The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-06-18

lC0nssnued from prW pdge)
State is to be admitted, no odds what her consti-
tuition may say.
take ground with the eloquent gentleman from
Georgia, [Mr, ToomBs,] and now Declare that il
this is to become the ruling principle of the North
If we thus to crouch at the footstoo of power
If we are to be brought down from our high poo-
sition equals to become your dependenis-li
to live forever at your mercy, rejoicing IN
your smiles and shrinking from your frown--if,
indeed sir it has come to this, that the Union is
to be used for these accused purposes then, SIR,
by the God OF my fathers, am against the Union,
and so help me Heaven, will dedicate the rem
nant of my life to its dissolution.
Men may talk of adjustments, letters may be
written speeches may be made, newspapers printed
TO glorify the Union--but, sir, il this is the Union
you would gonfy, it is base-born Islander TO say
the South is for it. If we are to have Union of
equals ii will forever rest upon all our hearts and
all our hands-it will be eternal. But if it is to be
a Union Of the tyrant and the serf union Of the
monarch and the mental, Union Of the vulture
and the lamb--then, sir, warn gentlemen it will
be Union of perpetual strife. Say what you will,
write what you will, speak what you will, think
what you will, the South will wage eternal war
fare upon such Union. We will invoke with
one voice the vengeance Of Heaven upon such a
Union-we wall pray increasingly to the God of
our deliverance that he will send US bolt from
Heaven to shiver the chain which thus binds us
TO tyranny and oppression.
Mr.. b. withdrew the amendment.
Mr.. CARTER renewed the amendment, and
said Mr.. Chairman, one word in reply to the
honorable member from Mississippi, who has seen
proper TO give to the vote upon the amendment
which has just been lost in committee, the con-
structon that it was significant Of the fact that no
slave State was hereafter to be suffered to come
into the Union Sir, | did not vote one way or
the other upon the question, knowing that my
vote was not necessary to the result. III had
haxa ,I<a
for the reason that the amendment was not ger
name to the bill providing for the admission of
California, but totally foreign to the subject. For
the further reason, sir, that the amendment was
not only a departure from the matter before the
committee, but embracing no subject Of present
legislation whatever, either pertinent or mpert-
nent. For the further reason, sir, that the amend
ment, if nok designed, has the tendency to encum-
Der and embarrass the action Of the committee and
delay the object of its labors.
Sir, the effort to crush California in her appli-
cation for admission into the Union, is remorse-
less and inventive in one branch or other Of the
Capitol. She has been loaded down with COM
plicated and discordant subjects ofegisaton, with
which she has nothing to do, and in connection with
which ought not to be made to account Though
her claim is simple and single one, justified By
ample reason and precedent, and demanded by
imperious necessity, she is compelled to await the
adjustment Of foreign political subjects, involving
the past, present, and future Nay, more, sir, her
enemies insist upon it, that her advent into the
Union shall be marked by miracle She has
got to establish ,chaf is styled an equilibrium of
power between the free and slave States, or, in
other words, she is under the necessity of making
OnefOurth OF the population of the Union co,,a to
the remaining three-fourths. This, sir, is not
only mathematical absurdity, but in the political
sense a practical impossibility. The numerical
difference Of population is destined to increase in
increased ratio; and let me say to southern gen
temen, that the problem of population is not
within the control of Congress- 1t will be regu-
lated by emigration and the natural laws of
population, and those who contemplate dissolution
would do well, while they are about it, to make
but one job Of it, and dissolve their relations with
the world The last amendment was pure alb
straction, as have before remarked calculated to
embarrass the admission of California; and if /
had voted at all upon it, should have voted
against 1t, for this reason if no other II ought
to be the policy of the friends of California, to
sweep from the way Of her admission, all techni-
cal obstacles to her success. The Union though
ostentatiously and repeatedly threatened, in my
opinion, Is IN no serious danger. She will long
outlive this outburst of fury.
If the admission Of a free State under the cir
cumstances of California is sufficient to sunder
the ties which bind any of her citizens to her, no
sacrifice which the integrity Of her republican in
stitutons can endure, will preserve their affection;
no humility which freemen can submit to will
AioiN naSiii' II uS ncii-pieSeTNdtOH power Oh
this great empire rests for strength and support
on such frail fealty, the Union could not be pre-
served whether California be admitted or rejected.
Mr.. c. withdrew the amendment
Mr.. THOMPSON, Of Pennsylvania, having
renewed the amendment, remarked that the vote
upon the last proposition, or rather the PROPOSE
ton itself, had so little to do with the settlement
of the present question, that large number of
the members of that House did not even con-
slider 1t worth while to vote upon it. himself
among the number. 1t was a mere abstraction
Will 1t be asserted, continued Mr.. T., that the
North by this vote have indicated any indsposi-
ton to carry out, in good faith, all the rights
given by the Missouri Compromise as it stands'
Let 1t not be done. 1t would not only be wrong
to do so, but, without saying or intending any
imputation against the gentleman from Kentucky,
this had nothing to do with the question, was an
abstraction, calculated to mislead and place those
who voted against it in false position Will it
be said that it indicates that States from Texas,
under the compromise, assignment, are not to
come In? If so, it is wrongs gross wrong
do say that think the Chair should have ruled
the motion out of order.
There is nothing that could be drawn from the
vote except the condemnation of an abstraction.
Sir, there should be no abstraction here One
word further, sir, in regard to this controversy.
must say that all propositions in regard to the
adoption of the Missouri Compromise are entirely
out Of the question now. Even the able advocate
OI te missouri compromise lNr. STAUNT0N, OF
Tennessee, u ought to know this. WHY do | say
so? Sir, because it strikes at the foundation of
the hopes Of the admission of California Why,
to adopt the Missouri Compromise now would be
to dismember, cut in two California il would be,
in effect, defeat of the bill for her admission,
whilst throughout the whole country, to the
North and IN the South, there is, l sincerely be-
lieve, large majority of the people in favor of her
admission. And, if we determine here to cut her
in two parts by means Of the Missouri Com
promise line, it would be but movement back
wards, that would render admission impossible
to admit her unit in policy, such as her friends
claim that she has established for herself in her
constitution, almost unanimously agreed to by her
people. =
Mr.. THOMPSON, Of Mississippi, (the floor
being temporarily yielded to him. said Does the
gentleman not know that all the people Of Cali
fornia living south Of the line of $50 30' desired
Territorial government, and voted for it in conven
ton, and is not this reason sufficient for us? Be-
sides, 1t does not rrise any question to our
power over the question of boundary. The people
desire it, and if we are willing to consult their