wish to discuss the amend
4 ment Of the gentleman from Alabama, but merely
10 call attention 20 particular part Of ito the
words Gin pursuance Of constitutional authority .
J. The gentleman had very shrewdly drawn his
n amendment, that the committee If they sus
tanned IT, would in effect declare that California
was doing wrong in asking 10 be admitted at thii
J. time. II they voted the genteman's amendment
e in, they voted California out lie did net wish Il
say any more.
J. Mr.. BISSELl, Of Illinois, said that he should vot,
for the proposition, because il embodied the prnci
n pies on which bis constituents stand. lie SHOULD
vote for IT, because he wished 70 remove, far M
n possible, the ruinOus impression drawn from tn,
=. result Of the vote the amendment Of the gentle
Il man from Kentucky (NIr STASToS) on Thursday
e lie thought that vote among the most unfortunate
because II would be viewed IN the South a solemn
declaration the part Of the North that hereafter
no State, the Constitution Of which admits slavery
II Is TO be admitted into the Union No such doctrine