The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-02-17
CITY OF WASHINGTON, SUNDAY MORNING FEBRUARY n 1850

and rampe under foot their dearest and most vital inter
and, perehancs. in rainl Is il By this measure. O
by any such partial measure as this, that all the
leaks in the vessel Of State 10 be stoppedl Il
to stop single leak at the hazard not only OF eaving
other leaks capable OF producing danger not destruc-
lion 10 the vessel" but OF Wdening all OF them ex.
lei in the submerging waters through the yawnng
nies Of despair Indeed, sir, am grieved! am morti
fedI surprised at the present course of me hoDora
pc sSs q 5 @ y n ss os
and distinguished sons, in this moment OF her peril and
OF perplexy she has looked him. she had right
70 Do for kindly sympathy for sound counsel and eng,
exhibition, she is fated to look In vain How shall we
account for the honorable senator's change OF opinion
and action upon this important subject tis that the
scales Of have been made TO drop from his eyehds BY
the first glimpse of this uncertied unaubencated con-
sttuton Of California; Has his mind become suddenly
illuminated BY special interviews with the worthy and IN
legent gentlemen, senator's and representatives, who
have lately arrived among from the far coast Of the
Pacific Sir in this age OF wondersn this generation
Of ours, remarkable for changes oil all sorts, opinions
included-l know OF nothing so remarkable 80 aston.
ishing so amentable as this wondrons metamorphosls
through which the honorable senator from Kentucky
TO have rapidly passed touching this great mat
Ter Of adjusting all the questions growing out Of the IN
sttuton OF slavery by conJoit and comprehensive
scheme Of compromise hope he will explain this affair
satisfactorily and that he will have for regret and
sei-condemnaton hereafter.
But must say sir and say tmost seriously, too, thai
il California is admitted into the Union, except IN con-
fomity with some liberal and equitable plan of pacca
on and compromise, the vessel oi Stale will De certainly
found Ia have sprung leak, and she will suddenly
go down amid the roaring pillows that surround her, new
er more 10 be malesticay riding the surface Of
and bearing onward and alot that sacred banner
OF freedom which has Tor many glorious years been
seen streaming from her mast head Yes, sir have ex-
amned this subject in all its bearingI have studied
public sentiment in the South closely and peseyergly;
arton hat md fh1 al
things the southern section OF the conederacy and
have no hesitation in declaring il my solemn, dspas
sonae conviction, that il California is dragged into the
the conederacy will feel that all hope OF falenal compro-
mise has become extinct and that such ntoerabe oppres
sion has been already imposed upon them as 70 justify
nay 10 from the Union, in order to
themselves fIom evils still than disunon itself
How anyman who knows that various sovereign States
declared the most formal and deliberate
and that all the States oil the South have very clearly ndi
Gated their appreciation OF this course doubt this
suit, am not able to comprehend am not now
urging dlsunlon as remedy for present grievances
am not authorized IN my official capacity here TO do SO
and | can honestly declare that nothing but dire
sity could in my judgment justify resort to expedent
50 extreme And yet do believe that the congressional
legislation so long threatened and at this time as ercey
threatened as the subject of slavery, will, when
il shall occur, be productive OF that very state OF things
state oil ntolerable oppression, which, according to
Andrew jackson himself, whose love tor the Union no
question, would justify secession, not as consit
tutiondt, but as a revolutionary remedy.
Why, sir il the honorable senator from Kentucky will
take the trouble 10 hold converse with the honorable
as VIII Gepd Sa yao ss s and o
which the gentleman referred 10 worthy represents
here has already taken her stand in regard to this very
measures and must think that he labors under most
misapprehension regard to her II he supposes
that she will far dshonor herself as to recede
hairs breadth from the position which she occupies
confess myself at a loss to understand how the hon
oable senator from Kentucky could be induced, as he
has been 10 urge this measure upon our attention as
proper for immediate adoption. But will endca sor
to explain the origin OF the whole movement as well
can, by mentioning or two facts which are known
10 me- and which perhaps not quite well known
or fully appreciated by other members pf the
Senate shall be quite specific, Mr. Presldent-l sha!
the plainest and strongest language which can en-
poy consistently with the rules OF parliamentary cour.
tesy. hope to disturb unduly the sensbities of
any one present hope especially that the honorable
senator over the way Mr.. BESTosl will not grow al
all restive under my explanations trust that he may
be able to keep his temper and 10 retain his seat among
US long as may continue TO occupy the attention oi
the Senate Indeed, ! should iee most seriously ag-
former occasion, to grow uneasy under my structures,
and be seen again precipatey to fly our presence lie
seems to SIT quietly enough and IN the hope OF engaging
his patient audience, will proceed. As preliminary
remark, beg leave TO say, that II has ever been my
opinion that God in besiowng upon his creatures certain
faculties designed that they should all be- as far as pos
sibe, useiuy employed There is perhaps other
lacsty so important mans happiness that Of vision
Indeed, entirely agree with Mr. Addison when he says
Our sight Is the most perfect and most delightful OF all
our senses IL fills the mind with the largest variety oil
IDEAS conyerses with its objects at the greatest distance
and continues the longest action without being tired OF
satated with its proper enoymelts" But this IS not all
sir by the proper Of this faculty OF our nature
not only able 10 receive pleasures inDumerable
but TO ward OIL dangers innumerable too, and guard
against surprises from the designing and the selfish
Though IL is melancholy fact that my own power q
vision il by no perfect, yet labor 10 supply all
actual deficiency in this respect BY the extreme OF vg
lancebeng mindful Of the wisdom OF the legal PROV
erb-pig,ianiibus, dormisnt,bus, ieges adiarant
Well sir by good or i'll fortune, il did so happen, on
the day before yesterday that looking about this cham
Der TO what going therein tor without being
exactly spy upon my brother senator's, have, Tor
year or two past, deemed It sound policy TO exercise
much waichfuness in regard to the movements Of par
ticular members OF The body)I say that, in gancins
around this hall for the purpose named, did see Ger.
tain senator who sits just 10 my left INT BENTON, j
glide across the chamber to the seat usually occupied BY
the senator from New York, INT SEwARD.l and imme.
datey proxmae to that of the honorable senator from
Kentucky, tMr. CLAr.I So unusual an apparllion
awak ened nv surprise, and aroused The speculative
principle OF my mind 10 action. was not long before
was able 10 say to friend: "Rest assured there >,
some scheme on foot for the betrayal oil the cou'n
should not be al all surprised IT, long, we witnessed
an attempt to smuggis California into the Union sa,
smuggle, sir, and mean precisely what say INTENDING
TO cast no reflection whatever upon the nonoraoe sen
ator from Kentucky whom do not even suspect 81 ici
improper motives OF action. Well, slr, - surprising
how soon my apprehension on this point was feafzed
On yesterday when the message Of the President nov
under consideration in, the member from Mssoer
arose, and with that imposing nnsahy Of 'nionaton ~
which he is at least as much distinguished as for bi
learning or eoquence he proceeded 10 say that ne na'
expected the honorable senator from Kentucky tMf
CLAyl would have moved to refer the message and ac
companying documents to special COMMITTEES inslnua