The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-08-08
THE LATE COMPROMISE BILL.

Mr.. Clay charges upon Mr. Pearce the respon-
sibility of defeating the Compromise bill. The
cause of its defeat was the exacting spirit Of sa
very. Bad as the bill was, abandoning as it did
the Wilnot Proviso, it did not satisfy the Texas
Senators, and certain members from the South
The former demanded an amendment which
should withdraw protection from New Mexico,
lay it open to aggression, and give Texas an i'm
piled title. The latter required the mutilation Of
Cslifornia-its division by the line of $50 80 or
$50 3d. The demand of the former was met by
Dawson's amendment, in utter disregard of the
opinion of Mr.. Pearce, who, as friend Of the
bill, on being asked his views, protested most
earnestly against it. Determined not to yield
such point to the demands Of Texas, he
made his motion to strike out the amendment,
which was carried and then the Texas Senators
voted against the bill Now, how happens it
that MIR. Pearce is to be denounced by Mr. Clay
and the Washington Union, for defeating the bill,
aud the Texas Senators are to be exonerated from
censure7 But this abominable amendment had
it been suffered to stand, would not, it seems,
have secured the passage of the bill, without an
other sacrifice to slaveholding intolerance. The
line of $50 80 was to be run through California,
and the southern portion taken off for a new Ter
ritory, in which, says the Washington Union of
Sunday morning, "the citizens of the South might
haze the opportunity Of testing, at least the fleets Of
The climate and soil upon the SIdueso The adoption
of this amendment was also regarded us necessary
to the passage of the bill.
But, let us hear from Mr.. Footc, the most zeal
Gus, the most indeatgable, the most efficient adj
yocate Of the Compromise bill, an explicit state
ment of the calculations Of the friends of the BILL
of the several amendments to be adopted to secure
sufficient support in the South, and Of the amount
of concession the Northern supporters of the
bill were prepared TO yield. In his speech
last Thursday, accompanying the introduction of
his amendment to divide California, and erect its
southern portion into Territory where South
ern men might test, according to the Union, the
value of slave labor, he said
IL so happened Mr.. President that | pre-
pared that amendment after a very ex tensive con-
sultation with the friends of this ILL from the
North and from the South. My own mind had
become previously satisfied almost entirely so,
that it would be impossible to pass what we called
the Adjustment bill, and what certain facetious
gentlemen have thought proper to denominate the
Omnibus bill, without some additional votes from
the South; which votes took II upon myself to
endeavor to secure to the bill, by such an expla-
nation al | was authorized by the existing friends
of the bill to make to certain Southern friends of
mine.
"There were members of this body, sir, inclu-
ding yourself Mr.. King, who most warmly IA
vored the general objects of the bill, and desired
most ardently that the general measures of adj
justme7t should be adopted, but who entertained,
and had expressed, in the most decided language,
objections to the passage Of the BILL unless GER
tain notifications could be obtained thereto.
Among these notifications was this one, and this
was the most material Another was the run
ming of the boundary line between Texas and
New Mexico, at the line of the 34th parallel Of
latitude the objection to which was afterwards
avoided by the proposition to appoint commits
sioners, whose duty it should be to agree upon
that boundary line. Another amendment was
one which | had the honor Of laying upon the
table few days ago, and which is now printed,
which proposed to preserve the Texas compact OF
annexation intact. Sir, after eOaferriag Nth The
friends Of The BILL from The North and the South and
from tie Eaa and the Ws-the apowed and oseer-
tanned friends Of The bill made u my dmy 10 call
npon yon, sir, and other Senators, including my
friend from Alabama Mr. Clemens and the SEN
ator from Arkansas Mr.. Sebastian to ascertain
whether il this amendment could be migrated
upon the bill, they would give it their support,
Wan that sort Of manly patriotism rhieh bsiongs 10
those gentlemen, they assured M they eowld do Il.
Although this is not generally knomn 10 the country,
feel authorized 10 make this statement. Amer !
had communicated with them, made the state Of
things known to the whole Senate, in one way or
another Then, sir, II was ascertained to be
practicable thing to pass this bill in the form
which II would have assumed after this amend |
ment was adopted, IL Southern gentlemen who |
had previously declared themselves hostile to the
measure, upon certain specific grounds Of objec-
ton stated BY them, would manifest willingness !
to cooperate with NJ Yesterday IL was compe- |
tent for the South to have obtained the passage |
Of the Californis bill, with the boundaries re-
s,ricted ~ this amendment proposes to restrict |
them Yesterday, - proposed BY me, IT was