The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-01-09

0posinon by any member oil the SENATE. pehess y .
have been invariably the that resolutions iron States
have been received without opposition But slr. the SEN
aor from Georgia Mr. BERRIEsl opposes The printing
upon me gosHa that they are not . ,ss
tons TO senator's and not properly brought before the
Senate Now, sir these resolatons are ~ the same form
as all me resolutions ever presented 70 ae sena'e upon
resolutions which presented, not by him py ms
colleague regard to certain measures, al the last ses-
som 's now hod n a, nav hand be resolutions from
Michigan upon the subject presented by the senator IRON
Michigan The other day They were laid upon the liable
and ordered TO be printed The resolutions conclude by
requesting her and nstrucng her senators,
but contains no request to lay them before their respective
houses
The other day the senator from Missouri MIR ATcHI-
SOM introduced series OF resolutions precisely in this
form, with resolution directing them to lay them be-.
fore the Senate but merely expressing their views, and
nsructng their senators and requesting their
lives act n conformity with them, and 10 carry ou,
these views believe if the journal should be inspected,
there could not be found series OF resolutions INTRO
daeed upon this subject or upon any otbef where the
legislatures Of the States sent instructions 10 their
TORS and where they requested them to lay those esou
tons before their respective houses Il IS never done
and do not believe precedent can be found Tor H..
These resolutions, therefore. in the form OF all the
resolutions which have come here, at least within the
years during which have had the honor OF seat upon
this floor
The resolutions OF the State OF Virginia that came here
last year, accompanied by elaborate speechesresolu-
tons not only speaking upon the subject Of slavery hut
OF legislation proposed should be consummaied these
resolutions were this form precisely.
have disposition, sir, TO go into the discussion OF
The main question upon this collateral issue. We have
opportunity almost every week in the session OF meet
ng the question fairly, and frankly, and appropriately
admire the views expressed BY the senator from South
Carolina, [Mr BUTLEal think he is right in saying
that the opinions of the North upon this question should
be known and thoroughly understood The slayehold
ing States desire to know what the free States think
the subject what opinion they have formed. and whether
not they determined, so far as they can constitu
onally, to carry out that opinion Ia the legislative ac-
ton of the country Let that opinion DC expressed free
y and frankly Ii is erroneous, trust that
will be afraid combat it. III senator's wish to argue
ii they not fearful OF argument--the North are will
ling to meet them boldly here elsewhere. ! hope,
then, sir, that there will be attempt to bring up
discussion upon these resolutions, because the
legislature of Vermont did not instruct their senators TO in
oduce them here such Instructions have never been
given The resolutions transmitted by the executive
10 the senator's and and they are accom-
panied by letter from the executive directing them to
receive the resolutions whether that letter has ever
CURED them 10 lay them before the Senate do not reco
ect do not know that there has ever been case
where there Were such instructions.
A SENATOR. The precedenis are both ways.
MIR. UPHAM. The senator from North Carolina says
that the pecedens both ways. This however, can
say that the resolutions have IN hand in precisely
the form with the resolutions presented the other
day.
Mr. MASON The path of the southern States upon
this question is now straight before IL mas been
marked out by the State which have the honor to rep
in part here, and what she has declared has been
Responded to- the fullest extent BY all nearly all of
the whole southern people say, sir her path is marked
out straight and direct And should regret exceedingly
if that path should be obsiruced in the slightest degree
by any collateral and unnecessary issues.
agree entirely with what fell from the honorable
Tor from South Carolina, MIR BUTLER, who before
me, that these resolutions should be printed And APP
prehend, with all possible respect which entertain for
my colleague the way, lMr. BERRIEs]yes, SIR,
call the from Georya my colleague. this ques
tion at eas-hat the objection which he has made
somewhat OF special pleading.
Sir at the last session, the resolutions offered by the
senator from New York, who is now here no longer
Mr. Dix j rejecting in terms even severe
SESAroR, lin his seat oa! no.
Mr.. MASON. am willing TO be corrected. Accord
ing M recollection, those esolutonsequay severe
il not and OF The character-were ordered
TO be printed
entertained the opinion then, and declared il here
that due TO that State sovereign State OF this
Union, that they should be printed What is the usage of
the Senate II remember right, il has been the usage du
ring many years, that whatever opinions might be
pressed resolutions presented here from The States
and whatever objections there might be TO them yet
when they were offered they were received and printed
Such believe Is the usage, and such believe is the
rule oil the Senate All communications made TO this
body should be couched in respectful terms But hold
that here where the States convented, the States
themselves be the judges OF their conduct and
their language, and that there should be an entire
exemption to them from rules governing our intercourse
with private persons Why, sir, If the State OF Yer.
mont OF New York, or any other State, ieems il
respectful to Itself TO use language OF this kind 10
body where the STATES represented, LEI them do
so; let IL 20 uONn 10 duu hstoiy
not correct il in any form. We may coreett
in individuals, but cannot correct II IN States say
let them be printed II is due to oursevest is due TO the
Sialeshai whatever is presented from them should be
printed, and should 60 down to poseiy and 10 history
Let them take the responsibility OF their own acts
understand that in the resolutions offered by the
tor IRON Vermont, institution existing large
number of the States of this conederaey denounced
as a crime-a crimel Very well Ii the State OF Yer.
mont deems il respectful to herself to that Ian.
guage with regard TO any Institution OF her sister States
does become 10 TeOuke her fOr H. / desire,
sir that they may be printed. desire that If thai
great issue is forced upon us-thai issue which all
patriots and lovers Of the Union should ayoIdthat IL
may be known 10 history what led 10 IT, and under what
circumstances il was rendered desire that II may be
shown upon the records OF the Senate thar this institution
domestic purely domestc-for which the States alone
are responsible has been spoken OF by sister States
crims desire further, with The senator from South
Carolina, Mr. BUTLER,l that it shall 60 among
people, and that when that day Al come shouli
IL may appear upon the record that such vituperanye
has been heapei upon day after day. not By
fanatics only but, regret to say, By sovereign States
upon this foor
did not design TO have occupied the time OF the Sem
ate upon this occason and regret that have been be-
trsye thus lar bat the topic exciting The honorabie
senator from Vermont has spoken of resolutions intro.
duced here from the Stale OF Virginia. Tie s correct In
regard TO their character II recollect Alright, they
not addressed TO the Senate, but TO their senator's We
thought duty upon receiving them, the senator
thought his, and think rightly, 10 present them 10 the
Senate
The senator says that in these resolutions there
threat OF dissolution OF the Cnioa disclam It. There
was no threat-none. There DETERMINED PUR-
POSE By the State Of Virginia TO protect her
her all