The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-08-03

the country. Or, nave not Deen attached TO any
given mode of settling the troubles and restoring
contentment TO the country. was willing to take
these measures together unitedly, and l am wil-
ling to see them pass separately and distinctly.
hope that they may be passed without the odious
iproviso which has created such a sensation in
some parts of the Union But, whether they
are passed not, If resistance is attempted by
any State, or the people of any State, shall lift
my voice, my heart, and my arm in the support
of the common authority of the Government of
my country. Nor, sir, am epprehenslve of the
4 result.
Sir, | hear that blood is to be spilled. | hope,
from the bottom OF my soul, it never will be
spilled. But, sir, il it should be spilled, who will
be chargeable with the efuslon Of blood, Sir,
1t will be those who attempt to PROSTATE the gen.
eral authority; that single State, if there should
be one, or the people of any State who may at
tempt 10 raise the standard of rebellion and des-
troy this Union. If that occurs, will be among
the last men who will give up the effort to main
tain the Union IN It's entirely and its full and
vigorous authority and power. All, sir, these
threats are not so alarming or dangerous as gem
tlemen may indulge their imaginations IN sup
posing. We have had one event of that kind in
our history. When Washington was our Presi-
dent, sixty years ago, the standard of Instruction
was raised in the Western part of Pennsylvania.
Part of the army of the United States moved for
ward for the purpose Of subduing it. There was
some little bioodshed, | believe, at the house of
OOi. lNeVlile, Out the
lists and traitors always will, fled from the APP
proach of the flag of the Union supported by
the authority and counenance of the father Of the
Union
Mr.. President, my worthy friend, who sits near
me, Mr. DAwsoN,l has adverted to some LAM
guage in resolution which offered in the early
part of the session, implying Willingness on
my part to circumscrbe the limits of California.
Mr.. President. have already stated to you, and
to the Senate, that at the time when that resolu-
ton was proposed, was aboring under the inn
preston that by the ordinance of the convention of
California, a provision was made that Congress
should alter or amend the boundary according to
its impression of what might be just. find, how
ever, that was mistaken. will say now that
the words sc suitable liniits,'' implying nothing
particularly, were introduced in order to allow to
the Senate and the country, a discretion to be APP
piled to the whole subject, and to exercise such a
Judgment upon the whole subject as might be
deemed proper. TWAS not restriction intma-
ted as necessary to be adopted. California was
| to be admitted with suitable boundaries. Now, l
say that, under ell the circumstances Of the case,
considering what was proposed, and what was
offered and refused--considering what would have
been done, say, under all the circumstances of
the case, the boundaries are not too large; and
feeling so, am constrained, unwilngly con-
| strained, to vote against the amendment of the
honorable Senator from Mississippi.
Mr.. PEARCE. MIR. President am very loath
to intrude upon the attention of the Senate, but
the remarks which have fallen from the Senator
from Kentucky, while concur in much that he
has said oblige me to ask the indulgence of the
Senate for very brief period. The Senator has
said that the amendment which offered to the
Senate yesterday the direct of the defeat
of the bill. a. a HG8
Mr.. CLAY, Gin his seat.) The immediate
cause. &HE Et
6 Mr.. PEARCE. The immediate cause. Well,
admit that the defeat of the bill subsequent to
| my amendment, if on that account can be Justly
chargeable with it. But, sir am not willing that
the responsibility of the defeat of the bill should
be charged upon me without being justly charge
/ able, though, if am to take the whole RESPONSE
4 bihty, will vndicate it here and elsewhere, who
ever may attack me. 1t will be recolleced that to
this bill as introduced by the committee, had
| given cordial assent, though perhaps slow one;
/ for admit that there was considerable process
| OF meditation on my part before brought myself
to give it the unqualified support which at last
was willing to give it. But it will be recoected
i that the bill defeated yesterday not the bill
which it was on Tuesday last; that it was of quite
a different character to that presented by the com.
mittee; that the form the bill assumed after the
amendment of the Senator from Georgia, (Mr
/ DAWSON was not what we had been discussing
for months, and to which no similar amendment,
had up to that time, been Offered, that it was not
4 the bill which had engaged the attention of the
4 people and commanded the assent and appreciation
as believe, of the people of the State which Irepre
sent but that the feature introduced into the bill by
the Senator from Georgia was q new feature, and
that it essentially affected the character of the bill
1t was one which limited the application Of the
4 power of the Territorial government proposed by
the Hin the beginning and contended for through
out the whole of the discussion; it limited it to
4 part of the Territory Of New Mexico, where there
was no population requiring government, while il
left to that portion where there is population re-
quiring government, no other government than
the military government which had been de-
nounced here, or the jurisdiction Of Texas. Sir
i that was point upon which | was immovable.
told the Senator from Georgia, when he presented
| the amendment, that it would defeat the bill j
told the Senator from Mississippi, (Nr. FoorE)
that if forced to vote upon it, should vote against
| it. | was taken by surprise by the Introduction
of the amendment, but did not take the friends
of the bill by surprise, for warned them of my
opposition, right or wrong. was opposed on
| principle 81
Mr.. FooTE. Will the Senator permit me' q
| Mr.. PEARCE. Certainly. a2t9'
The PRESIDENT. The Chair cannot per-
| NIT any interruption, unless it is for explana-
| ton or to correct misstatement. 3nti
Mr.. FOOTE. I understand that. The Chair
is little too prompt. rise because was allud-
ed to, and with the consent of the senator from
Maryland. r-ra u . a as
The PRESIDENT. That does not alter the
rules. o....a, .... ..
Mr.. FOOTE. / was expressly alluded to, and
rose for the purpose of explaining the matter con-
corning which the alluson was made, and to pre-
vent misconstrucon At the interview to which
the senator alluded supposed that it was the in
corporation of this amendment in the BILL and not
the bill itself, in opposition to which the senator
informed me he would vote if he voted at all, but
he was magnanimons enough not to vote at ALL
If / had supposed that the incorporation of this
amendment into the bill would induce him to
vote against it, should certainly have deemed it
my duty to have counseed the friends of the bill
and endeavored to obviate the objection a9at
| Mr.. PIERCE. i regret, then, that was not
more explicit with the senator from Mississippi,
| as much so as was with the senator from Geor-
| gia, to whomI said that his amendment would
defeat the bill, as | thought that other votes be-
sides mine would be lost to the bill if the amend
ment was persisted in. ] mentioned this, not be-
cause it was any part of my duty to make this
communication to any body, but as part of the
system of candor which was disposed to pur-
sue in regard to it. Now, sir, that amendment
having been introduced, and being one which l
could not subscribe to, and which, after nights
reflection, resolved not to support, even if it en-
Il daprared Or daf,,tad the hill I Calf bo,,nJF a.