Washington telegraph., 1850-03-13
REMARKS Or Mr.. CLAY ON The
COMPROMISE RESOLUTIONS.
(CoNcLU ED. }

Mr. Clay said tia; II any person came
there viii, the expectation Of hearing
him make any display. they would tie
greatly disappointed; his own health
the season OF the year, as we'll AS the
season of his own life, all admonished
him to say only so much AS was necessa.
ry 10 the explanation aud support Of the
measure under consideration.
The fourth resolution was under his
consideration, when he closed yesterday.
After further brief explanation Of il. he
proceeded To the consideration of the fifth
resolution.
This resolution was, that it is inexpe-
! diemt to abolish slavery III the District Of
| Columbia whilst that institution continues
to exist in Maryland, without the consent
of that State, without the consent OF the
District, aud without just compensation
to the owners of slaves within the Dis
trict
An nobiectou was made OH the occasion
of the presentation of the resolutions. by
a Senator, to the recognition by this reso-
luton Of a power in Congress u abolish
sla verv in this District. He had never
doubted this power to exist in Congress-
lie did not believe that amy one could
douhr that power who would Calmly ex'
a,l,lne into The subject.
The Constitution declares Congress
shall have power "to exercise exclusive
Il. ri,ia,l.,u l., all cases whatsoever over
>nch d,strict as may. by cession of partic-
uar States and the acceptance OF Con-
yre>S, Decoue The seat OF Govern. neut of
the United States" What lang gua re-
can be conceived mole comprehensive
than the words "exerci>e exclusive iegi>
latiou in all cases whatsoever! Suppose
slavery was abolished in Maryland and
Vry,uia. aud in all other States of the
Union, then would there be any power
t., abolish it here! Ii 80, where would
.hat power Le! Or was slavery to abide
IN this District for all eternity? Marylaud
had no power over this District The
other sIaveholding powers hal no such
authority. Then the power must he IN
Congress lie had expressed similar
views il. 1888 Oh This subject In 1888
he thought Congress had the power, but
should not exercise il without consent
Of Maryland. Virginia. The people of the
the owners Siuce then tina, part ut the
District ceded by Virginia had been retro
reGed by her, and her consent was no'
now necessary. size not being more inter
ested than any other slave State. lie had
held then as he did now, tha, while Con-
yre>s had the power, it ought not to t'e
exercised, for Maryland and Virginia IN
granting the District did so under al i'm
pelled promise that slavery should not be
touched therein without their assent.
This District was ceded by Virginia
and Marvland. and accepted by the
United States to he the seat of govern
,nent; aud To make ii the seat ot govern
meu,, should he the leading idea in all
our le.ris!aliom for il; and hence ii l. iueA-
pediemt TO abolish slavery here without
the desire OF the people aud he assent OF
Maryland.
Alter she adoption Of the constitution.
Maryland aud Virginia. III feeling OF
t-aternal peace and happiness which then
prevailed over the Union, generously
ceded to the United States this District;
but in doing SO. they never thought that
Coupre,s should make il a tliorn i'll their
side by at.uli>hiny slavery here. tie
thought in 1888. and believed now. that
the Courress OF the United States, as an
honorable body. could not interfere with
slavery in the District without violation
of all those implied agreements with
MARYLAND aud Virginia, Which TO honora'
bile men. were as binding as if contained
in the Constitution in express terms. The
4 .At hal
Congress has the power to abolish sla-
very in this District. Ii Is silent. The
resolution in substance provides that
MARYLAND shall release the United States
tro,n all those implied bligationS; aud.
if she does SO, one obstacle lii the way Is
rem we'd. There were other obstacles to
the abolition of slavery mere. One was,
tina, the consent OF tine people of this Dis-
trict should first be obtained.
The p.oule of this District were III an
anomalous condition. They are a people
governed ny All arbitrary power. They
are taxed aud governed by all authority
in. which they have no voice. Arbitrary
power he defined TO he An authority ex-
ercsed 10y power in which the people
over whom it il exercised have no repre-
sentative Congress, having this arbi-
trary power, should never exercise II III
manner harsh or unkind. The consent
.. The people should he iirst obtailied.-
The resolution did not stop here. IL pro-
vldes tor another thing. There should
he "a I,,>, compensation given ~ ll'e own
er> OF slave Tor their property. ConSfess
should be restrained Oy every motive VI
public policy aud every princ,p'e o'
eternal justice from deprivinS the peoP'e
Of the District ot their property withou!
making Iust compensation. England
aud France, when they abolished slavery