The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-05-22

rather than crime.
On the 22d of January, reply to the honorable senator
from Connecticut. he favored with statement OF GER
tain important facts OF which he has suddenly become
entirely oblivious;
had heretofore recognised the honorable gentleman
have supposed hardly possible that he should have failed
the Uaon as most ceria,aIy did. that msmber Of The
California Convention itself Mr Bot rose Ia his place
the chair ia the convention whcA be had continued 70
cupy during rs whole session and said IN substance ma,
been employed bring about The OF things then
listing California, and that The constitution then about 70
He charged further had been given. in the
solemn and imposing manner by the powers az Wash,nx
TO the taste Of certain high personages hereperhaps n
cnding the honorable senator from Connecticut Qor ne
may have admonshed them the subject by circular
for aught know unless such constitution were adopted
e % s s aad m
the whole influence OF The Executive would be thrown
and thar, on ihe contrary in The event
as should prove being adopted hen nas y, 6
purpose Of bringing California into the Union as sover
ega State.
1 am not little curious to know what has removed
the unfavorable impressions made upon hs mind by the
enormties here enumerated, what evidence he has
since received convince him the charges are untrue
II he has any such evidence in his possession he owes
to the President to the grave charges heretofore
made. .
read now sir from another speech Of the honorable
senator, made on the Goth OF January last;
/ ~
mng all California above the line Of SO degrees 80
nto the Union provided another new slave State
be laid off whin the present limits Of Texas as to
keep up the So M ast the ,hs slave aaa
this is by way compromise and in order the
Union, Gas dear to me us TO any man living)
! Thus we see that he was unwilling to admit even that
portion OF California north OF SO deg 80 min without
slave State for the purpose OF keeping up the equt
ponerance between the free and the slave States and
not then unless was necessary the salvation of the
haf hpcnn of % e0 "a,
when he not only takes California without
slave State but gives three free States to get herr
On the 18th of February, be mboded his opinions IN
series of resolutions, and submitted them TO the Sen
The 4th resolution is in substance the same as the
paragraph last read and contains doctrine very widely
different from that he now advocates
Rsolved That In the judgment of the Senate Caliior
mia at The present ume, absolutely entitled TO ad
mission into the Union as State that whe he she should
be admitted is simple question OF expedency thai
would be altogether mpoit'c TO admit her with The boun
or win e,ritoaI surface extending south
the compromise line OF 81 deg 30 mln that Il would be IN
grant such admission ii II should be hereafter
appear organization been
brought aboa, by unfair or coercve ac
ton the part OF the federal government or any oil It's
and that all other impedinents being
moved, such admission should under existing ccumsan
ces only be above place under clear and distinct
unde ersiandng and agreement that State may be
hereafter formed within the present territorial Is OF the
Texas. accordance h the articles OF Texan
nexaton, and be admed into the Union early peri
cd as practicable
The 9th resolution is equally condemnatory Of another
Resoiued That IL Is xpedient legislas present
regard the prohibition the trade in slaves in the
District Columbia, and that Il Is matter which may be
well left be regulated by the municiPa authorities Of
said District.
Mr.. F0OrE. prefer that now.
| Mr.. CLEMENS. have right to judge OF bis prei-
eTences arguing against the bill hnd the bill
which he advocates this provision II is one Of
the features he himself has denounced. am stating IT
objection, aud have produced his authority to sus
/ tain
have now shown that every feature of this compro-
mise, when taken separately has met the strong and de-
cded dsapproval OF the senator from Mississippi what
healing virtue there is in tacklng them all together
coafess myself wholly unable TO comprehend. Not long
he declared with earnestness which left no doubt
OF his sincerity, that the admission OF California would
dissolve the Union 10 SIX months
Mr.. FO0TE. think so yet
1 Mr.. CLEMENS The senator says he thinks so
yet-meaning her separate admission. Now, Mr. Pres
dent, let ask him il, according to his doctrine OF
isherent right he complain OF the adoption OF con-
stution by the people OF California Can h OF all men,
say her admission will be an outrage Has he not pre-;
cuded himself from the assumption OF any such ground
He has told US that the people, whether 500 OF 100000
have inherent right TO form governments for them
selves. There were certainly than 500 people in
California According 10 the senator from Mississippi,
they had inherent right 10 assemble and adopt cons
tuiion. How, then, he venture even TO vote against
her admission Will he assume TO obstruct them IN the
exercise OF admitted and acknowledged nghtl Sir
must say that the speech Of the honorable senator from
Mississippi and ms unqualified endorsement OF this dan
gerous heresy likely to be productive o far more dis
astrous consequences than all the speeches oil all the
free -soiers together And STILL after doing all he to
prove that the admission OF California is wrong he
does not hesitate threaten with terrible consequent
ces IT, by any act OF ours her separate admission should
be hastened. Why, sr, IL could rely on the senator's
argument, and take his dicta for truths should unhes
angy cay that the great wrong contained in the present
bill Is the dismemberment OF Texas. II | believed in
the soundness OF his views, should at once move to
separate the measures that California might come in,
and the partition OF Texas be rejected but entertaining
insuperable objections TO the whole bill in its present
form, shall, the amendments offered by myself and
others voted down, move TO lay on the table
What may then follow, | do not know. One thing,
| however, do know No consequences deter me
from acting according the dictates Of my best udg
ment; and that teaches me no bill can be worse than
this.
The senator from Kentucky IMr. CL,Yl asked us the
the other day what the necessity OF quarrehng
about matter OF practical imporance-hat slavery
was excluded from the Territories by the law OF God,
by another II il matter of Importance why he
not yied II he has entire confidence in the opinion he
has advanced, why insist upon restriction which VIII
add nothing TO his security and must 60 very lar 10 r-
tate and iname the southern mindi Why does he de-
mand that all the concessions should come from US.
while he stubbornly refuses to make any himsefi Con
cesson sir when made by the strong apt TO be regard
ed as generosity but when made by the weak can never
free itself from the suspicion OF slaysh fear The North
may well afford TO make concession on this point-we
cannot.
j few more words, Mr. President, and am done. |
am told ought TO take this bill because Il IS the best
argument might be urged with equal force in favor
Of unconditional submission to any wrong ever perpe-
raied by the strong upon The weak Good God, sir has
n cosne IN In senator q