The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-02-20
WASHINGTON, FEB. Is.


cs; in the Senate. The chief matter was The
discussion Of the question Of reference Of the
st:aliforna Constitution. and il involved, Incl.
dentaiiy, the great question ofthe day. There
were a number Of prGpositioBs--- o refer il TO
the Committee on Territories, whicI, nov
has jurisdiction over Con. Foote's Biil--oue,
TO refer il. together with all propositions re.a.
tive 10 slavery, 10 Special lsoin,Iiiltee of
teen! 20 te elsescs ii. re-. 81
esassss Z il To a Select Committee uf fivc.s Ar.
| Clay took occasion to express his views in
favor Of reference, and Of the admission Of
California. may here state that ne made
clear, as he always does. his plan OF proceed
| ing. He wished TO settle nil the questions
pending before the country in relation TO
slavery and the territories; and his mode of
+, operating was, after the adoption at his Res.
olu,ions, modified as they might be by the
Senate, to send those requiring legislation To
| appropriate Committees, tn be wrought into
| Bills. He supposed that the California Bill
would not pass till after some two or three
months, and that the other Bills would be
maturcd and ready for ultimate action at the
| same time.
Mr.. Foote, who has devoted as much atten-
lion to this subject as any one, and more par
ticu'ar.y TO the California question, as to
which he is as well-informed as anv one, and
rather better, inasmuch rs he is the only
person here who has persue,l al! the debates
| and proceedings Of the California Conven-
ton and other documents brought here nv
| Mr.. Ross Brown, for publication, gave his
views. at length Mr.. Foote bears intimate
relations to the snhjcci. being n personal
| friend OF DR.. Gwir, who is his family physi.
clan, saved his life, and. as apol,ician, also
caused hia election to the Scns,e Last year
| also, Mr. Foole took measures, after meeting
| MIR. Douglas, before the late session, 10 in.
| duce him to bring forward Bill to admit
California INTO the Unioa, and 10 settle the
Territorial question before they would be.
come subjec, OF i'll feeling and agitation.
! MIR. Fonte rellcmcn,ly and vigorously op.
posed the admission OF Callfornia ahead Of
questions unsettled Herein is the great
question OF the session. II shook the Senate,
to-day.
MIR. Benton proposes instructions to the
Committee to report Bill to admit Caiifor.
MIA Immediately, and independently Of all
other measures! IIe will, hereafter, speak
on The subject. His great fight is to he made
on this question. He is opposed to any change
of the boundres fixed by California.
MIR. CLAY made n vigorous and very elo-
quent speech in vindication of his position--t0
which effort he was melted by some remarks
of Mr.. FooTE and others ont OF the Senate, in
regard to the allegiance which Senators from
slavcholding States owed to the South. Hc
was much excited, when ne exclaimed that he
knew no South to which he owed allegiance.
and no sovereignty, except the Union and the
State of Kentucky, which had claim on his
allegiance. As TO any existing or conempa-
ted Southern Confetleracy, he knew nothing
-ho did not belong to ii, and never would
He gave Senators 10 understand that ho would
hold them to terms Of reciprocal courtesy, and
that hc would resent rcn,aks made Oh his
course. ms Southern man, no matter from
whom they might come. He stated, proudly,
that, last night, he received the Resolutions of
the Kentucky Legislature, cordially approving
OF his course, and they were not prompted by
| him.
Mr.. Butler took the floor, and will give his
views to-day.
Mr.. Calhoun is quite unable, at present, to
attend the Senate.