The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-05-09

of the committee. IL true that in the proper
construction to be placed ON the resolutions of an
nexation of Texas, he agreed with the committee,
but ne differed widely from some of the positions
and grounds taken in the report.
Ii was his misfortune 10 have differed from the
committee on most of the leading features of their
scheme, and while he now confined him5elf to dis
claiming any responsibility for the report, he would
take another occasion to express his views more at
large. He thought that this whole Texas subject
should have been passed by without any notice OF
il in this report.
Mr. CLAY said that he had omitted to state that
thecommittee, and every member OF il, had metwith
the most perfect and sincere desire TO adopt such
scheme as would be most advantageous to the
restoration of peace and harmony on this distract
ing question.
Mr.. MASON said that he had never seen any
gentlemen more disposed than those who composed
the committee to come to happy conclusion ON
this subject and there no man who regretted
more than he did that their consultations did not
result. The subject had it's difficulties, and he
had hoped this committee would have removed
them; but those difficulties, in his opinions had not
been removed. The language of the report shows
that it not unanimous. He was not in the ma
jority who made that report, and he regretted that
he could not concur in the measure reported by the
Mr.. COOPER said that ii had been his misfor-
tune not to agree with the majority OF the commit
tee many of the points on which they had
ported He would not at present particularize
those points on which he differed. He agreed with
the conclusions of the committee concerning the
force Of the resolutions OF annexation Of Texas but
desired to until another time expression
of his sentiments on the point He agreed with the
main features of the report, and regretted that he
could not agree with them all.
Mr.. DOWNS said that his silence might be
construed into an approval OF the report of the
committee of which he member he thought
it no more than his duty to state the points
which he did not agree. His particular objection
one which he had urged in the Senate on seve-
raj occasions, and it was that he would never con-
xf
Of California. Moreover, he thought that the South
should have portion of that State, and had hoped
that the Missouri compromise line would have been
adopted there.
Mr.. BERRIEN said that he agreed with the Sen
ator from Vermont Mr.. PHELps) in respect to that
portion of the report concerning the admission of
new States to be formed out of Texas He could
not agree to the plan reported by the committee,
admitting California with her present boundaries.
He found it impossible for him to vote for the ad-
mission Of any State with the extent of seacoast
now held by California; he could not consent to
place that under the control of any one State He
would have been glad if the State had been divided
into two States by the line of $50 So. An insuper-
able objection to the admission of California was,
that she claimed two Representatives in the House
of Representatives. He found that the Constitu-
ton placed representation upon population, and
that, under the present superintendent law, Calior
mia, to be entitled to two Representatives, must
have a population of one hundred and forty one
thousand three hundred and sixty inhabitants-not
persons in the country, but settled inhabitants He
did not believe she had this population He did
agree with the committee in their notice of the Will
mot proviso. 1t was treated if Congress had the
power to pass it. He would rather have not alluded
to it at all.
Mr.. MANGUM said that he had supported the
raising of this committee in the hopes of settling
the difficulties which had disturbed the country.
He had gone for the committee to bring about some
practical plan of adjustment. He believed that no
plan could be submitted that would not be open to
criticism and with which faults might not be found,
did not suit him exactyif they were to indulge in
criticism and hypercrticsm, then there could never
be any plan adopted. If every man were to stand
dogmatically and obstinately on his own private
were few things in this plan which did not exactly
square with his private views and opinions, but
what was the committee raised for if it were not to
obviate these private difhcultiesl He took the
port a whole, and he would support it cordially
and with pleasure. He for settling in any hon
orabe way; indeed he was disposed to be liberal.
Mr.. CLEMENS said that he would vote against
all the measures reported by the committee. He
bad voted for the committee because his friends had
done so, but he never expected any good to result
from it, and he was not disappointed. II was no
thing more than the plan submitted long since by
the resolutions Of the Senator from Kentucky, and
which the Senator from North Carolina had then
opposed in the strongest terms. He thought the
Senator from North Carolina little inconsistent in
supporting that now which he had denounced some
time back. The Senator spoke of being liberal.
posed TO do that which was unconstitutional. He
could not agree with the report because il assumed
three things as facts-which were not facts. The
first of these was, that there was an imperative me-
cessity for the formation of State government in
California. II 30, why did it not exist in Utah,
New Mexico, and in Oregon? The next was that
there was the requisite number Of inhabitants Tin
the constitutional of the term) in California to
entle her 20 admission He denied the truth of this
The third assumed fact, and to which he could
not assent, was, that the irregularities which took
place in California had taken place in regard TO
other States. He then gave history of the admis-
sion of the other States, 70 show this assumption
not true.
Mr.. CLAY said that he did not think il either
just 10 the committee, the Senate, the report, the
country, or the subject that the report should be
thus taken up and debated before ii had bad time TO
have been spread before the country. He never
knew report 10 be the subject of remark and de-
bate. Let the measures and the bills reported be
dis cussed, but do not pounce down ON the report,
and hold that up TO comment and ridicue before il
is known TO the country. He would stand by that
report and the measures of the committee. He had
enlisted in the cause Of his country, and would
stand firm to his post; and no remarks, Of whatso-
ever nature, would induce him 10 abandon his duty
Mr.. F0OTE said that he was rather OF an impul-
sive nature, and was apt to arrive at conclusions
upon subjects as soon perhaps as most men, but he
could not, as some Of his friends had done, sec, in
what he had heard ofthis report sufficient TO enable
him 10 form correct judgment upon its merits. lie
had understood its general features, and thought
he would be able to give il his support He thought
due 10 the country and the committee that the re-
port should be printed, and would move that nifty
thousand extra copies be printed lie did not think
il proper that the report should be prejudiccd in
advance
Mr.. CLEMENS said that the Senator from Mis-
sissippi had seemed surprised at his quick percep-
ton OF the report The Senator must have forgotten
that yesterday he had endeavorcd, for more than
an hour, 10 impress him with the contents OF the
report, and 10 induce him 10 support u. This was
an old subject. The bills reported had been upon
the table for weeks. The other features were the
same the Senator from Kentucky's resolutions.
Mr.. YULEE said that the Legislative report Of
the committee could not receive his support. He
considered IL but the embodiment OF the scheme
submitted by the Senator from Kentucky early in
the session, and which had been before the country,
and which had been pronounced against. He then
read a commentary on Mr.. Claws resolutions from
the Journal Of Conmsrce in which il was said that
the North could adopt that plan because u gave
the North the kernel and the South the she'll He
thought the South should have a small portion Of
the kernel.
Mr BORLAND said he could not support the re-
port Of the committee particularly the part relating
10 fugitive slaves.
Mr. HALE said that he hoped this opposition to