Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-05-18
THE COMPROMISE BILL.

In SENATE, Wednesday, May 18th, 1850.
The hour of one o'clock having arrived, the
PRESIDING OFFICER announced the special order
of the day, being the bill reported from the select
committee of thirteen to admit California as
State into the Union, to establish Territorial Co.
vernments for Utah and New Mexico, and making
proposals to Texas for the establishment of her
western and northern boundaries. This bill was
announced to be under consideration as in Com
mittee of the Whole and open to amendment.
Mr.. DOUGLAS. Mr.. President, am DESTROYS of
getting test vote of the Senate upon one ques-
ton involved in this controversy. am not GER
tain but this is the best time to submit motion in
order to produce that result. We have the SUBJ
ects involved in that bill before us in two shapes
once in separate bills and then in joint bill, the
bills being substantially the same in both cases.
desire now to ascertain whether it be the wish
of the Senate to proceed with them jointly or Sc
parately, because, that point being decided, it
would necessarily make great difference in our
action. My object, therefore, is to submit mo-
ton which will decide whether we shall proceed
to the consideration of these bills jointly or sepa-
ratey In order TO decide that question move to
Law the bill on the table, for the purpose of proceed
ing to the consideration of the bill to admit Cali
fornia as State separately, and upon that motion
| ask the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered, and, being
taken, resulted as follows:
YEAs-Messrs. Baldwin, Benton, Bradbury, Chase,
Clarke, Cooper, Corwn, Davis OF Massachusetts, Day
ton Dodge of Wisconsin, Douglas, Fech Green, Hale,
Miller, Norris, Seward, Shields, Smith, Spruance,
Wales, Walker, Webster, and Yulee124
Bright, Cas- Clay, Clemens Davis Of Mississippi Daw-
son, Dickinson, Dodge Of Iowa, Downs, Emore,
Foote, Houston, Hunter, Jones, King, Mangum, Nor
on Pratt, Rusk, soule, Sturgeon, Turney, Underwood
and Whitcomb-2S.
So the bill was not laid upon the table.
Mr.. DAVIS, of Mississippi. I offer the follow
ing amendment. To strike out in the sixth line of
the tenth section the words sin respect to Afri-
can slavery" and insert the words "with those
rights of property growing out of the institution
of African slavery it exists in any OF the States
of this Union" The object of the amendment is
to prevent the Territorial Legislature from legis-
lating in regard to the rights of property growing
out Of the institution of slavery.
Mr. DOUGLAS. Is it in order to ask for diyi-
sion of the question?
The PRESIDING OFFICER. 1t is not.
Mr.. DAVIS, of Mississippi. Mr.. President,
will state very briefly the objact had IN view
in Offering the amendment. 1t was 10 Jest ,ie
sense of the Senate on the single question, whe-
thor the ripht to the service of man-whether
the RIGHT of property in slaves as 1t exists IN the
slavehoding States of the Union, shall receive
The same protection which other property shall
receive in the Territories of the United States.-
The language of the bill, as it stands would seem
TO exclude the idea of the right of property grow
mo out of the institution of African slavery to
receive the same protection from the Territorial
Legislature as is accorded to all other species OF
property AS Inow propose to amend the bill, 1t
will prevent the Territorial Legislature from IN
vading the rights of the inhabitants OF the slave
holding States. lam willing to leave the ques--
ton to be decided according to the great cardinal
principles of the Democratic party; and the Peo-
Pile nhabiting Territory, when they come to form
a State constitution for themselves, can do as they
please. 1t will leave to the Territorial Legislatures
those rights and powers which are essentially ne
cessarv' not only to the preservation of property
but to the peace of the Territory. 1t will leave
the right to make such police regulations as are
necessary to prevent disorder, and which Will be
absolutely necessary with such property as that to
secure its beneficial use to its owner. With this
brief explanation submit the amendment.
Mr.. SEWARD. | offer the following as an
amendment to the amendment: Strike out the
whole of the amendment, and insert what send
to the Chair, (which was understood to be the
Wilmot proviso.
The PREsIpING OFFICER. To strike out the
whole of the amendment and insert constitutes
substitute, which is not in order.
Mr.. CLAY. Mr. President, am not perfectly
sure that | comprehend the full meaning OF tne
amendment offered by the Senator from MlsslssiP-
| ri. If do, / think he accomplishes nothing by
striking out the clause now in the bill and insert