The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-29
DAILY.

81 IDo Hi iE,ll ltllllsiL-AL " .ll. .-tsstt
n F =
or even to admit the boundaries OF ~ Mexict
rs she has defined them IN her eOnsrHution !
do not desire to prescribe bonndares ior New
Mexico. have drawn my amendmept SO ~ tc
provide for carrying out the executo4r - the
design OF the senator from Maine Mr. BRAD
BURY in regard to the whole controversy, BY
providing that New Mexico shall DO admitted
when she shall have brought constitution here
and that commissioners OF the United States
shall meet not only the commissioners Of Texas
but the commissioners OF New Mexico, and that
they shall ascertain the true boundary, and thai
their proceedings shall DC valid ana 0inding upon
all the parties when they shall have been ap'
proved by the United States, and by the States ol
New Mexico and Texas g
Nor DO intend 70 involve the iate OF New
Mexico In the fate OF this bill. MY proposition
Is only an amendment to the Amendment OF the
senator from Maine. 1 shall, in any event. vote
against that, and against the bill. Butif it must
pass IN the form contemplated by that amend
ment then want New Mexico to be protected
by 1t as have proposed. II the bill shall, OF
the other hand, be lost altogether, then New
Mexico will have lost nothing by the effort made
by me in her behalf Jw nl
MI. PRATT. desire TO say word, sir, as
to what conceive to be the most extraordinary
proposition ever submitted to this body. ap-
prehend that such proposition would not have
emanated from any other source than that from
which 1t has come. feel confident that when
the yeas and nays are taken, as l intend 70 move
before take my sent that they shall DC, tne
senator from, New York Mr. SEWARD will
| stand alone because am sure that there u NO
other member OF tins body who has al least ad.
vanced openly 10 tne Dody MS utter disregard OF
the Constitution and his oath to support IT. Upon
two occasions, as it is known to every member
OF the Senate, the senator from New York has
announced here that from the origin OF this gov.
ernment there have been two organized princi.
pies, warning one against the other, which must
result in the course OF time In the destruction
by the more powerful OF those principles Of the
other The principle Of human liberty, as he
terms it, and the assumption in the Constitution
OF the universal equality OF man, he has ayowed
to be the higher law, which he feels himself con-
| strained to obey, although u may conflct with
the express provisions of the Constitution and
his oath to support that instrument. For exam.
PIE ne peeses anu au's Una. 'e oIns.,.uuol ~,
" 'ne oni.ea HI'.es pUsi.sely PionLpi:s Me
Iongress ~ nie ~ o.u S.o S'A'es VI l,oin aasnns y
s.avgry Mi.,lil ~: nn.I,, ~, 80. =
li'is A~, .iils prh,Iiple u
cvl.cs ~ coMnc' wisn uas oons1u'ioi s I Pr
.,lnlion, nc says IiluI nc snouiu ne poulu ~ py
Iis l.ssnel n~, anu ne "ouio ulS5eSalu u't
Goiio',u'iun " nis ooun.ry NC Wouiu -
she o"'. wic'i ne nus u.Ae'l 70 suPPol. peioe
ne .ook ms seal lele anu nc wouiu xo,e :. io'
tnat admltteo unconstituuonai act-the aDonsloi
OF slavery WITHIN the states OF ills Union. !
THINK, then, Mr. PRESIDENT tnat l am right III
assuming Ihas no other senator upon tnis nool
wouid nave 0Hered the Proposition upon Wnich
! am no" ABOUT 70 commcht, because !. Is y,
every one OF !s iea1ures airectiy suDversive n o.
every constitutional provision in reference to the
iormation Oh oIa1es. ,,,.
MIR. SEWARD, (mterposing2 VIII the Sen
asor Dr., ail0w 0nI,S,n me EorG Oh e. exPlanalon
| Inc nE1iLNa :H,1 ~, Does Lhe s'eila'or iroh
Maryiana yie,G l, the moor
nar r frnin. rNnI asseh1ea' ~ ~
tnf. SE w ,h AMI. Mr. IIes,dcht' ', uis'i,ct',
deny that nave ever, on tins fioor or elsewhere
ma'n.alnea : one soh.ary prlncpie o. al ule pr,n
ciPles wnicn nave 1een put III my Inon',l, ano
charged upon me py the senator rom Aiary'
iand. s
| Mr.. PRATT. Why, sir, then the honorable
Senator should be very much obliged to me fol
giving him an opportunity of denying what il
universally believed here. Does the Senato
deny that he has said and reiterated here tha
there is a law above the Constitution, which h
felt bound to obey? Does he deny that NH
Mr.. SEWARD. Yes, sir, deny that.
Mr.. =, states that ne understood MT. I. z
have added the words when 1t conflicts witt
the Constitution, and replied accordingly
REP.J -t
Mr.. PRATT. Then, sir, ne denies, Mr.. Pres,
ident what every man knows ne mas said.
have heard him say it over and over again; and
the Senator'S denial does not make untrue what
assert have heard him say, that there was
higher law
MIR. SEWARD, Tin his seat.) do not deny
that. 80
Mr.. PRATT. l call upon every Senator Wht
hears me to say whether the Senator from NE"
York di- not say there was higher law;
higher law than the Constitution, which ne lei
bound to obey when 1t came IN conflict with tht
Constitution
Mr.. SEWAKD lIt (in his seat) did not.
MT FRAT. l call upon any Senator uPor
this hoor other than the Senator from New
YORK, 10 deny that ne SAID so.
mr.. BALDWIN: AS the appeal mas peer