The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-06-08

able 10 employ not sufficient to satisfy majority Of
my fellowsenatoIs, i my colleague and majority are
opposed to me, | submit, cheenuy submit, supposing
that they are just likely to be right as am my:
self.
/ This question. repeat is the wilmot Proviso-the
second instance OF A. alter vote yesterday in which
Mr. BALDWIN. do not regard this question at all
y the light in which il is viewed BY the senator from
yesterday, II is moi offering to the Senate the Wmot
Proviso, only in different form II Is offering 10 the
Senate IN apapable form thai which The honorable
ator himself, IN reporting this BILL declared II under
stood him correctly. would be the effect of the bill III
passed the Sesae, but which other honorable senators
denied TO be the effect Of it, Sir, il is simply declaring
law is. II does not call upon the Senate to enact
new law 10 pass any Wilmot provso II Is to declare
the of this Senate, that the law now is and will
remain, under the provisions OF this act as it was re-
ported by the committee, precisely in conformity with the
amendment which | have offered ID is because Other
senators have denied tina, such will be the construction
Of the law--have claimed that The law OF Mexico ca
tablishing freedom and prohibiting slavery would be ab
rogaledthat have felt il 10 be necessary 10 Introduce
this amendment, IN order that when we may be called
upon 10 vote Tor TINS bill we may vote UNDERSTANDING
for law which we shall all interpret in the same sense
and vote to send out law to the people which one half
Of the senators understand one way, and the other hall
understand to be the very opposite. But, sir there Il
another circumstance to which beg TO call the attention
OF the Senate, and which will show the necessity OF this
amendment
Mr President, this bill contains provision for the
purchase Of large part Of the State OF Texas an indie
pendent State Of this Union. who claims, portion OF
her territory, all that part OF New Mexico lying OF
the Rio Grande Sir the State OF Texas is at this very
moment adopting measures TO obtain the jurisdiction in
fact, that territory, which she has never in my
Judgment. either rghfaily held, OF attempted before 10
exercise Now, sir if this bill is passed by Congress-
prohibiting the people Of those Territories from passing
any law either for the admission or for the exclusion Of
slavery want 10 know what is deemed 10 be the
law OF those Territories. want to know whether the
slave law OF Iexasi to be the law of that portion OF New
Mexico lying east OF the Rio Grande whether il is the
old law Of Mexico prohibiting slavery, II the law
OF Texas Is the law which is to prevail then, sir by The
provisions OF this bill you have, not the Wilmot Proyso
but you have one establishing slavery this territory
without any power in the territorial government abro
gate IT. II this amendment prevails, sir, declares thar
this territory is under the law Of Mexico, from whom we
received il BY the treaty OF Guadalupe Hidalgo from
whose possession we took territory under her actual
jurisdiction, and governed by the authority OF her laws
That sir, is the point which wish to establish do not
wish to concur in the passage Of bill the effect OF which,
in regard TO the actual state OF the law either in that por
ton OF this territory OF which i is proposed to take
sion from Texas any other portion of that territory
shall be uncertain Now, Mr. President, when this bill
reported to the Senate other declarations Of disn
gulshed members OF that committee, beside those
which have referred OF the honorable chairman himself
made in regard 10 their views Of what would be the
effect Of certain provisions OF this bill The senator from
Georgia. Mr. BERRIEN, in reference to the contemplated
purchase from Texas, made this declaration:
The recommendation with which /, in common with all
the other members OF the committee cordially concur
Texas, in consideration of her crcumscribinR her
bonndary-a accommodation which is founded the
on the terms and conditions which she admitted
seems 10 impose obligation to explain that the ground
which have assumed Is precisely that which occupied
when the resolution of annexation, after having received
the Of Texas brought back the Senate Of the
the Congress OF the United States adoption Of that
revolution, had ranscended their constitutional power
majority expressed in the form which the constitution had
prescribed Tor tn expression Of the legislative will Con-
siderng that the opinion which personally entertained
to the consuutionay OF this had been ovened
BY the decision Of the competent constitutional authority
since ia The validity Of Ina. and therefore haSe e eo
daily sonSSsd n The Proposition 70 which he report
Of the soil which ths United States proposes acquire
from that State.
Now. sir, If Texas is 10 be deemed the nghtul pro-
pretor Of the soil and jurisdiction OF the territory
to be ceded to the Uaited States upou the terms
proposed in this bill, what will be claimed to follow
Why, sir. that the law Of Texas, and not the law OF
Mexico, prevails over this entire Territory that we re-
ceve as slave territory, although in point OF FACT Tex
as has never Tor one moment exercised jurisdiction
it but it has been from the time of its FIRST prohibono
slavery, under the Mexican law, down 10 the present
time, much dedicated freedom the soil of any
free State in the Union. II the honorable sena.
tor from Georgia Mr. BERRIEs] understands correctly
TO the of the United States. when this cesson
Is made- he is corr ec in his opinion, that shall
cognse Texas as the proprietor OF this territory,
then, sir. II will follow that the Texan law-the
law OF slavery-will be claimed by senators who
concur with that distinguished senator in opinion
TO be the law OF the Territory. II Is, SIR to exclude
any such conclusion that have offered this amendment
But sir the honorable senator from Georgia not alone
in the expression OF this opinion The opinion
expressed by one OF the senators from Mississippi. Mr.
FooTE in reply the senator from Alabama [Mf GLEN.
Ess,l shortly after 1he bill was reported by the
mItiee;
Sir, tue honorable to TO have examined
this matter but very supeIfciay indeed, else he
could have urged this against me. He over.
looks several material iacts, OF which will leave
remind him. The FIRST Is that the bill of the from
a mr. anIsu min
guard Of any kind against The Wnot Prov.o nor recoI
nsed ia the least degree, understood s provisions,
aud ms yet understand hem the validity and binding
force OF the Texan conpao, o. annexation Now this same
compact has nbodied IN 1t principle oil promise In
regard 10 slavery which the entrance OF that insu
tion into all the territory proposed to be ce,led which
south OF the line oil 30 deg. 80 min. rouh latitude The
omi sson to recognise the continued operation Of this prnc
pie was apprehensve might invite the advocates of the
WIlmot Proviso make effort apply all the
tory which Texas should be induced TO transfer the Un
ted States This deficiency Is fy supplied by the report
Of the committee winch recognises. in the
manner the articles OF Texan xaon absolute
and uevocable compact ia all its pars-inclnding Of
al her territory but the principle ofconpromisc in regard
to slavery elsewhere.
Yes sir insisted then that no scheme of cession should
BE- proposed 10 Texas which did canossr resrrs The
Tuiiory which the Of opefv 10 tks pablo ands
20 be purchased the prnets Of copromise ibodhd
me rsotaioas Of annerafion: this very oing dons by
the report OF the commtee.
Sir, with these opinions uttered in this Senate by
members oil this body who are in favor OF the bill
reported by the committee, am | not right in sup
posing that difference OF opinion prevails among other
senators who expected 10 mite the passage OF this
BILL what will be the effect OF il on the oc al law il il
M he hav