The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-05-17
Report OF ths Committees sr ThIrtsen.

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Report of the ccnmittee ~ Thfrtsen.
This important dOcumens was read before the
Senate BY Mr.. Clay Chairman Of fhs C1mmittees
on the .stb. Ii occupies upwards Of i've columnz
IN she National InteIlgencer- We give cen
aensed report Of il, together with the proceedings
Of the Senate. Immediately following it, introdpc-
tion
! Mr. Clay made report from the committes Of
thirteen which he read at length
The committee report that they entered on the
discharge Of their duties with anxious desire 20
perform their duties to the Senate and the codnkr
They deemed it unnecessary to state the sasioas
motives which actuated them The COMMITTEES
deerned II highly important to settle all The ques-
tons growing out Of the acquisition cf telrItory
from Mexico. Z
were Of opinion that when any new States sppIisd
for admission from Texas, they should Be admitted
in accordance with solemn compaef; but the inf-
,iation in forming new State must be taken by
Texas and not by Congress- Some were Of
opinion that Texas was unconstitutionaly ANNEXED;
but no one had d5ubfed the pFopfiety Of admitting
States from Louisia1a on. account Of any aledged
defect in her annexatioa into the Union. II any
State should be formed ont Of Texas, Congress
would be bound TO admit her into the Union,
with or without slavery, as the people desired
California had formed State government and
applied for admission. She had co1nplied with the
regulations Of the constitution and had sufficient
population, to the boundaries Of Cailornia
the committee had not full information but the
quantity of good land in California was not dlspru-
Portionate 10 other Staies. Il might be better to
festrictt the boundaries on the sea coast but, att
future time, the State would be divided Eit, the
majority of the committee thought that it war
expedent now to admit California with her present
boundaries.
The committee believed il impesatively neces-
sary to establish territorial governments for u tab
and New Mexico. 1t would be long time bsfsze
they would come inte the Unon as States, and they
needed the protection Of organized governments =
The committee also determined to combine in
the same bill the State government Of CalisoEnia,
and the territorial governments OF Utah and New
Mexico.
Ii had been objected, that il would cmbarrass
some Senators in voting--desiring 10 vote for one
measure and not the other. But spirit Of mutual
concession ought TO induce Senators TO aceonmo-
datea diversity Of opinion, and for the sake Of a
great good, TO reiinqush objections to what might
Be deemed exceptionabIe. The constitution was
adopted as whole, though many objected 10 some
OF its parts.
The bill was silent as to slavery-neiiher excln-
ding nor abolishing it. There was probsbility
that Utah and New Mexico would, when they be-
come States, follow the example of California, and
exclude slavery. The Wilmot progiso was viewed
by the committee as a mischievous abstraction.
The committee believed that il was time to har-
monte The feelings Of the country on This abcmina-
ting subject.
westetn limits Of Texas. They proposed an ami-
cable adjustment They proposed the Rio GEande
to longitude 100 degrees as the western boundary
The bill proposes as a compensation to Texaxfor
the extinguishment OF the claim to New Mexico,
sum Of blank millions Of dollars to be applied first
"a fhen fofb h. 4aH
to the United States embraced 79 600 900 OF acres,
The majority Of the committee agreed 10 incor-
pofate the offer to Texas in the bills admitting Cali
fornia, and establishing territorial governments.
The committee reported bin marked A. erhbra-
cling the three measures, and recommended It's
adoption.
The committee next considered the subject of
enforcing the constitutional provision for the recov
cry of fugitive slaves The law OF 1898 had been
found wholly inefficient for its purpose. The SH-
preme Court must have meant in its decision ol
that law to condemn the legisntien Of States eva
sive of their constituted obligations,
But in enforcing the law, regard must be had to
proper guards prevent abuses. The bill proposed
10 try the fugitive in the place whence be ed and
not where found. The owner or agent was to take
record, with evidence that the fugitive owes lahor
or service, and nothing was then Nanting but to
identify the person. Many citizens had asked for
trial of the fugitive by jury It would be better
for the owner to give up his property than 70 watch
it at great expense and delay This objection
would not apply TO a trial by jery in the place
whence the fugitive fied. The eomrhittee, thefe-
fore, recommend such a trial, The claimant is to
be placed under bond to give the Fugitive on his
return, a fair trial. The COMMITTEES thought the
owners of fugitiyes who could not be recovered.
ought 10 be indemnifed out Of the Treasury Of the
In the next place. the cenlnaittee turned their att
tention to the subject Of the slave trade of this Dis
trict According 20 the census, reduction Of one
third in the number OK slaves in the District took
place between 1880 and 1910. Their number now
does. not much exceed 2060. The committee
thought the depots for slaves ought to be abolished.
They adopted law for this purpose which iormsrly
existed in Maryland.
These measures would, it was believed, give full
satisfaction 10 overwhelming majority Of the
people Of The United States. Congress would es-
cape the repfoach Of abandoning their duty to give
secure governments to the said territory which we
had acquired. IL would give fepose to the Union
The penple would fejoiceii the accommodation Of
all diffr1lties which threaten the harmony and
continuance Of the Union.
Mr.. Clay did not know. he said, whether the
bills should now be lead otherwise than by ttair
titles. They had been stated in the Report.
The bills were read first time, and ordered to d
second reading ss s..s.ss ss.-
desirous that the Senate should on itto-mofrow.
He moved that Il be printed and made the order Of
the day for tomorrow. *
Nj. Tumey objected. He wished the long re-
port just read 10 be printed. and have an opporta-
nity TO read L. -. ''..- - ..e
Mr.. Foole was authorized to sayihat tie printed
report would be on our tables tomorrow.
Mr., Clemens offered an amendment TO the Cali
f6raia bill, fixing 36 so as the Southern boundary
line Of California. 49,
Mr.. Phelps said it was his purpose to present his
views 10 minority report. He had mol done that.
and now look leave 10 say, that he dissenied from
some matters in the, report. Many things in il
every one concurred in. Al future time he would
give his opinions. AS tosone thing be would saw a
word; the construction of the resolution for the
annexation Of Texas he had wished the report %
be silent on. There was one point the report did
not discuss. Soiar as il went, he concurred in it,
His opinion was decidedly that Texas ought 10
have been admitted by the treaiy-makinu power,
and NOT by legislative enactment.
Messs. Downs, Mason, Bsrrien and Cooper made
some remarks, expressing their dissent from the
| views of1ke report in some pafucUlar&
Mr.. Mangum spoke in favor Of The report as a
eompromise.
Mr. Clemens spoke in opposition 70 the report.
| Mr. Clay made some remarks, and deprecated
| premature discussion, bu, declared that he woud
| pihdicafei ihe report. rs.
| Mr. Foste moved 10 print $1,000 copies Of tia
| report
.Mr Clemens made addiiiohal remasts against
1 ths ranOrt 'l.s---rt tta