The freeman. (Fremont [Ohio]) 1849-1850, 1850-03-02
CongressiOnal.-In senate.


the motion to refer to the Committee on Terri
tories
Dir, Douglass expressed his willingness to assent
20 proposition to refer the Message, and all other
matters connected with the subject of slavery to
Select Committee.
Mr.. Clay would cheerfully vote reference OF
the Message to the Territorial Committee, but he
submitted that ii ,0o,ld not be right to combine
the admission of California wid all the other qaes
tons connected with it, or growing out of the pro-
positions to establish governments in the Territory
and throw the consideration of the whole OF them
upon one Committee. Was it right and all the clr
cun1st;.nces, that the members OF Congress who
had come from the Pacific should be subjected to
all the delay which must result from the reference
of these several dissractng questions to one Com
mittee? lie did not design now, TO argue the
question. of the admission Of California, or her
boundaries but he submitted that Congress ought
to decide upon the question Of admission, Que way
the other, at as early day as can De, with due
elaboration,
Mr. Foote expressed his great surprise at the re-
marks of the Senator Of Kentucky; the Senator
had excluded himself according to his own account
from al the world aud concoctsd series OF reso-
iutions which he presented 10 the Senate IN
speech evidently prepared with great dsllberRton
and yet now he repudiated the very idea which
forwarded his resolutions, and wanted 10 take up
Que of bis propositions seperate from the series
which be had prepared. The Senator had design.
cd 10 settle al the disturbing questions connected
with the Institution of Slavery. Now could any
one have supposed that he desired to seperate one
question from. the other for the purpose of settng
that. to the great detriment and wrong OF the peo
pie Of the South? Mr. FoOte made these sugges-
TONS in order to give Mr.. Clay an opportunity to
explain this apparent inconsistency between his
speech the other day. and his present proposition.
lie then proceeded with personal attack upon
Ar. Benton, whom he noticed the other day to goi
over and hold conversation with Ar. Clay, upon
which occasion he (Foote,) expressed his convic-
ton to friend that there some sheme on foot
for the injury of the South, as the Senator to whom
he had alluded, had sort Of family interest IN
the admission of California He tho't himself jus
IiGed in tie supposition that some proposition was
on foot to drag the California Senators in by the
ears, if it were. He was proceeding with some alu
SONS to Mr.. Fremont as the son-in-law of Mr. Ben
ton, Mr.. Dodge of Iowa, called him to order,
- Mr.. Benton turning to Mr. Dodge said-"I beg
OF you to let him go on"
The Vice President directed Mr.. Foote to take
his seat
Mr.. Dodge said, he had called Mr.. Foote border
because he had denounced the proposition to admit
California, as sheme For one he approved of
of it; would vote for it, and called upon the Chair
TO protect the friends of the measure from an as
portion OF their motives.
Mr.. Fo0te discaimed any intention of impugn-
ing the motives of the friends of the measure, and
then proceeded with some remarks TO show that
he was friend OF California. but he must say
that the admission of California. she pre-
sents herself here. would inevitably dissolve the
Union. For that reason he could rot vote for the
admission. He next explained and advocated. his
proposition for Select Committee of fifteen, seven
from each section. and the fifteenth to be selected
nzany way the Senate may designate. to whom
shall be referred all the questions now agatng the
Union.
Mr, Clay said there was nothing novel in the
supposition he WAS in favor of the admission, of
ca ifoFnia into the Unon. The Senator frg7z, Mis-
sissppI had charged him with inc IN istensy ia hav-
ing, as he asserted, caanged his course upon a
certain question If dispos ID to ret4iiatr upon
that Senator, he might say that by his own c,n-
fessien he had himself been inconsistent having
changed his opinion upon the same subject He
had Just SAID that year ago. when California
bad no Constitution, he was in favor of admission
into the Union; whereas now he opposed the same
measure when she appeared here with "A Censtitu-
ton, in the sIme manner that Florida, Louisiana
and other States has presented themselves.
Mr. Fo1te lnterposing. sai,l he not opposed
to the admission of California, but to the mode in
which 1t IS proposed to he accomplished.
Mr. Turney desired Mr.. CLAY 20 say whether
""N upL iitu II beTIIuFldl SOFeIHHleiit
prior to her ADMISSION into the Union
Mr. Clay Replied in the negative. She had
local government under the laws of Mexico, but
prior to her admission no action had been taken,
oy Congress, with view to the formation. by the |
people, OF constitution or anything Of the kind
The Senator foom Mississippi had made sort of
an omnibus speech in which he had introduced all
sorts OF things and passengers and endeavored to
draw h'm fMr. Clay) in among them. He was
Obliged therefore, to reply to one two of his
remarks The Senator had asserted that he de-
sired reference to the Territorial Committee, hn-
cause That committee composed of men hold
ing certain views. He denied any such motive,
lie did not know the names of,the Senator COM
posing that committee, and had no knowledge
eEaateyer of their sentiments with the exception
That he had seen it stated in some of newspapers
that its Chairman was in favor of the admission of
aaliforna. The Senator had charged him also
wi;han inconsistency great that he could notfnd1
language to express his astenishmcnt He would
repeat that he wanted to secure settlement Of
all the question growing out of the agitation of
Slavery; he yet desired such a settlement: but
there was no language in his speech the other dav
or in any that he had ever made. not svllahle
which proposed that all these subject should be in
eorporated into one bill and the fate of the whole
made to depend upon one Of them. II was one
thing To settle all these questions, onother, alto