The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-08-08
PROCEEDINGS OF THE SENATE,
HOW THE OMNIBUS BILL WAS OVERSEE,
AND THE PAssENGE RS TUMBLED OUT.
WEDNESDAY, July 81, 1855

AND The PASSENGERS TUMBLED OUT.
The report of the Committee of Thirteen was
taken up, its friends feeling confident that this
day would witness the passage Of what is called
the Omnibus Bin. Preparation had, we learn,
been made in this city and elsewhere, to hail its
triumph by fire-rockets and gunpowder explosions
| II was supposed that the adoption Of Mr.. Daw.
sons amendment, the day previous, had secured
beyond doubt the votes of the Texan Senators, and
consequently majority in favor of the bill But,
as so many Of the Cass Senators from the North
had sustained that amendment at an immense
sacrifice Of preconceived opinion, and at immi-
nent risk of political death, 1t was thought moth
ing more than fair to conform the bill, ms far as
possible, to the theory of territorial rights laid
down in the Nicholson Letter Mr.. Norris Of
New Hampshirs, who 10 under instructicnsto vote
for the Wilmot Proviso, and the admission of
California unencumbered but who on every in.
cidental question voted uniformly 30 ss to keep
the Omnibus bill before the Senate, and promote
its success moved to strike out from the 10th Sec
ton, the words DOR establishing or prohibiting
slavery General Csss, in his NiCholsOn Letter,
took the ground that the people Of Territory
have the sole and exclusive right to regulate
their own concerns, including the subject OF
slavery, in their own way On this principle, he
and his followers had gone into the Presidential
canvass of 1s4s. The bill originally reported, pro-
hibited the Territories from passing any law re-
specting African slavery The three last words,
at the instance Of the ultra Southern men, were
substituted by the words or establishing or pro-
hibitng slavery The section as originally re-
ported, and as amended was in direct conflict with
the doctrine and position Of General Cass II
he and his friends should vote for it, they would
give the lie to all they asserted and argued In ls4s
The design Of Mr.. Norris In moving to strike
out the restriction on the Territorial Legislature
was to accommodate the bill to the Cass platform
Mr. Clay appealed to Southern Senators In be-
half Of the motion Of Mr.. Norris, reminding them
that the design was 10 conform the bill TO the
policy Of Non-lntervention great Southern doe
trine for which General Cass and his followers had
suffered 30 much In the free States The appeal
was successful. Several Southern men responded,
and the Free-Soilers Of course voted for the mo.
ton, not unwilling to leave the hands Of the
Territorial Legislature united, and TO render the
bill as unacceptable as possible to the Southern
ultraists.
The motion Of Mr.. Norris prevsiled by the fol.
lowing vote
YEAs--Messrs Badger, Baldwin, Bell, Brad.
bury, Bright, Cass, Chase, CLARKE, Clay, Cooper,
Greene, Hamlin, Jones, Mangum, Miller, Norris
Phelps, Pratt, Seward, Shields, Smith, spruance,
Sturgeon, Underwood, Upham, Wales, and Win
throp-32
NAYs-Messrs Atchison, Barnwell, Benton
Berrien, Butler, Davis Of Mississippi, Dawson
Downs, Ewing, Hunter King, Mason, Morton,
Pearce, Rusk, Soule, Turney Walker, Whit
comb, and Yulee-20.
There can be bat little doubt that the bill by
this vote was somewhat weakened In the South.
Then followed movement which utterly dis
appointed the calculations Of the special friends
Of the bill They hsd erultsd 10 the passage Of
Dawson's amendment, abandoning all Of New
Mexico claimed by Texas, and yielding to the
latter an implied title, supposipg II had insured
the success Of their measure; but the hoop, drv-
en- down on one side, flew up on the other. That
amendment proved the death Of the bill. Texas
Dragged too high, and lost all.
Mr. Pearce, the able and independent member
from Maryland, moved TO strike out from the 22d
section to the 39th, inclusive containing all that
part of the bill relating TO Territorial Govern
ment for New Mexico and the provisions yester-
day inserted, relating TO the boundary Of Texas
lie said that his object In making the motion
was to get rid Of the provision yesterday inserted
on motion Of the Senator from Georgia, (Mr. Daw-
SON. which put Territorial Government Ia ope-
ration over the few inhabitants west Of the Rio
Grande, and left those on the east side subject TO
such laws As the few on the west might think
proper 10 sdopt. lie desired, by his motion, TO
rsinststs what he proposed to strike out, with tbs
exception of what no considered Objectionable, |
and for which he could not vote Tbs amend
meDt gave an implied recognition Of title In Texas
to the land In dispute To this he was opposed.
Mr. Clay said he regretted that the Senator
from Maryland had moved to strike out that part
Of the bill relating to the adjustment Of the
Texas boundary. II II we're not altogether right
II could be amended. There were amendments
already spoken of--one Of which was that the
Territorial Government should mot 70 into ope-
ration, either on the east or west side Of the Rio
Grande He opposed tbs motiou NJ length.
Mr.. Pearoe ssid that the object Of bis motion
was not, ~ had bssn stated, 10 defeat the impor-
tant part Of the bill providing for the adjustment
Of the Texas boundary He had stated that be In