The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-06-19

raedistate; not lingu9 but terra; for II comes from
different halves Of the land, with border member
" sit between, who is to perform the exploit, hth-
erto deemed impossible in the fox chase Of riding
ON both sides Of the sapng! From the mode of
its creation it might be called the free committee;
for il certainly created ITSELF and freed ITSELF and
tied up the Senate while it was out. And from the
manner in which a majority of seven first govern
thirteen, and then propose to govern the Senate,
and then the whole United States il ght be called
the drithmefical committee; for il certainly seems
TO teach nc y lesson in political arithmetc--thc
lesson OF the minority governing the majority-of
one governing all.
The coVmittee has brought in five old bills, bun
died into one, and requires us to pass them. Now,
how did this committee get possession Of these bis
do not ask for the manual operation. l know that
each Senator had copy on his table, and might
carry his copy where he pleased; but these bills
were in the possession of the Senate its calen-
darfor discussion, but not for decision, while the
committee was out. Two sets of resolutions were
referred to the committee-but not these bills.
And now ask for the law-the parliamentary law
| which enables committee to consider bills not
referred TO il? to alter bills in their legal power
or possession? to tack bills together which the SEN
ate held separate its calendar? to the
| der OF bills on the calendar? to put the hndmost
before, and the foremost behind? to conjon incon-
| gruites, and to conglomerate ndvidualitiesi This
is what ask-for this is what the committee has
| done; and which, if point of order raised,
might subject their bundle of bills TO be ruled off
! the docket. Sir, there is custom-a good ma
| tured one-n some of our State Legislatures, to
convert the last day of the session into of e-
| gislative saturnaa-a frolic--something like bar
ring out the master--in which all officers dis
plac ced, all authorities dsregarded, all rules over
turned all license tolerated, and all business turned
opsy -turvy But then this is only done on the last
day of the session. as prelude to general break
up And the sport is harmless, for nothing is done;
and it is relieved by adjournment, which immedi-
ately follows. Such license this may be toe
rated for 1t is, at least, innocent sportthc mere
play of those "children Of larger growth" which
some poet or philosopher has supposed men to be.
M IN hiatt pi,r ffpeh 1p1ita tied
this play without its reason-taken the license of the
saturnalia without its innocence made grave
work OF their gay sport-produced a monster in
stead OF a merry -andrew-and required us to wor-
ship what it is duty to kill.
lprocced to the destruction of this monster. The
California bill is made the scapegoat of all the sins
of slavery in the United States--thnt California
which is innocent Of all these sins 1t is made
the scapegoat; and this is the first instance
OF an American attempt to initiate that ancient
Jewish mode OF expiating national sins, will read
how II was done In Jerusalem, to show how exact
iy our committee have initiated that ancient expia
tory custom. ! read from an approved volume of
Jewish antiquities
''The goat being tied in the northeast corner of
the court of the temple, and his head bound with
scarlet cloth to signify sin, the high priest went to
him, and laid his hands on his head, and confessed
over it all the iniquities of the children of Israeli
and all their trangressons in all their sins, putting
them all on the head of the goat. After which, he
was given to the person appointed to lead him
away, who, in the early ages of the custom, led
| /,
but as the goat sometimes escaped from the desert,
the expiation, in such cases, not considered
complete and, to make of his death, the al
ter-custom to lead him to a high rock, about
twelve miles from Jerusalem, and push him of it
backwards, to prevent his jumping, the scarlet
cloth being first torn from his head, in token that
the sins OF the people were taken away"
This was the expiation of the scapegoat in
cient jerusalem: an innocent and helpless animal,
loaded with sins which we're not his own, and made
to die for offences which ho had never committed.
| g rol. e.
slavery in the United States, yet they all be
packed upon her back, and herself sacrificed under
the heavy load. First, Utah and New Mexico arc
piled upon her, each pregnant with all the trans
gressions of the Wimot proviso-a double load in
itself-and enough, without further weight, to bear
down California. Utah and New Mexico are first
piled on; and the reason given for it by the COM
mittee is thus stated in their authentic report
'The committee recommend to the Senate the
establishment of those territorial governments and,
in order effcctually to that desirable
object, they also recommend that the bill for their
establishment be incorporated in the bill for the adj
mission Of California; and that, united together,
they both be passed.
This is the reason given in the report; and the
fret thing that strikes me, reading il, is its
entire incompatibility with the reasons previously
given for the act. In his speech in favor of
raising the committee, the Senator from Kentucky
(Mr CLAy) in favor of putting the Territories
upon California for her own good-for the good
of California herself-as the speedy way to get
her into the Union, and the safe way 10 do it, by
preventing an opposition TO her admission which
might otherwise defeat il altogether. This was
his reason then, and he thus delivered IL to the
Senate:
"He would say now 70 those who desired the
speedy admission of California, the shortest and
most expeditions way of attaining the desired OBJ
ject was TO include her admission in bill giving
governments TO the Territories. lie made this state
nent because he was impelled TO do so from what
had come to his knowledge. IL her admission n
separate measure be urged, opposition is created
which may result in the defeat OF any bill for her
admission"
These are the reasons which the Senator then
gave for urging the conjunction Of the State and
the Tcrrtories-quckcst and safest for California:
her admission the supreme object, and the conjunc-
tion of the Territories only means of helping
her along and saving her. And unfounded as
deemed these reasons at the time, and now know
them To be- they still had the merit of giving pref
crence where IL was due-to the superior object
10 California herself, State without being State
Of the Union, and suffering all the ills Of that
anomalous condition. California was then the
superior object; the Territories incidental
figures and subordinate considerations, to be made
subservient TO her salvation. Now all this is
verscd. The Territories take the superior place.
They become the object: the State the incident.
They take the frst-she the second placei And
to make sure of their welfarc-make more certain
Of giving governments TO them-innuerdo, such GO
vernments the committee prescribe-the con-
junction is now proposed and enforced. This is
change OF position, with a corresponding change
Of reasons. Doubtless the Senator from Kentucky
has a right TO change his own position, and TO
change bis reasons at the same time; but he has
right 10 ask other Senators 70 change with him,
require them to believe in two sets Of reasons,
each contradictory TO the oher.+ II is my fortune
>s'.nIr CLAY We'll, If the proposition be to refer
the Presidents message 10 the Committee the
Territories, shall with great pleasure vote for the
proposition. But do not think il would be right
TO embrace in general motion the question Of the
admission Of California and all the other subjects
which treated of by the resolutions upon the
tablethe subject for example, Of the establishment
of territorial governments; Che subject of the estab
lishment ola boundary line for Texas, and the propo
ston TO compensate Texas for the surrender terri
tory. Isay sir, do not think Il would be right 10
found to combine all thcsc SUBJECTS and 10 throw
them bef5re committee TO be acted upon toge-
ther. think the subject Of the admission of Cali
fornia ought 10 be kept separate and distinct, al
though, for one, | should hayc objection, that
question being separated from the residue Of the
subject that the resolutions and the rest Of the pro-
positions that before the Senate so far as
CARDS those which haye kindred common
ture, should be referred at the proper time TO
committee, to be acted upon together, but think
the time has not yet arrived for such reference.