The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-06-18
Congressional.
CALIFORNIA DEBATE.
In HOUSE,. June Ia.

The House resolved itself into Commit
70 Of the Whole on the State Of the Union,
Mr.. BoYD, 'of Kentucky, in the Chair
nd resumed the consideration Of the Cali
ornia question. 8
The amendment offered yesterday by Mr..
STANTON, Of Tennessee, and which had
,een renewed by Mr.. BAKER, was with
M THOMPSON, Of Mississippi, re-
ewed the amendment, which was as follows:
rvov;d<d, ho.cever, That il shall be no obstacle
70 The admission into the Union of any State, which
may hereafter be formed out Of the territory lying
south Of the parallel Of latitude 800 3 that the
1fihtion Of said State may authosise or establish
African slavery therein.
Mr.. r. said he had renewed the amend
ment for the purpose Of making one OF two re-
marks, chiefly in reply to those submitted
yesterday by the gentleman from Georgia,
fMr. SrEpHENs.] ! Continued Mr.. IT,
then attempted to get the floor. ! regretted
to hear the remarks Of the gentleman, not
because the argument, or anything he said,
related to myself, but because regretted
the effect produced by the speech. And
] am willing to avow my belief, that the
Democratic party is responsible, in great
degree, for the introduction Of these Terri
tories believe they are in justice bound,
as patriots, to do all which it may be in their
power to do, to settle these questions. be-
lieve that If they had done so Immediately
upon the acquisition Of these Territories, they
would now have been in the ascendency,
and would at this moment have been invested
with the power Of this Government. But,
at the same time, it is to be remembered
that during the last Presidential election, this
was made prominent question Of discussion.
The democratic party having failed to settle
III, the country, painting as it was for settle
ment, released that party from all response
bili.y, and the responsibility then devolved
upon the Wing party. And ! appeal to
the, gentleman from Georgia Mr.. SrE-
PHENs] to say, whether he does not feel
that a heavy responsibility rests upon that
party for the settlement Of the question
in manner amicable, just, and satisfactory
to all portions Of the Unions
Does not the gentleman feel that almost
the entire responsibility rests upon that
party for the settlement of this question:
Does he not know that when General Tay-
lor was candidate for the Presidency, his
election was advocated upon the broad
ground that he was to be trusted with the
settlement of this question, in preference to
the Democratic candidate, General Cassi
And, / ask him, can he justify his own
friends in refusing any settlement Of this
question, except by the enactment Of the
Wilmot Proviso, or by doing that which is
equivalent, the continuance of the military
government in that country, under the d.
rection of the President, until the South
shall have been entirely excluded-thus prac-
tically carrying out the Wilmot Proviso as
,sHectually as though it were enacted into a
INV? Will the gentleman justify his Wing
friends in thus attempting to be unjust upon
this subject !? do not wish to raise any
issue with the gentleman upon this subject;
on the contrary, am willing that by-gones
should be by-gones; | am willing that my
record should be made up, and the gentle
mans record should be made up, and | have
no wish to open it now ] do not wish to
recur to the past, because in so doing we
would each find that which would be made
the subject of party recrimination and vio-
lent remark; but / do hope that if we can
agree upon any great measure which will
give peace and quietness to the country, we
will, for while at least, lay down our party
armOr. ia I
| do not wish to vindicate myself at this
time for the votes have given, having
always acted in accordance with the prin-
ciples Of the Missouri compromise, and with
the hope that all parts Of the country would
be just, that all parties would be patriotic,
and that a settlement would finally be made
which should be such as to give peace and
quietness to the whole country and secure
the rights and the equality OF all the States.
Mr.. OLDS interposed, and inquired if
the gentleman from Mississippi had voted for
the Missouri compromise--in the annexation
or Texas? .
Mr.. THOMPSON. ! did vote for the
Missouri compromise in ~the annexation of
Texas / am glad my friend recurs to the
matter. 1t was then asserted and UNDER
stood by the whole country-at least all my
friends Of Texas-who were the Democratic
party--that that line should be the line Of
division to the Pacific, and we Immediately
acted up to that great principle, when we
came to organize Territorial Government
for Oregon.
Mr.. STEPHENS, Of Georgia. have
but word to say in reply to the gentleman
from Mississippi.
| The CHAIRMAN. II is not in order,
pending the amendment moved by the gen
ltleman from Mississippi.
Mr.. THOMPSON. | withdraw the
amendment for the gentleman from Georgia
Mr.. STEPHENS. renew it. have
but word, Mr.. Chairman.
I Mr.. THURMAN rose to point of
order, and sent up to the Chair, in writing,
the following:
sMr. THURMAN raises the point Of order, that
when gentleman has spoken FIVE minutes, and
Che floor is given to another gentleman, the former
gentleman not being entitled to the floor, has no
right to withdraw the amendment.