The North-Carolina standard., 1850-06-26
The Missouri Compromise.

The Missouri Compromise.
In the Senate, on the 9th ultimo, the following
discussion occurred between Mr.. Mason. Mr.. Clay
and other Senators, the plan of s' Adjustment,
and especially with reference to the Missouri Com
promise. We copy from the report in the Washing
ion Republic:
Mr.. Mason said that he desired the indulgence o
the Senate to allow hin SPEAK upon all the subjects
embraced the bill, as we'll as those matters referred
to by the Committee in their report. The first o
these was the amendment reported by the committee
to be added to the fugitive slave bill, and which pro-
vides that the master may carry his record evidence
with him when about to reclaim fugitive slave. He
thought that this section had been greatly msunder
stood by his southern friends. He thought it highly
age. The other section, requiring that whenever the
slave should assert his freedom, he should have a
right to trial by jury, his return to the State from
whence he fled, was not go favorable. This did no
meet his favor. He thought that it would prohibit
the sale of the reclaimed slave by his master during
the tendency of this trial it would be detrimental te
the rights and privileges of the owner. He did moi
approve of this amendment.
The next matter to which he alluded was the bill
reported as part of the general scheme of compro-
mise-to abolish the slave trade in the District of
Columbia. He thought that this could not meet with
the favor of the South. If left free and untrammel
ed, he could not vote for it. But he was expressly
forbidden oy the resolutions of his Legislature pass
ed at the late General Assembly.
MIR. FooTE asked the Senator to say whether such
provsion-though in the former resolutions of the
State Of Virginia-was not significantly omitted in
the last resolutions of that body.
Some conversation ensued between the CHAIR,
Messrs. FooTE, BERRIEN and MASON, on the subject
of Interruptions.
Mr.. Mason read the following resolution, passed
by the Legislature of Virginia in January ls49, which
was to him instruction, and which had never
since been revoked, altered or modified.
Resored, That We regard the passage OF law, by
the Congress of the United States, abolishng slave
~ OF the slave trade in the District of Columbia,
a direct attack upon the institutions of the southern
States, to be resisted at every hazard.
He then examined the bill now before the Senate.
He did not think that the bill was such compro-
mise would happily settle all the disturbing ques-
tons of the day. He would cheerfuly support any
could receive his support which in any way interfer-
red with in any way prevented the citizens of any
part of the country going into the territories belong
ing TO all the States, with all his property, of what
Iy and unquestonaby secured by the Constitution of
The United States and any law conflicting with this
constitutional right should be repealed.
The South had conceded in the Clayton compro-
mise to have their right decided by the proper judi
cal tribunals, and to have it tested whether any local
law of the territory, regulation by those who first
settled there, was superior to that right.
There another compromise, made in the time
Of Missouri, by which the territories of the Union
were divided by the line of $50 30, to which the
South had assented. The South would accept it
His objections to the bill, which was said to be a
compromise, was first. that it excluded the South
from the territory of California down to the 32d par
alel, which was four and half degrees more than
what they had yielded by the Missouri compromise
line. To say nothing more the bill violated the Mis-
souri, compromise line. 1t was said that this was
not the of Congress, but of the people of Cafor
MIA. He considered that the adoption OF this bill
would make it the act of Congress. The people of
California who had framed this constitution and State
government, had no right or authority to take such
proceedings, and they were of no binding force, un-
less Congress, by their legislation, carried these pro-
ceedings into operation.
He alluded to the strange proceedings of the Pre-
sident, who ntrusted with the execution of the
laws, and who invited the people in California, which
was the property of the Union to set up this State
government; and directed the military Governor to
give up his authority to the government thus set up
without authority of law, and against all law. He
alluded to very different construction placed upon
the duties of the Executive, in analogous case,
during the administration of MI. Van Buren.
He read from the debates in the California conven-
ton, for the purpose of showing that the people of
California do not attach that importance to their boun
dares as is supposed in Washington; that, if those
boundaries were contracted, they would consider 1t
an injury oppression. He also read to show that
the representatives in the Convention from that part of
establishment of State government. He consider
ed the question whether slavery could exist in Cali
fornia and contended that, had it not been for the
fact that southern men had been deprived of their
constitutional rights to carry their slaves there Cali
fornia would be peopled by thousands of slaves
He cited the debates in the Convention to show tha,
in the proposition to exclude all negroes, it de-
monstrated that the labor of slave in the mines
would be worth five thousand dollars a year; and
who would deny that they would not be of the same
value in that portion of California south of $50 80
He argued that it would be but fair compromise
adopt the division of California by that line OF 36e
5V. he would vote, as matter of compromise. fo
scheme OF adjustment, admitting California on the
sole condition that she her boundaries the
line OF go 30. He had constitutional objection
to the Immediate admission of California because he
believed that she could be entitled to but one repre-
sentative until such time the enumeration of hel
Inhabitants was had. He would, though with grea,
reluctance, vote to overlook the irregularities and con-
duct of the President and that California should be
admitted on proclamation, by the President, when.
ever she would. in convention, contract her southern
the House to one member. af7 . ~ aFs - =
He did not believe that the South would ever ar.
cept any bill as compromise which. excluded slay.
cry from inch of the territory south of that line
California would then have FIVE and half degrees or
The Pacific coast, and leaving little over four de-
grees for any other State which may be formed.
lie next alluded to that part Of the bill settling
ne boundary Of Texas. He objected to this because
me effect of it was to take part Of the territory
and make it the territory Of the United States
The boundary Of Texas was the Rio Grande, and sh.