The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1850-07-31

IL was indispensable that Congress
should make some provision for these
Territories. But have been cafele,s
whether the things necessary to Be done
were done in one bill or in sepsrste
bills. except that, a. 4 natter Of erpe.
diency, II has been my opinion from The
beginning that il would have been bet.
ter to have proceeded measure by mes-
sure. That was matter Of Judgment
upon the expediency Of the case. Il was
Of this committee Of thirteen. Cirsum-
stances called me to my own home. II
seemed to be the general opinion of the
committee at that time. l thought, that
il would be better to admit California
and then take up The other measures.
Upon further consideration the COM
mittee very fairly, I doubt not, in the
exercise Of their best judgment and dis
erection. thought il would be better to
unite the three objects which are in this
bill.
Well. whether single or united to-
gether, every one Of these objects meets
my appreciation. and is in my judg-,
ment a desirable object. In the FIRST
place. think il is a desirable object to
admit California. l do not conceal
from myself, or wish to conceal from
others. that California is before US with
some degree Of irregularity in her pro-
ceedings. She has not been through the
previous process Of a Territorial exis-
tence. She has formed this constitution
without our consent. But lock upon
it that California, from the extraordi-
nary circumstances which have attend
ed her birth and progress until the pres
ent moment, entities herself from the
necessity of the case to an exception
from ordinary rule. Who expected to
see such great community spring up
there in such an incredibly short space
Of time? Who expected to see more
than hundred thousand people engage
ed in so much employment, with so
much commerce and activity and enter
prise, and. drawing to themselves the
attention Of the whole world, within the
period Of few monthsl Her constitu-
tion has been framed upon republican
models. conformably to the constitu.
tion Of the United States. And under
these circumstances, still admitting that
! her application is Premature and irre-
gular, yet there has been nothing done
which an admission on our part will
1 not cure. She will be lawfully in the
Union, If we admit her into the Union.
Therefore. l have no hesitation ON that
ground.
Then, with respect to the Territories,
| have been and am of opinion that we
should not separate at the end of this
!, session Of Congress without making sui
table provision for their government.
It is not safe to let things stand as they
are. Sir, it has been thought that there
might be such thing as admitting Ca
lifornia. and stopping there. Well, it
is not impossible, in the nature Of
things, that such course of policy
should be adopted, if it could meet with
proper concurrence. But then / have
always supposed, sir, that if we were
now acting on California as separate
measure, and should, in the prosecution
of that measure, admit California into
the Union, the question arises, what
then? l have never supposed that the
questions respecting the Territories
would be put at rest, even for the pres
ent. | have supposed that the very
next thing to be done would be to take
up the subject Of the Territories, and
the necessity Of governments in the
Territories, and prosecute that subject
until it should be in some manner ter
minated by Congress; and that it would
be the subject still which would occu-
py Congress, to the exclusion Of all the
ordinary subjects Of legislation, until it
is disposed Of. ] am not authorized to
say so, for do not know the opinions
of the honorable members Of the Com
mittee on Territories. Here sits near
me the honorable member from Illinois,
(Mr. Douglas at the head of that COM
mittee / take it for granted he can say
whether | am right or not, that if we
should this day admit California alone,
ne would tomorrow feel it his duty to
bring in bills for the government the
Territories, or tomake some disposition
of them.
Mr.. DoUeLAs. Does the Senator wish
me to say?
Mr.. WEBSTER. Certainly. / should
like to Know.
j Mr.. DOUGLAS. Mr.. President, If Ca
lifornia should be admitted by herself.
should certainly feel it my duty, as
chairman of the Committee on Terrific
ries, to move to take up the Territorial
bills at once, and to put them through,
and also the Texas boundary question.
and to settiSthem in detail If they are
not settled in the aggregate |; and 1 can
say that such is the opinion and deter
mination of a majority of that commit.
tee.
| Mr.. WEBSTER. Then, sir. it 10 as sup.
posed; we shallnot get rid Of the subjec.