Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-02-19

brace as many practicablel But let again pro-
pound to the honorable Senator question which have
heretofore propounded, and which lie has yet
swered. HOto is tt that he, as Senator from the |
Sateof kentucky, toithn aohose limits the sdystem Of
domestic saUery erists reconcile IL to his o,cn
Of justice to The uitai interests of his constu
ents at such moment as MS, an oe,o Of all The dan,
gers which men1ce the Southern section Of Tie Con-
fderacy, to increase the number Of adversary uotes
against us upon all the pending questions?
Mr. CLAY. 1t is totally unnecessary for the gentle
mant to remind me OF my coming from slaveholding
State. know whence come, and know my duty
and am ready to submit to any responsibility which be-
longs to me as Senator from slaveholdng State.
Sir, have heard something said on this and on for
mer occasion about allegiance to the South. know
no South, no North no East, West, to which owe
any allegiance. owe allegiance to two sovereigntles,
and only two one is TO the sovereignty of this Union,
and the other to the sovereignty of the State of Ken
lucky My allegiance is to this Union and to my State
but if gentlemen suppose they can exact from me an
acknowledgment of allegiance to any ideal or future
contemplated conederacy OF the South here declare
that owe allegiance to it; nor Will for one,
under any such allegiance il | avoid it, know
what my duties are, and gentlemen may remind
me of the fact that come from slaveholdng State.
Sir choose to avail myself of the opinions Of my
own State, can show resolution from the State Lee
gislatue received last night reported after due consde
ration by committee This resolution declares its cor
dial sanction to the whole OF the series Of resolutions
which have offered And must say that the prepara-
ton of that resolution was unprronpted by me- Tor
have neither written to nor have received single letter
from any member OF the Legislature of Kentucky du
ring this session public affairs beg pardon for this
depression. These are the sentiments entertain and
neither to be terrified nor frightened by any Ian
guage | hope gentlemen will not transcend the Ii
mits OF legitimate parliamentary debate in using any
language toward me; because fear could not even
trust myself il they were to do it. shall such
language toward them, and hope this floor for
reciprocity of parliamentary dignity and propriety.
ask it, because do not know how far could trust my
self it language OF personal character applied
| me- l care not by whom.
But sir, have been showing, and rose chiefly for
the purpose OF showing, that there Inconsistency
between any thing that have said heretofore, and any
thing say now. What have said heretofore and
what repeat now is, that all these questions ought to
be settled. Now admit the thought has crossed my
mind respecting the which think this business
ought take, and will state you frankly what have
been my impressions My desire that the Senate
should express its upon each OF the resolutions
successlon beginning with the first and ending with the
| eighth. Ifthey should be afrmatively adopted, my
purpose to propose the reference OF them appro
pirate committees. There Of the subjects which
may be perhaps advantageously combined 1hope they
can be combined in one bill. For example, the estab-
lshnen OF suitable Governments Tor the Territories the
question OF the limits OF Texas and the proposition made
to pay her certain sum OF money for considerations
with great propriey combined in bill, and presented
rs whole But beyond that, | supposed it
would be attempted, that could with propriety
go; though it is possible to be the Senator
| from Mississippi says to combine all these subjects in
bill of fifty hundred sections pages But it
snot the usual course OF legislation do think he
|
there OF the resolutions which negative in
their character, requiring no leg.lation-such the
last one, for example. My idea. was, il the Senate
should think proper finally to decide affirmavey on
these resolutions that should then refer them to ap-
proprate committees, either resolution by itself to
an appropriate COMMITTEES, combining two or three
together according to the affinity Of the subjects they
embrace and let the committee act these three
subjects. But never did contemplate embracing in the
entire scheme OF accommodation and harmony which
proposed all these dslractng questions and bringing
them all into measure. Sir did suppose that, il
the Senate decided affirmavey on each of these re-
solutions, though might be matured in the shape
OF bill little earlier than Others still, having de-
clared our appreciation of them all, could so ia
trust each other to believe that voting for any one
measure day will not lead to the apprehension of any
want OF good faith in voting for another measure to
come up to Isupposed they would all be set
tied about the same tmle possibly not on the day,
three weeks; and that, although measure should
first be adopted little more favorable to section of
the Union than to another yet that part OF the Union
| which had been most favored by the adoption of
that measure would not fail to do what was right
and proper when a measure came forward advanta-
| That was my idea. So with respect TO this mea
sure it is referred TO the Committee Territories
When they will report cannot tell. 1t will be some
time before they make the report, and it will be
some time after the report is made before it is acted
upon and it will be weeks perhaps months, before
bill admitting this State into the Union passes through
both Houses La the meantime, as one passes
from us, can be acting others, and bringing the
bills and taking them up as they arise.
lhave explained the which trust it will be
proper to take on this OCCASION and sure that not
even the Senator from Mississippi can believe that
stand pledged TO general comprehensive bill to
combine all the measures to which he has referred