Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-06-07
DEBATE IN THE u. STATES SENATE.
MONDAY, MAY 81, 1850.
REMARKS OF MR.. MASON.


! The next proposition in the bill is that Texas for
grant OF money, shall cede to the United States all of
her territory lying north and west of line to be draw
from point near the 32d parallel Of north altitude to
the 34th. The INTENT alleged is thereby to settle the
controverted question of boundary between Texas and
SO much of New Mexico has been ceded to the u
States by treaty with Mexico
shall not now 90 into this question ofboundary as
OF right between Texas and the United States. My
business is to deal with it the BILL proposed to
operate on the question OF compromise adjustment OF
the slavery question. In this view the first effect of
certainly Is, to take off much of the territory be-
longs to Texas subject to the institution of slave
ry and to make the property OF the United States
AT present, Shareholders with their property can go
there and hold under the jurisdiction of Texas cede
it to the United States, and who is credulous enough
to believe that the institution will be allowed there
one day after the title is passed
The next effect of it is to Withdraw the coded terri
tory from the operation OF the compact of annexation.
That compact is in the following words:
"New States of convenient size, not exceeding four in
number, in addition to said State of Texas, and having
sufficient population may hereafter by the consent of
said State, be formed of the territory thereof which
shall be entitled to admission under the provisions of the
federal constitution and such States as NAV be formed
out of that portion of said territory lying south of
36 deg 30 min. north latitude, commonly known the
Missouri compromise line, shall be admitted into the
| Union with or without slavery, the people of each
State asking admission may desire; and in such State
or States as shall be formed out OF said territory north
OF said Missouri compromise line, slavery nvounta-
ny servitude except for crimes, shall be prohibited"
| y,
territory Of Texas south of that line shall be admitted
into the Union with or without slavery &c. But if
the cesson be made the territory coded no longer the
territory OF Texas but becomes the territory OF the
United States, and is in all respects the footing OF
any other territory OF the United States When, there
fore States formed out OF the ceded territory,
they will be formed not out Of territory of Texas" but
the obligation of the compact is binding on the Uni
ted States in respect to territory of the State of
Texas, but the obligation ceases when the territory
hp tho Rrx x,tnt,ar
be the true legal exposition not of the effect of that
compact the experience of the country gives sufi
cen warning what the actual construction will be,
should the question ever arise.
The last effect that shall notice is, to violate the
faith pledged by the compact with Texas, the
don of new States that might be formed out Of her
rtoy south OF Sc deg 30 min The southern States ad
med Texas into the Union the faith that the ques.
ton of slavery not south of that ine should be left
to the people inhabtng the country The bill will take
from them, and leave it to the Congress of the United
| States.
AS things stand, it is fully conceded that the terms of
the compact mandatory, and require States to
be admitted south of that line whenever Texas assents,
| and there is sufficient populaton-the question of
slavery to be determined by the inhabitants OF
territory where slavery prevails. Pass this BILL and the
mandate gives way to the discretion of majority in
Congress, whilst in the mean time the territory passes
under the sole jurisdiction OF Congress in all respects
whatsoever. And what, sir, is the amount of territory
to be thus surrendered! Why, fraction less than 1885,,
600 square miles-a territory abundanty large for two
medium sized States. Let be done, and it requires
prophecy to forete the result. Two nonslaveholdng
States will take their position north and west OF the
| State OF Texas.
| The actual effect of this BILL then, will be-
ls In the Territory of California to prohibit the in
stituon OF slavery on the whole Pacific border and in
| latitude down to the 32d parallel.
I'd. To take from Texas 1875 900 square miles of ter
rtoy claimed hers, and subject to the institution
OF avery and to place it, as to the continuance OF this
institution at the discretion of Congress-thus remov
ing the barrier ofthe Missouri compromise incorporated
| into the compact with her
And as an inducement to the southern States to vote
this BILL what is offered in return? Why, proposition
smp w. in forming governments tor the remaining Ter
rores acquired from Mexico, to refrain from enactng
the Wilmot Proviso--ths Wmot Proviso, held by all
the southern States as so direct an invasion OF their
rights under the constitution as to justify resistance on
herpart "to the last extremity and at every hazard
Sir, do not wish to speak harshy but it difficult to
speak with iorbearance.
To escape Il think that is the true word> for the pre-
SENT and for the present only, from law thus charac
terzed by the southern States they to assent the
prohibition OF slavery in one OF the Territories four de-
grees and half below the Missouri line, and to release
l25 900 square miles OF slave territory in of the
southern Statesto the discretion Of majority consti
tuted of representatives from the non-slaveholdng
States.
To state the proposition sir is to insure its repuda
ton by the South.
Sir if we were to do this, which Heaven forbid ever
should be done by Southern votes, it would be but a
temporary respite. Notwithstanding the voice of peace
which we have occasionally heard, this Wmot provi-
so is not dead but sleepeth" We have had warning
enough the dulles ear, the speech of
eminent and influential representative from the State
of Massachusetts, delivered in the other wing of the
Capitol, proposition to lay the " motion" on the
table during the present session. His language was
this:
"But it remains to be whether the great princi
Piles Of the ordinance of 81 have lost any portion of
their vitality whether they have not as strong and living
hold on the hearts of our orthern and Western men
as on that of the honorable member himself and whe
the the proper occasion, if real necessity
sonable demand for their assertion and maintenance
| mt ha nd ha ma
tanned by as large majority in this body they ever
have been heretofore. l believe they would be-"
Who can doubt that the real necessity or reason
able demand for their assertion and maintenance" ora
cuary hnted by the speaker was the existence OF
existence OF any previous law in the Territory abolish
ing slavery and thus dispensing with enactment?
No sir the proposition to refrain from passing this
provso and which to purchase at dear price,
is abandonment OF the principle on the part OF the
majority. 1t butt postpone its exercise, because
they believe there exists in the Territories no sreal
necessity or reasonable demand tor Its assertion, and
this is all.
have thus, Mr. President endeavored to lay before
the Senate the objections entertain to the bill under
consideration it has been reported by the select
mittee; is there any amendment which remove
them, unless it were to change the principle upon
which it is founded have in doing this indicated the
line of the Missouri compromise the only ground
upon which, as believe, the question can be settled in
such way to destroy agitation and restore harmony
to the different sections OF the Union Run that line
out from the State OF Texas to the Pacific ocean, and
feel the strongest that the entire South will
acquiesce in the decision. Certainly it will have what
ever weight will be carried by any recommendation Of
mine And, sir that we may have distinct PROPOSE
ton before the Senate substitute, believed carry
the consent OF the Southern States, here propose it to
the counsels of the country.
Mr.. CLAY. Mr.. President have risen merely to
make all inquiry of the honorableSenator from Virgin
ia with view to the clear comprehension OF what are
the terms upon which he thinks an adjustment of these
questions could be made understand him to propose
the extension of the line So deg. 80 min. from Texas
where it now terminates by the resolution of annex
alton, to the Pacific ocean, Did l understand him as
requiring that there shall be legislation on the part
OF Congress- to recognise the right of the slavehodng
States to introduce their slaves south of that ine by the
abrogation of any local law, if there be any local law
existing there which torbds the introduction OF avery2
Is he content in other words, with the line Sc deg 80
min. extended to he Pacific ocean, with nothing
being said the subject of slavery either the right
or left of that line-north south ofitl l should be