Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-07-29

heard, whether he has any to believe, that
of the southern States have met in consta-
ton upon this bill with any senator from the free
States.
Mr.. CLAY. No sir, had not heard SO. But at the
same time would ask the Senator from Virginia whe-
Their they have not had frequent consultation amongst
Mr.. MASON will answer freely There certainly
have been frequent consultations between senators
ire. .Lon Ine southern States upon questions involving
me dlgny, honor, and safety OF the southern States
bill
Mr. CLAY. And SO, undoubtedly, did our consuIta-
tons relate to the dignity honor aad safety Of the Uni
on, and the constitution of our country loud ap-
plause from the gallery
The PRESIDENT Order The Sergeant at Arms will
clear the gallery ii order is not preserved The Chair
will not permit the applause to be repeated; it ia he
wl be under the necessity OF ordering all persons to
leave the gallery.
Mr.. CLAY. Mr. President there is neither incon
guty IN the freight nor IN the passengers board our
omnibus. We all heartily concurrent upon the only
topic which brought together and which constitutes
the sole subject OF our consultation We have no Afr-
cans or abolItonss IN our omnbls-no dsunionsts or
free-soers. 10 Jew Gentle. Our passengers consist
OF Democrats and Wings, who, seeing the crisis of their
common country, and the dangers impending over it.
nave met together, forgetting and throwing far behind
them Their political differences other subjects to COM
pare their opinions upon this great of reconci
llauon and OF harmony.
Mr.. President, how stand the questions which have
formed the subjects of our elaboration SO long? One
party wants the immediate admission of California and
wants the imposition Of the Proviso in the territorial
llornla circumscribed, I, he Missouri Compromise
line appedsome Of III the h the express recognition
of the right 10 carry slaves soah Of it others without
such recognition, trusting to implied constitutions
right, and these other parties -Anuously opposed
to the Proviso. Some, again. he Texas bonn
diary settled and others wantit eft open These
are the conflicting opinions ecognise in this
Dody. How are they to be sthefe Sena-
tor or member OF the Ia man in this
wide country, who will y ought to adj
Journ without setting tslest Notone How
are these conflicting opinions id then I? Can
1t be otherwise done than by fthe spirit Of
amlty and eonci;ation, and reco great inte-
rests to be preserved and prom" '-3tion?
The honorable senator frpa s& Mr..
Davisl says there are no partiesN a, ma S
promise. VIII the senator excuse me for sa u
this remark smells too much 81 the techn
Blackstone! No parties! Are II NOT q sa 1:ss
1letng interests conflicting opinions, perva
whole country! Who are the parties ia that
OF all comprehensive consultation ct
States There were no technical paftiesf d tina
ment; but in celebrating upon what was best &
country, and preserving AAt, there were geaf a IN NJ
missed and settled them by anlgke scrnsaD ion
spirit OF true patriotic amitys~.3 aiHadiustt eaoii qf
hicting opinions; and the ll26n n1S peaFs
sit at this moment is the Wcrkuef. fhsifsisaJS. Mil ~
memorable, magnificent compf94l se viii lament 81
to us the course OF utywhen differences aiise.tT !
can only be settled by the spirit mutual coneessI
Sir, do we not know, and have re not a1easo
nothing have heard, Mr.. Presidents hi !,
temper prevails at this time that ii Is posi-
these measures if they are presented ID 81 4
as they have been reported BY the comm ~
the occasion to say, and arnsure exp. nil
ment OF every member of theG0itah see,th amt
prompted by the pride Of opinion,
given system OF Arrangement or sefllAi.,
national questions. We preferred com
one measure because we thought it mo
most likely 10 lead to suspicious
cannot be adopted in the conioint form Z
committee, and if the desired object c az
tanned by action upon series OF ss,ve measures
Ml.ou. .ie oulous s lovls3s nol muir ofcomplaint
an quie sue, VIVA esSi 49, Z s rom single MEM
Der oil the committee. s means Il il The
great specific end, rs ~ Ss alsowever that
~. IN Is a.taiusu,- n$ssd ~ cement as
this committee ht9s IN Se ssSSsssf Ia
gislaon-the colt WI sS ssas# .erly ,d;f
terent. But is XII ss The measures
comprised n the bsssE ssare not pascal
there is danger that I m Ss III those measures
in detail some OF them w ~ ad the result wonId
be, that whilst party9 ssS that it immediaelv
wanted, the other would Qsstss nothing which il de.
sired
GU know there great cause to apprehend-I
hope theremay be none nowthat, in the separate pre-
sentation OF the measures the consequence would be
the attachment OF the Wlmot saviso in one or the
other OF the two houses and the eer failure to estab
lish any territorial governments for Utah and New
Mexico. 1t was thought then that in the spirit OF
our revolutionary sres, In the spirit which has here
totore prevailed all our government conciIiatng and
reconcng as much as possible opposing and confIc
present
which would bind ALL and that Would lead both parties
as lar practicable, to ante upon it for the sake Of
| harmony and tranquility. We thought then as [
think now that senators from the northern States might
go home TO thG Constituents, after this measure shall
have been passed, and say. We have got California;
she is secure; there is PROHIBITION ofsavery in her
constitution that will last perhaps forever wheease the
Wilmot Proviso would have had limited and an
eyanescent duration, existing while Lie territorial form
OF government remained but ending whenever the
State should come to form for herself constitution I"
This our Northern Senators might say with great pro-
prety to their constituents 1--WE have secured Cator-
MIA for you; she is dedcaed Now and forever to that
tree -sollism which you so niuch prize" well but
Why then they might reply ", have you not put in
least until they come to be ripe enough 10 form State
governments for themselves? (" Would itnot be salts
factory reply to them to say that in your opinion and in
the opinion OF large portion OF this Senate the law of
Nature and OF Natures God excluded slavery from
these Territories and according TO your own opinion
aso the lea loci Of the land also excluded slavery o.
And might you not further add with propriety that Won
endeavoed to reconcile the distracted and disunted nor
tons OF this great empire you thought that no mpos
on or restriction was necessary any object which you
desired 10 attain, and IN spirit OF meditation, there
lore, you iorboe to vote against the final measure be-
cause 1t secured 80 much OF what the North wanted
Gould you not say that you in danger of losing
what you also wanted in respect 10 the residue Of the
country
This subject has presented one OF the most exraor-
binary political phenomena that ever witnessed Here
united Senate almost in favor oil all the measures
| favor OF territorial governments for Utah and New
Mexico, with or without the Proviso-n favor of the
settlement OF the boundary with Texas-in favor of all
OF these measures in detail but opposed to them when
they to be presented unedly TO be acted on ad.
hitting the validity OF every item OF the account but
when comes to be footed up, denying unwilling to
acknowledge the Justice OF paying the aggregate! Sir
II the measures had been more ncongrnous than they
are alleged to be, there has been ample time for us
conception OF them and just as perfect understanding
OF them as ii they had been presented in successive de-
| tails.
wish, again, 10 make only very few observations
about this Proviso. 1t has been argled with an
ability which requires addition, or attempt at add
on, from me- by the senator from Massachusetts who
has Just vacated his seat that the Proviso is not in il
sell, principle, but means 10 accomplish end -
And where, lei ask exists the necessity for proy
so You have been told that the existence of African
slavery depends upon the character Of the climate and
OF the soil. The nature of the soil OF New Mexico
iorbids the expectation that slavery will be planted
there. Why, all know that slave labor applicable