The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-05-23
0NyIBUS BILL - DlSSENTEkN'

|
? ter of the dissent of Southern members eA'.p'
T through the telegraphic reports Our lihPreS''oH
was that the objections taken to the Dill ny 'h'
South were exaggerated, and on examining care
fully the full account of the debate that followed
the report of the Committee, we find that we were
not mistaken.
A brief review Of it will serve to show the po'
stion of Senators in relation to 1t.
MIR Clemens of Alabama gave notice OF hishl-
tention to offer, at the proper time, the following
amendment
THAT the line of $50 80 north latitude shall
be, and the same il hereby declared 10 DE, the
southern boundary line of the said State OF Call
fornia"
Subsequently, Mr. Clemens made sundry Oh
jeciions to the measures reported by the Commit
tee, prefacing them with the remark, that, AS Ne
iiendM 10 pote against thtm, he did not choose
to appear to sanction them by his silence.
After all, it was against the report, rather than
against the bills that his assaults were aimed; and
it is by no means certain that Mr. Clemens, II
few alterations be made in the latter, will not sus
tain them.
Mr. Phelps of Vermont, member of the Com
mittee said that as he had anticipated, it was his
misfortune to differ from the Committee on most
of the prominent features of the report. lie did
not 90 into particulars, or intimate whether his
dissent in opinion would lead him to oppose the
bill Since then, suffering greatly from ill
health he has gone home to Vermont, and the
pr boo ,.,., Sat he viii % az ssas,6sS
progress Of the controversy.
Mr. niasJn s, :, Il SSis Sas -sStrS 10 SAX - :
he was not of the majority of the Committee by
| which the report had been sanctioned-he had
not been able to concur in the principal measures
recommended 1t was evident that he would not
commit himself against the bills, but that he re-
oarded them rs measures to be held under consid-
Grafton, with q view Of making them still more
acceptable to the South.
Mr. Cooper of Pennsylvania said that in the
main he concurred in the recommendations OF the
report and in its provisions; from some he dis
sented The main feature of the provisions re-
ferred to is, the total abandonment of the Wilmot
Proviso Another important feature is, stringent
measures for the reclamation of alleged fugitives
from service or labor, without allowing them the
benefit of h0beas corpus or trial by jury.
MIR. Downs OF Louisiana said that his objec.
tions to the admission of California with her
present boundaries were not yet removed still
he indicated no invincible opposition to the report
and bills of the Committee.
Mr. Bcrrien of Georgia, another member Of
the Committee, did not concur in every meas
ure rccommended-but, he trusted that the bills
in their progress through the Senate would be SO
modified as to relieve his mind from embarrass-
ment
Mr.. Mangum of North Carolina sustained the
report.
Mr.. Foote advocated compromise and concilia
3 Mr.. Yulee Of Florida would not lose momen
l in declaring that the measures proposed by tn
= Committee could not receive his support or vote.
e Mr.. Borland of Arkansas avowed his opposi
ton to every essential part Of the plan of compro
!, mise-to the admission of California with he
r present boundaries--to the reasons in the repor
y for the omission of the Wilmot Proviso in tn
n Territorial provsions-to the reduction Of tn
y boundaries Of Texas-to the measure in regard t
e the reclamation of fugitives from labor We Sc
t. ton of antagonism to the bills or how they Cal
d be modified so as to accommodate him.
! Mr. Houston of Texas favored the report
e was for compromise and the Union.
e Mr.. Cass was panied to see gentlemen commit
e themselves so hastily against the report, an
f Messrs Dickinson and Bright declared their in
e tcntion to stand by It,
G Mr.. Davis of Mississippi said that he was gla
@ to learn that majority Of the members of tn
Committee were opposed to the bills but he ha
Z no objection to the printing.
n Now, what man, who is familiar with Southern
0 tactics believes in the strength of the opposition
Z indicated by these declarations? Messrs. Yule
aud Borland have committed themselves agans
e the bills, so positively unqualifedly, that W
sec not how they can retreat without the deepes
c discredit to themselves but, as to the other dis
t scntients, they remain open to conviction, expect
ing to obtain certain important notifications
: Their position pretty clearly disclosed las
: Wednesday, on motion submitted by Mr.. Dong
las of Illinois, to lay the Omnibus bill on the ia
bic, for the purpose of taking up and considering
separately the bill for the admission of Caliorn
o as a State Mr. Douglas said that he intende,
: the motion as test of the sense of the Senate
Had the Southern Senators cherished any irwin
chile repugnance to the report and measures o
the Committee Of Thirteen, they would hav
sustained the motion; but, with a single excep
ton, they voted against it. The yeas and nay
. were as follows:
YEAs-Messrs Baldwin, Benton, Bradbury
Chase, Clarke, Cooper, Corwin, Davis of Massa
chusetts, Dayton, Dodge of Wisconsin, Douglas
Felch, Greene, Hale, Miller, Norris, Seward
Shields, Smith, Spruance, Wales, Walker, Web
stcr Yuee-24.
Nays-Messrs. A,chison, Bell Berrien, Dor
land, Bright, Cass, Clay Clemens, Davis of Mis-
9 sissippi, Dawson, Dickinson, Dodge of Iowa
Downs, Elmore, Footc, Houston, Hunter, Jones
r King Mangum, Morton, Pratt, Rusk, Soul6
Sturgeon Turney, Underwood, Whitcomb-2s
: Yulee, the only Southern man excepting Mr.
Bcnton) voting to lay upon the table.
The inference is plain the slaveholding mem
hers are determined to hold the measures of tn
, Committee under consideration for the purpos
8 of extorting further sacrifices from the North
They are not satisfied with the abandonment o
the Wilmot Proviso, with the purchase Of tn
fraudulent claim of Texas with the denial o
habeas eoys and jury trial to persons on trial TO
their Freedom they have resolved, If possible, t
divide California, with view to obtain harbo
for slavery on the Pacific, and to wiring from tn
North a provision virtually affirming the right t
carry slaves into the Territories and hold Their
there. The amendment ofwhich Mr.. Clemens CAV
notice reveals their policy in regard to California
and the following extract from the proceedings @
the Senate last Wednesday show what they wis
in relation to the Territories
Mr.. Davis Of Mississippi move to amend tn
10th section Of tho bill, line 9, by striking out tn