The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-08-30
The House OF Representatives.

The House OF Representatives.
The indications in the House yesterday were
not as favorable as the friends of the several
bills from the Senate, having for their object
the pacifcation of the country could have de-
sired
Mr.. BoYD, it will be recollected, had the
day before made motion to amend the Texas
Boundary bill, by adding thereto the bills es-
tablishing territorial governments for Utah and
New Mexico Yesterday he withdrew 50
much of his amendment as related to Utah
Mr.. CLINGMAN then offered an amendment
to MIR. BOWS amendment, providing for the
establishment of territorial government for
south California.
After which, motion was made TO refer the
bill and amendments to the Committee Of the
Whole on the state Of the Union, and upon this
motion the previous question was called
The effect of the previous question, had the
call for 1t been sustained, as il was explained by
the Speaker at the time, would have been to
bring the House to direct vote, first upon the
motion to GO into Committee Of the Whole,
and if that was voted down, then to a direct
vote upon Mr.. CLINGMAN's amendment to Mr..
BoYD's amendment, then upon Mr.. BOWS
amendment, and lastly upon the Texas Bound
airy bill, whether Mr.. BoYD's amendment were
adopted or not.
Had there been a.majority in the House in
favor of taking up the Teas Boundary bill, as
IT came from the Senate, and passing it without
amendment, they had it clearly within their
power to achieve that result, by sustaining the
call for the previous question, and then voting
down in succession the motion to 90 into Com
mittee of the Whole, and the amendment of
Mr.. BoYD-whether Mr. CLINGMAN's amend
ment were attached to il or not-after which
the naked question would have come up upon
the passage of the Boundary bill just in the
state in which it had come down from the SEN
ate.
Or, had there been a majority of the House
in favor of uniting the bill providing a terrific
rial government for New Mexico to the Texas
Boundary bill, and passing them both thus uni
ted, they had it in their power to do so, by sus-
tanning the call for the previous question, refus-
ing to go into Committee of the Whole, adding
the New Mexico territorial bill to the Bound
airy bill, and then passing the two together
But the call for the previous question was voted
down by very large majority
This majority consisted, it is believed, OF
all, or nearly all, the members North and
South, who are committed to extreme opinions,
together with considerable number of moder-
ate men who do not deem it compatible with
their duty to vote for the Texas Boundary bill,
IN Its present shape, OF at least without an OPP
portunity is allowed then trying to amend it.
There are those, it is understood, both from
the North and the South who will not vote for
the bill at all-the former because, as they
allege, no part Of New Mexico rghtfuIly be-
longs TO Texas, and, therefore, they will not
vote to pay for any portion Of it, the latter, be-
cause, as they allege, all the country east of
the Rio Grande belongs, of right, 10 Texas,
is now subject to the introduction of slaves,
and they are not going 10 vote money TO buy
any part Of it to make free territory Of
If we add TO these those who are unwil-
ling TO vote for the Boundary bill, unless it be
amended, either by altering the line, or by re-
ducing the amount Of money Texas is 10 re-
ceive, it will be tolerably clear that the mea-
sure has a formidable opposition TO overcome
before it can be got through the House. Still,
it is the opinion Of sagacious men that it will
pass-that the necessity for its passage is so
overwhelming that it must pass.
To return to the proceedings of the House
After the call for the previous question was
voted down, leaving the motion to refer the bill
and amendments TO the Committee of the
Whole still pending, a motion was made to
amend that motion by instructing that Com
mittee to report bill for the government
Of the territory lying east of California,
with the NNilmot proviso incorporated into
H. Pending that motion the House ad-
journed. 1t will be the first question in order
to-day, when the House shall have resumed
the consideration of the subject. IL it be voted
down, or if it be adopted, and the motion to go
into Committee Of the Whole be also voted
down, majority of the House, il they desire
it, may, by sustaining call for the previous
question, reach the Texas Boundary bill. and
pass it. with or without connecting with il the
bill providing territorial government for New
Mexico, as they may think proper.
As to what iciH be done, we cannot venture
TO intimate an opinion.