The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-02-23

AT the next session il was renewed; and, at the
time Of its renewal, Maine was knocking at our
door, also, to be admitted into the Union. In the
House there was majority for restriction Of the
admission OF slavery in the Senate majority was
opposed to any such restriction. In the Senate.
therefore, In order TO carry Missouri through, bill
or provision for her admission, rather authorizing
her to determine the question Of her admission, was
coupled with the bill for the admission OF Maine They
were connected together and the Senate said TO the
House, you want the bill for the admission OF Maine
passed; you shall not have it, unless you take along
with it the bill for the admission Of Missouri also.
There was a majority--not a very large one, but a
very firm and decided majority-in the Senate, for
coupling them together. Well, the bill went through
all the usual stages of disagreement, and OF com
mittees Of conference; for there We're two commit
tees OF conference upon the occasion before the mat
ter was finally decided. 1t was finally settled to
disconnect the two bills; to admit Maine separately,
without any connexion with Missouri, and to insert
In the Missouri bill cause-which was inserted in
the Senate of the United States-a clause which
proposed by Mr.. Thomas, of Illinois, in the Senate,
restricting the admission Of slavery north OF 36o 3d.
and leaving the question open south of $50 30 either
TO admit or not to admit slavery. The bill was
finally passed. The committees Of conference OF
the two houses recommended the detachment OF the
two bills, and the passage of the Missouri bill, with
the clause OF 360 3U in it, So it passed. So Invent
to Missouri. So, for a moment, it quieted the
country. But the clause of $50 30', repeat, you
will find, sir, if you will take the trouble to look
into the journals, was, upon three four different
| occasions, offered. Mr.. Thomas, acting in every
instance, presented the proposition Of $50 s0; and
1t was finally agreed to. But take the occasion to
a majority of southern members. My friend from
Alabama, in the Senate, (Mr. KING,) MIR. Pinck-
ney, from Maryland, and majority of the south
ern Senators, in this body, voted in favor of the
| line Of 800 30 and majority OF the southern
members in the other House, at the head Of whom
was Mr. Lawrence himself voted also for that line.
have no doubt that did also; but, as ! was
Speaker of the House, and as the journal does not
wi ch WAY the Snea trar in fh,,
cases OF tie, am not able to tell, with certainty,
how actually did vote; but have earthly
! doubt that voted, in common with my other
southern friends, for the adoption of the line of
| 800 30.
So the matter ended in 1920. During that year
Missouri held convention, adopted constitution,
sent her constitution by her members to Congress.
to be admitted into the Union but she had mad
vertenty inserted into that constitution provision
| to prevent the migration of free people of color
into that State. She came here with the constitu-
ton containing that provision; and Immediately
northern members took exception to it. The
flame which had been repressed at the previous
session now burst out with redoubed force and
| violence throughout the whole Union. Legislative
bodies all got in motion to keep Missouri from
the Union, in consequence of her Introduction OF
the admission OF free people of color within her
| limits.
/ i did not arrive at Washington at that session
until January and when got here, found both
bodies completely paralyzed by the excitement
which had been produced in the struggle to admit
or to exclude Missouri from the Union, in conse-
quence of that prohibition. Well, l made an ef-
FORT first, in the House of Representative s. to settle
it. asked for committee of thirteen, and COM
mittee of thirteen granted to me, representing
all the old States Of the Union. That committee
! met. / presented to the committee resolution,
which was adopted by it and reported TO the House,
| not unlike the one to which will presently call
the attention of the Senate. We should have car
ried it through the House but for the votes Of Mr..
! Randolph, OF Virginia, Mr.. Edwards, of North
| MIR If Tar tyvO-
l think, of the three longer living. Those
three southern votes were all cast against the COM
promise proposed TO the committee of thirteen by
myself, as chairman of that committee, and they
defeated it.
| In that manner things remained for several days.
The greatest anxiety prevailed. The country was
unsettled; men were unhappy. There was a large
/ majority in the House then-as / hope and trust
there is now large majority in Congress-in ia
vor Of the equitable accommodation and settlement
of the question. could have any collateral ques-
ton passed which pleased, except that when it
came to the vote, by ayes and noes, unfortunately
more unfortunately then than now, hope, should
there be occasion for it-there were but few Cur
tus's and Leonidass, ready to risk themselves for
the safety and honor Of the country. But endea-
voured to avail myself as much as could of the
good feeling that prevailed; and after some days
had elapsed, brought forward another proposition,
and new one, perfectly unpractised upon in the
country, before or since, as lar as know. pro-
posed joint committee of the two Houses; that of
the House consisted Of twenty three members that
of the Senate OIL do not recollect precisely how
many, but OF proper number, TO meet the COM
| mittee of the House; and that this committee be
appointed by ballot. At that time, Mr.. Taylor, of
| New York, was in the chair /; and Mr.. Taylor had
been the very man who had first proposed the re-
striction upon Missouri that she should only be adj
mitted under the provisions of the ordinance Of
1 1857. proposed, therefore, that the committee
should be chosen by ballot. Well, sir, my motion
was carried by large majority, and members
came TO me from all quarters Of the House asking
| wa nj a wit
4 upon that committee j named my selection !;
and venture to say that there happened upon that
occasion what would hardly happen again eigh-
| teen Of the twenty three were elected upon the
first ballot, and the remaining five, having the
largest number Of votes, but not a majority, were
appointed upon my hist moved 10 dispense with
further balloting, and TO take those FIVE gentlemen
who had received the greatest number of votes,
with the eighteen actually elected, 10 compose the
committee Of twenty three. One two gentle
men-Mr. Livermore, OF New Hampshire, and one
| or two other gcntlemen-declined and very much
TO my regret, and somewhat TO my annoyance, the
lnmented Mr.. Randolph and one other gentleman
were placed in their situation. ] forget whether
that was done by ballot or by the Speaker. The
Senate Immediately agreed 10 the proposition, and
appointed its committee.
We met. II was in this hall, upon the Sabbath
day, within two or three days Of the close of the
session, when the whole nation was listening with
breathless anxiety for some final and healing mea
sure upon that distractng subject. We met here,
and upon that day. The moment met, Mr..
Randolph made suggestion which knew would be
attended with the greatest embarrassment and diff
Guilty. He contcnded that when the two commit
tees Of the two houses met together the chairman Of
the committee Of the House, who myself, had a
right 10 preside. lie about insisting at some
length upon that proposition. 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 OPP
posed, 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, and when the COM
mttee Of either branch had adopted proposition, it
should be submitted 10 the committee OF the other
branch, and il they also agreed 10 it, then II should
be reported back TO the two houses with the
mendation Of both committees That mode was
agreed upon, and Mr.. Holmes, ! think ii was, from
Maine, presided over the committee Of the Senate.
I-ifI could be said TO preside at all, when took a
more active part in the chair than could have well
taken out Of IL, and when, as at this session, was
thought 10 manifest desire rather 10 take too much
lead-preeidcd over the committee Of the House ]
brought forward the proposition which will read
presently, and appealed to the members Of the
committee, II may use the expression. Now, gen
tlenen, said we do not want proposition carried