The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-07-04
THIRTY-FIRST CONGRESS. .
FIRST SESSION.
WEDNESDAY,, Jolly 3, 1850.
SENATE.

,uington in the State of Delaware. sustaining the
course of the Administration IN relation 10 CaiiIor
mia and the Territories, and IN opposition 10 the
bill now before the Senate reported BY the Commit
tee of Thirteen. In presenting them he made some
remarks in explanation OF the high character OF the
,ersons composing the meeting. lie said Della
ware, from her q, ographioal position. and havin z
n few. slaves only IN her limits, had 10 sympl-
thy with extremists OF either section. They were
willing 10 allow to the South every constitutional
right and privilege she could demand, and 10 the
North every thing she could reasonably require,
The people Of that State had the most inboundcd
confidence in President Taylor, and thought, AS
did the majority OF the conservative portion Of the
people OF the country that the recommendations OF
the President upon the subject of the Territories
the best course TO pursue.
II however had been supposed, that this measure
could settle the various subjects In controversy,
and il was proposed rs compromise measure.
But what had been its result! After more than Two
months pended in its consideration, to the cxclu-
sion uf every thing else IN were not more than
four southern States whose Senators would UNITE III
support of the bill All hopes then of its being
measure to produce harmony was al an end th-
der these circumstances IT was but reasonable to
suppose, that the policy recommended 10y the Pre-
sidcnt should be supported by The people:
1.-THE resolutions will be found III another part oi
this days paper.
Mr. CLAY said that he had received letter from
!. most respectable citizen OF Wilmington, which
threw light upon the proceedings OF this meet
ing. He informed that whcn the question ~as
pu upon the passage of those resolutions, nearly
equal were the ayes and noes, that 1t WAS uuccr-
tain on which side the majority. And il
not till after a second division was taken that il
decided that they were carried by small ma
iority.
The resolutions just read opp this bill reported
by the Committee OF Thirteen. because II H. ia thu
cant phrase OF the day, what is called an omnibus
bill. The very resolutions themselves Which have
a most diplomatic odor, far more incongruous
than the bill which they dcnounce In relation to
the variety Of the subjects they treat upon.
IL. suiu that lac believed that he knew something
of the sentiments Of the people of the State Of Della
ware and lie felt confident that If left free from all
Influence conng from any quarter, they would be
found agreeing with the ma ority OF the country IN
favor of this Till They would, he ,ught, agree
with the people of Maryland, the adjoining State
with Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois aud other States.
lie thought the people Of the United States desired
a settlement of this question. They were not at
iachcd to any particular plan, 80 much az they de-
sired some settlement of the question which would
be final. The compromise, IN the case oil Missouri,
said would not be acceptable 10 the people; the
same was said Of the compromise upon the subject
OF the tariff OF 1893. They were denounced then,
but who does not know how they were received by
the people
The Senator from Delaware had said that there
were but four from The South whose Senators
united in support Of this bill lie had, III The
effort TO count noses in the Senate, bad the utmost
difficulty in determining how the Senator from
Delaware would vote, and whether he would be
found voting in support of or against the bill.
Mr.. WALES said that he felt called upon to cor
rect the misapprehension which might exist az to
the character of the meeting, and the manner in
which its resolutions adopted lie had various
letters from persons who were witnesses OF tlt
proceedings of that meeting aud who declared that
there never more respectable meeting IN
numbers, well as the persons composing II, and
that the resolutions were adopted with almost una
nimity. The prrsons writing To him were persons
Of great veracity, and in their assertions he bad the
utmost confidence. He had been informed that the
persons who voted against the resolutions were the
gfliforz pf and others who had been
active participants in the meeting that had been
held in support of the compromise.
A ~ the insnuation conveyed IN the remark that
these resolutions had diplomatic odor he most
positively repealed il.
Mr.. CLAY asked the Senator to say who wrote
the resolutions.
Mr.. WALES said thcy drawn Up, in lhe
meeting.
Mr. CLAY asked who wrote thens
SEVERAL SEsAToRs. "Ordcr-order."
Mr. WALES unders God to say that the re-
solutions prepared by some gentlemen IN
Wilmin gton, aud that lac would give the names 90
the Senator from Kentucky privately.
lie then alluded 10 another meeting held IN the
county OF Sussex, at which resolutions OF similar
character, but IN language much stronger than
that Of these resolutions were adopted. The scna-
tsr had complained that he had been unable 30 de
termine how he Mr.. w would vote on this mca-
sure. When tiis bill was int reduced, and vas sup
ported by the honorable Scustur from Kentucky
and other Senators equally Distinguished snd eI-
perienoed, he had given 10 Il his most careful at
tsntion and examination. AZ a measure 10 restore
peace and harmony he would have supported ~
but IL was obvious 20 all that in this body il
could receive support 10 cntitle II u tbat re
commentator. lie had approved the rccommcn-
datons Of the President, and thought that II vas
the beet thing under the circumstances that could
be adopted.
Mr. CLAY said that he bad not given any To-
csiity 60 the diplomatic odor attached To those
Lotions. lie bad not said they were written IN thu
city, that they had not been written in WI
nibgtOn. Be would AK the Senator II certain
editor Of the Philadelphia North AH,riean had not
paid visit 20 Wilmington, for the purpose of aid
ing the good people Of that city IN drawing up re
solutions, and in conducting public meeting
He still maintained that there something
Of diplomatic odor about the resolutions, and
raid that he would like very much TO see the
original draught Of them. lie considered IL was In
part evident from the wide range Of subjects etn
b'sced In them, covering not only this subject OF
slavery and governments Tor California and the
Tsrritorics bot also the policy Of the Administra-
ton with respect 10 foreign powers, and particu-
isrly laudstOry Of eminent citizen Of Delaware
~bo 10 member OF the Cabinet, for HE successful
negotiation Of the Nicaragua treaty lie then adj
Verted 90 these iBcongruous subjects and said that
the score Of incongruity the bill before the Sen
ate ought not 10 be named on the same day with thc
resolutions.
Mr.. DODGE asked the Senators from Delaware
90 state whether that State bad passed Wilmot
provi.O resolutions.
Mr.. WALES wa understood to say that the re-
olutions passed by the State Of Delaware did not
contain the w uOt proNiso, but they were IN OppO-
ritiOn 10 the acquisition Of any more territory.
Mr.. DODGE then alluded % the fact that the
senators from that State had remained quiet IN
their places. while the Senator from New York
CMr SEwARD) and the Senator from New Hamp-
shire (Ar. HALE) had declared that fifteen States
hsd. including D-laware, passed instructions 10
their Senators 10 vote for the Wilmot proviso. H.
wanted TO know IL Delaware, slave State, was "
be ranked with thOse who had passed that prOyiso,
which was resisted fDrcibly by the South, while
Iova free State, had left her Senators free 60 act
Independently on the subject. The free States had
teen denounced by southern gentlemen; here wa
cue u their own number cha ged repeatedly with
having passed resolutions in favor Of that prOvisO,
and her senators remained silent under the charge
~ would s-k the Senators from Florida and tho
S-nstors from Georgia if their States had not voted
the Last Presidential olcc ton for the present Pres
idcnrof the senate. who Il well known was
pledged he support Of that proyisO lie had, in
fcaiing speech 81 the Senator from Missouri, Mr
BgNToN,) seen the statement that Delaware had
PACED Wilmot prOviso resolutions, and, tho Seua
tors from that State never having denied it, he de
sired 20 know how she stood upon the subject and
whether her Senators 10 vote with Adolf
fi0nists.
Nj. WALES made some remarks, Which We could
nod hear