Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1850-05-03
wAsnrNoroN, April 2a. 1850.


Union, (Mr. Thompson of Mississippi in
the chair,) and resumed the consideration
OF the special message of the President
communicating copy of the constitution
of California.
Mr. MoIehead. of Kentucky, was will
ing to unite with any or both parties, to
settle the questions now agitating the
country on a Just and secure hasis-that
they will be settled, there was no doubt
settled, as became patriots and states
men, so as to preserve inviolate the Con-
sitution and form of government Sc
cured to us by our fathers, and under
which we have prospered. He spoke of
compromises which led to the formation
of the Constitution, q and alluded to the
law of 1893 as being dead letter in the
North.
Mr.. Van Dyke asked the gentleman to
put his finger on a single case where a
Southern STAKEHOLDER, who pursued his
slave into Northern State, and got out
process, under the act of 1893, and
put itinto the hands of the United States
marshal, was ever resisted. He denied
it.
Mr.. Morehead would not be led off
into collateral disputes He knew of no
case of resistance, personally, but from
hcresay.
Mr.. Meade said that I've had perused
the records of New York Judge Ed
monds decided, in case before him, that
in order to enable the owner to recover
his slave, he must bring certified copy
of the law of his State which recognises
slavery; nor would he suffer the ordinary
printed statute to be taken as evidence,
although there was an individual ready
to swear to it as the law of the State
Mr.. Van Dyke desired TO say few
words, but
Mr.. Morehcad refused to yield the
floor, andrepeatcd that he would not be
led off into collateral disputes He had
known instances from hearsay. A gen.
tleman from his own State was knocked
down in the streets of Cincinnati while
in pursuit Of his slave. His intention was
not to drive the two sections farther
apart than they now are.
He then opposed the restriction of
slavery in the Territories, and referred to
the decisions of the Supreme Court to
show that the ordinance of 1881 was not
to be regarded as precedent nor any
law made in pursuance of it, There are
grave objections to the admission of Cali
fornia; but if she can be made part of
the basis on which the entire questions
can be settled harmoniously, amicably
and satisfactorily, uniting with her bills
for the Territories of New-Mexico and
Utah, his mind was made up to give the
measure his support. ,t .,t 4
Mr. Peck, Of Vermont, spoke in favor
of the admission of California, He said
that the objections were not entitled to
any serious consideration, and proceeded
to notice some of them. If the constitu-
ton of that State did not exclude slavery,
opposition would not have come from
Southern gentlemen What course the
North would have pursued was another
matter. The South are committed to
doctrine that the people, in forming a
State government, have the right to ex-
ciude slavery or not; therefore, they cam
not urge its exclusion from California as
an objection to her admission There
was no constitutional har to her admis-
sion. This was not pretended. Congress
was bound, by the ninth article of the
treaty with Mexico, to protect the rights
of persons and of property in the Ter
ritories. He was, therefore, in favor of
giving them territorial governments, and
was for inserting in bills for this purpose
the so-called Wilmot proviso, He con-
cluded by arguing that Congress has
the right to iegislate over the subject of
slavery.
Mr.. Wilmot obtained the floor, when
the committee rose. 8
And the House adjourned.
CONGRESS.
In the Senate. on Wednesday, the oath
a resolution of inquiry, respecting the
proper measures for increasing and facil-
itating the gold coinage of the United
States, was adopted. The remainder of
the day was spent in Executive session.
In the House of Representatives, after
an explanation of misunderstanding in
regard to the reference of the hill to il.