The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-08-03

Mr.. UOUGLAS. That is the same point
which has been argued between the senator
from Louisiana (Mr. SouLE) and the senator
| from Massachusetts, MIR. WEBsTERO and in
which discussion participated to some extent.
| must leave il, therefore, where that discussion
| left 1T. The amendment now, sir, Is the same
that was put upon our tables three or four
months SINCE and was subsequently made a
part of the Compromise bill. do not now wish
to go into a discussion of the subject. "a
| Mr.. FOOTE. now ofier,as an amendment
to the amendment, the same amendment which
| offered the other day and withdrew, the object
of which is to reduce the boundary of California
to the line OF 35 deg 30 min. and TO establish
Territorial government south of that line. i
propose to add it to the end of the section:
sand that the said State of California shall
never hereafter claim as within her boundaries,
nor attempt to exercise Jurisdiction over any
portion of the territory at present claimed by
her, except that which is embraced within the
following boundaries, to wit commencing in
the Pacific ocean, three English miles from the
shore, at the forty-second degree of north lati-
tude; thence with the southern boundary line.
of the Territory of Oregon, to the summit Of
the Sierra Nevada; thence along the crest Of
that mountain to the point where it intersects
the parallel of latitude of thirty-five degrees
thirty minutes; thence, with said parallel of lat
itude to point in the Pacific ocean three Eng
lsh miles from the shore and thence to the be-
ginning, including all islands, bays, and harbors,
adjacent to or included within the limits hereby
assigned to said State. And new territory Is
hereby established, to be called Colorado, to con-
slst Of the residue Of the territory embraced
within the limits of the said State of California,
rs specified in the constitution heretofore adopt
ed by the people of California for the govern
ment of which territory so established, all the
provisions of the act relating to the territory of
Utah, except the name and boundaries therein
specified, are hereby declared to be in force in
said territory of Colorado from and after the
day when the consent of the State of California
shall have been expressed in some formal man
ner to the modification of her boundaries above
described" G1,la t ia
Mr.. FOOTE. have few remarks in ex-
PLANTATION of that amendment, and | wish to state
n few historical truths which ought to be under
stood by the present generations and by poster
ity. 1t so happened, Mr.. President, that pre-
pared that amendment after a very extensive
consultation with the friends of this BILL from
the North and from the South. My own mind
has become previously satisfied, almost entirely
so, that it would be impossible to pass what we
called the adjustment bill, and what certain IA
cetious gentlemen have thought proper to de-
nominate the omnibus bill, without some addi-
tional votes from the South, which votes took
it upon myself to endeavor to secure to the bill,
by such an explanation rs was authorized by
the existing friends of the bill to make to GER
tain Southern friends of mine.
There were members of this body, sir inclu-
ding yourself, who most warmly favored the
general objects of the bill, and desired most ar
IDENTIFY that the general measure of adjustment
should be adopted, but who entertained, and had
expressed in the most decided language, objec-
tons to the passage of the bill, unless certain
notifications could be obtained thereto Among
these notifications was this one, and this was
the most material. Another was the running of
the boundary line between Texas and New
Mexico, at the line of the Saith parallel of lati-
tude, 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 l 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 comforting with
the friends of the bill, from the North and the
!, South, and from the East and the West the
avowed and ascertained friends of the bill,
made it my duty to call upon you, sir, and Other
senators, including my friend from Alabama
(Mr CLEMENs,) and the senator from Arkansas
\ Mr. SEBASTIAN to ascertain whether if this
amendment could be engrafted upon the bill
they would give it their support With that
sort of manly patriotism which belongs to those
gentlemen, they assured me they could do it
Although this is not generally known to the
4 country, feel authorized to make this state.
ment After had communicated with them,
made the state Of things known to the whole
Senate, in one way or another. Then, sir, il
, was ascertained to be practicable thing to pass
this bill in the form which it would have as
sumed after this amendment was adopted, i
! Southern gentlemen who had previously de
clared themselves hostile to the measure, upon
certain specific grounds of objection stated by
them, would manifest willingness to cooperate
i with us. Yesterday it was competent for the
South to have obtained the passage of the Cali
fornia BILL with the boundaries restricted as this
amendment proposes to restrict them. Yester-
day, as proposed by me, it was practicable to
have obtained the boundary line for California
of 30 deg. 80 min. 2 a'tM @t Ea
speak of whatI know, and what no man
can dispute. Statements of honorable men,
constituting majority of this body, will show
that the facts have stated are the actually ex-
listing facts in the history of this affair i do
not speak of them for the purpose of rebuking
\ any oouy speak VI tucln III tile VI
lamentation; for it is now most evident, as it
has been to me always, that the only means of
obtaining the object which the South has as
serted is most desirable to her, with respect to
the boundaries Of California, has been refused
! by Southern men. 1t may be that this morning
the magnanimous friends of the BILL those who
have been most warmly devoted to the admis-
sion of California, may be yet willing to accord
to us this modification of the boundary line. II
may be that an appeal to these gentlemen may
yet be successful and | rise for the purpose, in
part, of making this appeal, although must ac-
knowledge that i make it with no great degree
of confidence that | shall be successful
should consider it the happiest event of my life
/ if could accomplish it. And must say to the
friends of the admission of California, that il
they could reconcile it to their own sense o.
duty, under all the circumstances of the hour
to accord to us this amendment, il does seen
to me they would not lose any portion of tina
senatorial dignity and respect which now apper
tains to their characters, but that they woult
thereby greatly enhance it. cannot now CLAIM
IL with all the confidence and all the earnestnes