The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-07-04

4
| Ia which he had expressed the hope that the two
branches OF the Government could unite on some
plan OF adjustment. The next day after this
speech an article appeared in the Republic
per- the special and confidential organ Of the Adj
ministration-in which il announced that the
| President had not changed his views. This was
| followed up by announcements that the President
alhered 10 MS own plan, and that the bill Of the
| committee did not meet with Executive approba-
uOn Shortly afterwards the editors of the RepuL-
nc, who did support the bill of the committee, were
| dismissed because they did 50. From these cir
cumstances and others, he considered that the Ad-
| ADMINISTRATION attacked the bill ; and he made the
speech, 10 which the Senator was about To aliud,
IN defence oi the bill against an open undsguised
| attack by the Administration upon it. Had the
| Administration remained silent, had it given
any evidence Ola desire 10 support that plan or TO
meet win the committee upon something, he
would have been rcjoccd to have CO. operated with
| It. But they had attacked ii openly, and he had
done nothing more than to defend it-makng no
war upon the Administration except such as was
necessary for that defence.
Mr.. BELL resumed. He said that previous 10 the
article which appeared in the Republic to which the
Senator alluded, and which announced that the
President had not changed his opinion, another
ucle had appeared, either in that paper the
Chion, IN winch it asserted that the President
had abandoned his plan, and was in favor of the bill
reported by the committee The article which APP
pearcd then in the Republic and of which the Sen.
a'or complained, was necessary to vindicatc the
| Consistency of the President, which would have
been questioned had not the contradiction APP
pcared.
MIR. CLAY said that it was not the language Of
the article which conveyed any thing scrious-tLat
| WAS carefully guarded and reserved; and il was
only by implication that it could be drawn from it
| that the Administration did not approve the bill
In addition 10 this, there was the dismissal of the
Editors OF the Repubic, for but that they
endorsed the bill. These things might have been
suffered to pass without notice had he not heard, in
addition TO this, o the interference of the Admins
tration in Congress and out of Congress against
aI han lp, a Sec A
depar nlcs all being engaged in active opposition
| TO the plan oil the comnniltec-had ie not heard
that the President himself in speaking OF il, sheer
ipgly SAID at is Omnibus bill" He would
perhaps, have not said any thing, but having heard
all these things ON the part Of the President and his
Cabinet and his friends, and of their active opposi-
ton To the bill, he determined to defend the bill
and lac did defend it. And he would defend it still
| against the attacks OF Il thousand Presidents. Zap
plausc
Mr.. BELL said the Senator might defend his
bill he said but that did not make il right. lie
then repeated the circumstances OF the two articles
which appeared III the papers, the one announcing
that the President had changed his views, the other
simply denying the fact to be so and urged that
IN this there nothing which could be considered
4 war upon the bill by the Administration. lie al
iudcd 10 the constituencies naturally belonging To
persons IN power, upon any intlinauon OF want
oi consistency, &c, and contended that endca-
vor 10 protect himself from imputation of bay-
ing abandoned his own position could and
ought not have been construed into attack up
| ON the Senator his bill. The President and the
Senator were as hlaiiomct and the mountain. Ii
the mountain would not go to Alahomet, he would
have to go to the mountain. lie would not say which
was the posi- tiun Of either party.
MIR. CLAY said that ali lac wanted was, that the
| mountain would Let him alone. Laughter
Mr.. BELL said that nc was not that the
| mountain had in any way attac kcd Mahomet
Laughter.I
He then continued his defence of the course pur
sued by the Administration in the article alluded
h.Nrf n fhf. Rsn y.l,I Il.
| minded the senator that there print in this
city that vas continually asserting the ncapacity
of the President and his utter imbecility. IL had
also been repeatedly declared that the plan recon-
mendcd by the President had been adopted beca usc
it enabled him 10 avoid the Wilrnot proviso, and
thus keep hidden the fraud committed upon the
people of the country, North OF South, upon that
subject during the campaign. At the time the Sen
ator had made his concliatory speech the Wiluol
proyiso dead. Had the President allowed the
statement that Inc had changed his views 10 pass
uncOntradictcd, would not those who denounced
hun for his motives IN adopting tic non action pol
icy hold il up the country pruoloft their char
Would they not say that lac had kept under the
cover OF that policy long IT was necessary to
fear the pruvIso, aud nov that il dead, he
forward and agreed with the plan OF the commit
| tee,
And would IL not be beld up az a proof Of their
| charge by thUsc who asserted his utter inbccity
| aud want OF purpose, that after formally aud
grsvely submitting ms deliberately formed plan
the consideration OF Congress and The country, he
| had been induced To abandon II al the first note
uf the senator from Kentucky. and follow.
ing ia the trail OF that Senator and the Coiutnittcc
| OF Thirteen. lie knew that the Senator would have
\ placed different construction upon il; that n
/ would be characterized by the Senator eyi-
deucc OF lofty patriotism aud of deep devotion to
/ the Union But would such be the language Of the
| bitter dcnouncers of the President
| Mr.. CLAY said that he had before stated that
there were two modes OF policy which tho Admin
| istration might have adopted either Of which
i would have been -Ail-lag u him. Id
lend it, aid 10 the support OF the bill aud the other
to keep silent, and leave the subject in the hands OF
Congress- without any interference ou the part Of
| the President Or his Cabinet. Had either such
| course been pursued, there would never have been
any difficulty in the passage Of the bill For IL
| well known, it was In the mouth Of every member
| Of Congress, II the universal opinion la this
body well as in the other, that had the Admins
| tratiou kept silent, and had not warred upon the
measures, n could have passed both houses without
much difficulty. Such was the opinion of every
| member of Congress.
Mr. DAVIS, Of Mississippi. said that such wa
| not his opinion.
Mr. BENTON Nor mine
| Mr. CLAY said that he did not alludc to the
! Senator from Mississippi. When he alluded n that
Senator be would make hs remarks in such a way
that the senator would not mistake him. llc spoke
Of the general opinion; Oi the opinion Of a large
majority Of Congress, and not Of any particular In
dividual. lie believed that IL the members Of the
two Houses were policd now, majority Of them
would say that had tho Administration lent its
aid against the bill, il could have passed.
Mr.. DAVIS, Of Mississippi, said that the Senator
should have spoken generally when he meant to
make a general remark. The remark Of the Scns-
tor was, that such the opinion Of every mem
Der Of Congress and that remark certainly included
/ him. for be member Of Congress. lie op-
| posed the bill, and he under Executive in
/ fuence lie did not believe that there bad been
| any used When the bill wss fret reported he had
| opposed &c, aud he wDuld never have touched the
thing unless il should be amended in important
| points.
| Mr.. FO0rE said that he wished the Senator
| from Tennessee say whether he was denying that
| there bad been any Executive interference 20 de-
feat this bill. n 49, he would take issuc with the
senator. lie was prepared 10 meet him, and could
prove the contrary. lie could prove that socrcta
rics and members of thc Cabinet have wagcd a war
upon this BILL not only beyond these halls, but also
ia Congress. lie would undertake to prove, II the
Senator would make the issue, that they have
| threatened members Of Congress II they did not
| oppose this bill. They had declared 20 certain
nicmbcrs Of Congress, and hc could prove il, that
they would prevent their reelection " they voted
for this bill lie could prove the same on the Priest
dcut-that j., not cyacuy the same thing, but that,
ia conversations with persons, lac had warmly OF
posed THE ball, and had substantially endcavored