The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-02-14

Mr.. Clay, do you want 10 serve WIN you uPo"
that committee? venture to sly that there
happened upon that occasion what would hardy
happen again eighteen Of the twenty-three were
elected upon the first ballot, and OF the remain
ing i've having the largest number OF votes, but
not a majority, they were the five upon my Inst
moved to dispense with further bailoting, ana
10 take those five gentlemen who had received The
greatest number of votes, with the eighteen sc-
tually elected, to compose the committee OF TWEEN
ty-three. One or two gentlemen-Mr Liver
more of New Hampshire, and one or two other
gentlemen. declined, and very much to my regret,
and somewhat to my annoyance, the lamented Mr..
Randolph and one other gentleman were placed in
their situation forget whether that was done by
ballot or by the Speaker. The Senate immedi-
ateiy agreed to the proposition, and appointed Its
committee.
We met. II was in this Hall, upon the Sab
bath day, within two or three days Of the close
of the session, when the whole nation was listen
ing with breathless anxiety for some final and
healing measure upon that distractiDg subject.
We met here, and upon that day. The moment
we met, Mr.. Randolph made a suggestion which
| knew would be ATTENDED with the greatest en-
barrassment and difficulty. He cOntended that
when the two committees of the two Houses met
together, the chairman of the committee OF the
House, who was my self, had right TO preside. lie
about insisting at some length upon that propo-
sitiOn that the chairman of the committee of the
House should preside over both committees when
blended together-should be the presiding officer
of both instantly opposed, however, this plan,
and stated that did not consider this the proper
mode, but | thought that the chairman of the
committee of each House should preside over his
own committee; aad when the committee of either
branch had adopted proposition, it should be
submitted to the committee of the other branch (;
and if they also agreed to II, then it should be
reported back to the two Houses with the recon-
mendstion of both committees. That mode was
agreed upon, and Mr. Holmes, think it was, from
Maine presided over the committee of the Senate
If could be said to preside at all, when took
a more active part in the chair than could have
well taken out Of it and when, as at this session.
| was thought to manifest desire rather to take
| TOO much lead--presided over the committee Of
the House. brought forward the proposition
which will read presently, and appealed to
the members of the committee, if | may use the
expression. Now, gentlemen, said !, we do not
want proposition carried here by q small MAJOR
ity, thereupon voted 10 the House, and rejected.
am for something practical, something conclu-
| sive, something decisive upon the question. How
will you vote, Mr.. Al How will you VOTE Mr..
| B.? How will you vote, Mr.. c.? appealed
| in that way TO the gentlemen of the North. To
my very great happiness, a sufficient number of
them responded affirmatively to my question
whether they would vote for this proposition to
enable me to be confident that if they continued
to vote in that way-of which had not parti-
, v,u V. NUupt--1n ,ne uonse we should GARY the
proposition. Accordingly, that proposition hav-
ing been agreed upon by both committees, was
reported by us to our respective Houses, where
it was finally adopted.
Now sir, want to Call your attention to this
! period Of our history, and to the transactions
| during the progress of this discussion in Con-
! gress During the discussions in the House.
from day to day and from night to night-for they
frequently ran into the might've, who were for
admitting Missouri into the Union, said to our
brethren from the North-Why, gentlemen, if
there be any provision in that Constitution OF
Missouri which is repugnant to the Constitution
of the United States, it is a nullity The Con-
stituton of the United States, by virtue of its
own operation, vindicates itself There is not a
tribunal upon earth, if the question should be
brought before them, but would pronounce the
Constitution of the United States paramount, and
must pronounce as invalid any repugnant provi-
sion in the Constitution of Missouri Sir that
argument was turned and twisted, and used in
every possible variety Of form, but all in vain
An in6exible majority stuck opnto the last
against the admission of Missouri, until the reso-
luton was offered and passed.
/
read the resolution as follows
Resolution providing the admission of the State of Mis-
souri, into the Union on certsn condition.
Resolped by the Senate and House Of Represent
atipes of the United States Of america in Congress
assembled, That Missouri shall be admitted into
this Union ON an equal footing with the original
| States in all respects whatever, upon the fupda-
mental condition, that the fourth clause OF the
twenty -sxth section of the third article of the
Constitution, submitted on the part of said State
to Congress, shall never be construed to author
ze the passage of any law, and that no law shall
he passed, in conformity thereto, by which any
citizen of either of the States in this Union, shall
be excluded from the enjoyment of any of tht
privileges and immunities to which such citizen Is
entitled under the Constitution Of the United
States Provided, That the Legislature of the said
State by a solemn public act, shall declare the
assent of the said State to the said Fundamental
condition, and shall transmit to the President Of
the United States, on or before the fourth Mon
day in November next, an authentic copy of the
said act; upon the receipt whereof, the President
by proclamation shall announce the fact where
upon, and without any further proceeding on thu
part of Congress, the admission of the said State
into this Union shall he considered as complete
Approved, March 2, 1921
Mr.. Clay resumed There is the resolution
|
all this excitement through(n the country had
reached to such an alarming point that the Union
itself was supposed TO be in the most immnen
peril and danger, all parties were satisfied with
a declaration of an incontestabe principle of con
stitutional law, that when the Constitution of .
State is violative in its provisions of the Const
tuition of the United States the Constitution Of
the United States is to be paramount, and the Con
sttuton of the State in that particular is nulliy
and void. That was all. They wanted some
thing for justification Of the course which they
took. There is great deal of language there o.
a high-sounding character-it shall be q funda
mental act--it shall be solemn and an authen
tic act--but at last, when you come to strip it o
all its verbiage, it is nothing more than the priu
ciple have announced of the paramount char
acter of the Constitution of the United States
over any local Constitution of any one of thu
States of this Union.
Now, sir, when came to consider the subject
and to compare the provisions OF the line of 36c
30 the Missouri compromise line-with the plar
which have proposed for the accommodation o
this question, said to myself if offer the lint
Of $50 30 to interdict the question of slavery
north of it, and to leave it unsettled and opeI
south of it, offer that which is illusory to tn
SOUTH offer that which will deceive them, !
they suppose that slavery will be received soutl
of that line 1t is better for them said to my
self-it is better for the South that there shoul'
be non-action as to slavery, both north and soutl
of the line-far better that there should be non
action both sides Of the line than that there shou'
be action by the Introduction on the one side
without action for the admission upon the othe
side of the line Is it not sol What is Their
gained by the South if the Missouri line is extend
) ed to the Pacific with the Introduction of SLAYER,
north of i'll Why, sir, the very argument whic
has been most often and most seriously urged b.
the South has been this we do not want Congress
to legisate upon the subject of slavery at all yo
ought not to touch it, You have no power owe
. it. do not concur as is well known from what
have said upon that question, in this view Of tn