The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-08-22
SPEECH OF HON. DAVID WILMOT,
OF PENNSYLVANIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Wednesday, Jnly "a, 1850.

The Committee Of the Whole on the state of
the Union having postponed the consideration Of
the California Message, and taken up the bill
making appropriations for the support of the Mil
| itary Academy
ed to say That he should fail In his duty II he
remained silent under the charge against those
friendly to the unconditional admission of Cali
fornis made upon them by the gentleman from
Illinois, Mr. McCLERNAND. He had himself
heard OF the existence Of party faction in that
| House, hostile TO California as an independent
measure, as to threaten resistance by revolution
| airy me1ns 10 p,saly2s the functions Of Govern
saoc. oy defea. of the erain.s., ....a ...sAs..y
appropriations, This faotiGn he understood to be
the allies and conductors Of the gentleman from
Illinois. He (Mr. w. was not of them in spirit
or in action.
MIR. WILLIAMS rose TO point of order. He
submitted that 1t was not In order on this bill to
discuss the question Of the admission of Califor-
MIA, 60.
I Mr., PRESTON KING said, that as the whole
question Of the freedom Of debate came into CON
troversy on this point of order, he should ask
that IL be reduced to writing
Mr. WILLIAMS referred to the rule on which
be based his point of order.
The point of order was then reduced to writing,
as follows:
9 call the gentleman TO order under the 3lst
rule Of the House, which requires the speaker TO
confne himself to the question under debate, and
IL is not In order for the gentleman to discuss the
merits Of the California bill on the question now
| pending
Mr.. billiard inquired whether the ques-
| ton was debateable2
The CHAIRMAN said, the Chair had not vet
given decision.
The CHAIRMAN then said that, looking to
the range Of debate witch was allowed in Commit
tee Of the Whole on the state of the Union the
Chair did not feel authorized to pronounce the re-
marks OF the gentleman from Pennsylvania Mr..
WmMoT out Of order. The Chair, therefore,
overuled the point Of order.
Mr.. WILLIAMS said, that he appealed from
the decision Of the Chair.
Mr. WILMOT desired to be informed by the
Chair, whether, when the House was In Commit
tee of the Whole on the state Of the Union the
state Of the Union generally, as well as the imme-
date bill which was pending, was not under con-
sideration
The CHAIRMAN assented, remarking that il
was upon that ground that he had overruled the
point Of order.
The question was then taken, GShall the decis-
ion Of the Chair stand Ms the judgment of the
Committee1" and decided in the affirmative, with
out division.
So the decision Of the Chair WAS affirmed by the
Mr.. WILMOT proceeded. Not until to-day,
and from the gentleman from Illinois, Mr.. Nc
CLERsANp had he heard this charge Of desire
to defeat the appropriation bills, made upon the
friends Of Freedom. He had risen to repeal any
such charge, and to brand as false all such rumors
Indeed II was astonishing TO him how such ru-
mors could have obtained currency. He suspect
ed that they existed only In the imagination Of
H. a.. L. A.. A.
first to give them breath and circulation. In the
caucus to which the gentleman refers, there was
not word said which could be tortured into such
construction. IL Ia true that the friends Of CAL
ifornia desire action II Is true they begin to ap-
prehend that those tho came here pr0fsssedly her
friends are not 90 in good faith, but are prepared
TO give her the go-by. He desired to giveto Cal
ifornia precedence over the appropriation bills
He believed that the friends Of California desired
that course now and the reason s this the his
tory of the Government, for twenty years, proves
that the appropriation bills are not passed until
the last days Of the session. and he felt satisfied
that when those bills were passed, that the day Of
adjournment will have arrived. The same men
who now seek to stsve off the admission Of Cali
fornia-o put the consideration ofthat great meas
ure behind other business, after shameful delay
Of eight months-the same men, sir, will vote for
and carry an adjournment, 30 soon ~ the appro-
priafi0n bills bhali nave been passed. IL IL 10 in
sure action on this messurs---to make IL certain
to place IL beyond doubt or contingency, that wo
desire to give 1t priority over the appropriation
bills The admission Of California Is the great
measure Of public interest, and ought TO be first
and foremost In our regards II 10 uppermost in
the minds and affections Of the people, and should
not by W be made subordinate TO anything else.
Judging from the declarations Of gentleman when
we met here In December last, when the voices
Of our constituents were yet audible, he (Mr, W.
bad supposed that there was not Northern man
on this floor who was not In favor Of the speedy
and unconditional admission of California. Now
We have the declaration by the gentleman from
Illinois, IMr. McCLERsASp, that he Ii opposed
to her unconditional admission. He, too wishes
TO drive bargains In behalf Of slavery He wishes
to make CaliforniA purchase her way into tbs
Union by large and important concessions to the
slave interests. lie 10 In favor Of clogging her
win measures for the Government Of the Terri
toriss-for the settlement Of the Texas bounds-
rv-fsr the ostohing Of runaway slavss--in short,
With anything and everything which the advocates
OF slavery may demand. He would make Cali
SIX FOURTH PACE