The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-11-27


ported that the committee had performed that duty,
and that Mr.. CLAY responded that it would afford
him great pleasure and that at the designated hour
he would visit the Legislature in the Hall OF Repre-
sentatives. .t, Y
At l2 O'Clock the Senate, preceded by the officers
OF that body, entered the hall, and the Committee
Of Invitation, accompanied by the Hon. HENRY
CLAY, appeared. aAl
Upon Mr. CLAY being introduced, the Chair
man of the Committee, Mr.. Speaker JOHNSON, ad-
dressed him follows
Mr.. CLAY: Allow me, as the organ Of the repre-
scntatives OF the people, to welcome you to this
for the prosperity and happiness of the people, and
to introduce you to the sons and descendants OF
many of your -aborcrs in this field of your USE
fulness. To those labors Kentucky s indebted for
her prosperity and her greatness. Always faithful
to the trusts reposed in you by the people of this
great Commonwealth, when dangers threaten, they
found you the fearless defender of the Constitution
and the rights of the people Permit me, sir, to
Of this body of your successful efforts as their rep
resentativc in the National Councils for the sue
cess of those measures which we hope will give
peace and quiet to the country, and bind IN an IN
sir, to the Kentucky delegation in Congress, to
the distinguished Senators, Webster, Dickinson,
Cass. Foote, and others, Kentucky, yea, sir, Amer
lea owes debt Of gratitude.
Mr.. CLAY replied foliows:. -t
MIR. Speaker and Gentlemen of the General AS
sembly: In presenting myself before you in con-
formity with the resolution Of the House Of Repre-
sentatives, and the invitation received by me from
the committee, have first to perform the agreea-
bic duty Of rendering an expression of my pro-
found acknowledgements and my grateful thanks
for the distinguished honor awarded by you to the
Kentucky delegation, to the patriotic and eminent
Senators of the United States, TO other members OF
Congress, and 10 myself who co-operated at the late
session of Congress in the adoption OF measures
having for their object the harmony, tranquility,
and preservation Of the Union Of our country.
A,,I f. GDa boz aura t.ll ly n
precision of my obligation for the eloquent and com
pliinentary terms In which, the organ of the
House, you have been pleased to allude to my pub
lie services this and other theatres. In the abb
scnce of those whom you have so highly honored
in association with me feel quite sure that, in as
sumng present for them their respectful thanks,
which they could 30 much better do, were they pres
ent here, l shall have the cordial appreciation OF
their hearts.
Heretofore have frequently received gratifying
testimonies of the confidence and attachment OF my
countrymen, but they were principally confined
TO the party of which WAS a member. What gives
extraordinary and expressible value to this occa
sion is, that il has been dictated by party feel
ings, but is the voluntary offering of my fellow
citixens of both political parties who unanimously
passed resolution which has brought US togetter.
The last session of Congress opened underfthe
most lowering and unfavorablc auspices The pub
lie mind had been greatly agitatcd distracted, and
divided upon subjects connected with the institu-
ton of slavery. had witnessed other periods OF
admission of Missouri the whole nation was greatly
convulsed, and there just cause Of serious APP
prehension for the safety of the Union In the in
| stance also OF the opposition OF South Carolina to
the tariff in 1882 and 33, there great danger o
a civil war with that State which might in certain
events have spread TO surrounding States but what
peculiarly distinguished the late sTuggle was that
far than any former occasion, the sentiment
ayowed, not merely Of the existence OF danger 10
the Union, but heard in various quarters open
and undisguised declaration of a necessity and de-
sire for its dissolution. We beheld, too, what we
had never before seen in time OF peacc-thc as
scmbage OF sectional convention Of dele gates the
tendency of which TO break up the Contederacy.
Mr.. Speaker, in common with others, had fore
the dark and gathering storm The perhaps pre-
sumptuous hope that might, under the blessing OF
Providence, be an humble instrument in assisting
to allay il constituted principal motive with me
for returning to public life. Long before the meet
ing of Congress, and during the earlier part OF the
session, it engaged almost exclusively all my most
an xious thoughts. The result Of my reflections wac
that series of resolutions which presented to the
Senate of the United States in Febr uary last My
desire TO embrace all the subjects of agitation
arising out Of the institution OF slavery and to leave
none open for future agitation, and, If possible, to
settle them in Just and honorable manner as TO
both the contending parties.
How these resolutions were received opposed,
and disc ussed, on their frat presentation il ia not
necessary 10 state. Subsequently, committee Of
thirteen was appointed by the Senate, charged
Il II
committee reported. and their various measures
varied but incousiderably from the resolutions
| which ] had previously offered. Those different
measures were the admission of California a
State into the Union, the establishment of ter
ritorisl governments for New Mexico and Utah
without the Wilmot proviso proposals. 10 Texas
for fixing her boundary; more cfhcscious provi-
sions for the recovery of fugitive slaves, and the
abolition of the slave trade in the District of Colun-
ba.
When the ,neeea so of the prceidont A.
ing the admission OF California into the Union was
FIRST prescntcd-not entertaining myself particla
OF doubt as 10 the propricty OF lts adission, and
not being sware of the great and extensive opposi
tion existing amongst the Southern members o
Congress against it'll was in favor of its mmcdi
ate admission as a separate and distinct measure
But, when became acquainted with that opposi
ton, and, considering that it was mere question
Of form, thought il best to unite it with other kin
dred measures in one common bill.
The admission Of California was opposed, fra
upon the ground Of its having constituted itself q
State without the previous express authority OF
Congress and, secondly, because tho Territorial
limits which II had assumed for itself deemed
To be too large and extensive. We replied, the
first ground, that California not the first State
which had been received into the Union without
| the prior sanction OF Congress but that several
other States had been 40 received; that, although
il most regular that Congress should give its
| previous ascent, that that was not a matter dc.
pending upon the Constitution, but wac within the
| sound oiscrcuon OF Songrcssi thet IN The case of
the other States there loss ground for the
which they took, because they were living undei
the blessings of law and order and territorial gov.
ernmonts established for them by Congress, and
| that in the OF California, owing TO DIVISIONS ia
Congress upon the subject of the Wilmot proviso
that body had been not only unable 10 give its as
sent to the formation OF a State in California bu
had totally failed 10 perform the high and impera
tive duty Of establishing territorial government
for California. II had left Californs-without law
without order, without governmont--in state al
most Of perfect anarchy. In such an abandonct
condition the people Of California had right, a,
any rational community upon earth would have
right, 10 institute government for themselves anc
TO establish law aud order
As TO the extent Of the territorial limits of Cali.
fornia, we all felt that they quite large and 4
they could have been re- formed without rejecting
the State, and rems sndng it back into territoria
| condition, perhaps some modification would hav,
been made in the limits but, large they are il il
not believed that they embrace any thing like al
much arabic land is contained in several Of th,
States Of the Union; and, comprehensive ms thos.
| limits are, they not AZ extensive as thos.
Of Texas, which would have been made still larger
If they could have accomplished it, by somc OF tn,
very members who objected 10 tho sise Of Califor
mia.
Prior TO the last session of Congress, the preced
ing session. and even no longer than tw eye mon th