The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-08-29
Mr.. MEACHAM said.

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Mr.. MEACHAM said, -..a
MIR. CHAIRMAN: The bill before us proposes Il
| admit California, to erect Territorial Govern
ments for Utah and New Mexico, and, by tn
purchase Of the claims Of Texas, to settle tn,
boundaries between that State and New Mexico
| propose to discuss that bill Ii ia practica
subject. Whoever consents to take part in tn,
present discussion, and scorns to repeat the argu
ments Of others, must be content with the critici
reputation, Of having been at feast Of learning
and stolen the scraps.
1t 10 surprising to see the efforts on the other
side of the House to make political capital out Of
the pending controversy The gentleman who
has just closed Mr. Savage is the most jealous Of
the number. They seize the floor, and rush for,
ward as il to announce a new discovery. With
all the esrnestness of the philosopher rushing from
the bath, they cry "EureksI Eureka o-I hat,
found Il! IhaDe found Il! Found what, sir Why
have found, that in the last Presidential canvass
the friends Of General Taylor used different mo.
tives in different sections of the Union to aid bis
election. IL granted, is there anything new in
that Has not the same been true in every cleo.
ton since the time of President Monroe Was
not that true Of the friends of Adams and Clay
Crawford and Jackson, and the successor Of Jack
SOM Take any subject that had been prominent
: ~
end up-turn it inside out, or outside in, and on
every face you would find either vote or speech
Of Mr.. Van Buren,. Sectional motives were piled
in the election of Gen. Harrison The friends of
Mr.. Polk had more than two--they had Texas,
the tariff, and the northwestern boundary. They
had motive for the torrid the temperate, and
the frigid zone, up to $40 40'. We can come
nearer home to those who are waging this war for
political gain. Go up to the gallery Of the Patent
Office, and in case hard by the oamp,ohest Of
Washington you will see form having two
heads-one looking North and the other South. |
will not vouch for the chronology which asserts
that 1t came into life the night Of the last Bal
timore Convention showing that nature, even in
her lowest works, sympathized with the sublime
production Of the day, that came forth upon the
stage with life written for the face that looked
Northward and another for the face that looked
Southwark. | do not bring forward these things
as charges against the distinguished men to whom
they refer Such motives may be used by the
friends Of candidate without any Just accusation
Of duplicity against the candidate himself Bat I
do bring them for purpose they serve, to show
the gentleman that IL he courts q contest Of this
kind, there may be blows to take, as we'll as blows
to give
These things are not to my purpose or my taste
have regretted to see men showering down upon
stump speeches, only that they might triekle back
to the great Ocean, and be taken up and poured
out on some AFTER Congress In more furious del.
uge. IL Is for our shame that we have wasted so
muoh time in squsbbing over party politics and
hurting provoking sectional taunts, while the SUBJ
FINEST spectacle in the history of the world pass.
| ing before US.
This discussion has often recalled description
given by Livy Of Roman battlefield, where the
combatants shrouded In a temporary mist, were
so holly engaged In the contest, that they needed
not violent earthquake which was shaking their
cities changing the course Of their rivers, and up
heaving the foundation Of tho mountains. The
spaniard was on the shores of the Pacific an hun
| drred years before Smith landed at jamestown, or
the Pilgrim trod the rock Of Plymouth. Since
that time, the Saxon race has crossed and conquer
ed n continent They have reached the shore,
and In three years done more for mankind than
the Standard had done in three centuries They
have net like Cortes and Pxarro, seized the gold
en- stores and fed from the country, leaving the
marks Of their desolstion In smouldering villages
and a slaughtered people. They have settled
down In that country AS theirhome They have
shown their purpose andtheir wisdom, in framing
and adopting as their own one OF the noblest State
Consultations ever formed by human hands. with
that Constitution they appear before US, and ask
for Admission Relying on the practice Of this
0overpment, ON the plighted faith Of treaty,
and on promises made before the conquest, they
demand place In this Union. Why are they not
admitted Their proceedings are charged a. irreg-
ular: Congress has given them no power to form
4 State Government have had no census
Grant Il but It IL shown that they are 10 the line
Of safe prsoedents, by acting as majority Of the
seventeen new States have acted IL Was proved,
beyond controversy in the Senate, Yesterday, by
| Mr.. Guar, that they have population emitting
then 70 tve Representatives II 70 charged that
foreigners voted In their elections. Grant that,
too How was II In Michigan Foreigners were