The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-03-21

involve no sacrifice OF honor UT P'in0iPi0 "" '"'
, part of the South But the Southern members
reject II, and will be satisfied with nothing less
D than a formal remuneration by the North OF the
Wilmot Proviso, or the policy Of slavery restric-
ton, and it is to compel this that they resist an
7 action in behalf of California
Will Northern members sell their principles
and submit TO this base humiliation, TO purchase
), the admission Of State, whose recognition ousu'
never to have been contestedl We shall see
is asserted by the Union, on the authority Vi
distinguished Senator that there are Is members
in the House in favor of sort of compromise Dill,
3 in which every claim made by sllveholders ana
hitherto resisted by non-slavehoders is 10 De III
! troduced.
Il is Thought that some Northern or Western
Democrat may move in Committee of the whole
| a substitute for the California BILL embracing
in addition Territorial Government for New
Mexico without the Proviso, and section provid-
ing for the more efficient reclamation of fugitives
that, as the yeas and nays cannot be called in
Committee of the Whole, the substitute may be
adopted; that the omnibus bill may then be re-
ported and adopted without amendment, under
the operation of the previous question. The pre-
yious question cuts off all amendments; and, as a
slaveholding speaker would occupy the chair, he
would recognise the member who should demand
it. In this way the friends Of freedom would be
entrapped and reduced to the alternative Of all or
none-that is of voting for the admission of Cali
fornia with all the miserable APPENDICES to it, or
voting against the whole.
Such is the game that may be played. We
shall keep our readers advised of every act in the
: drama Meantime, it may be we'll enough to say,
that though in Committee of the Whole on the
state of the Union accommodating members may
escape the responsibility of the yeas and nays,
they can be compelled to walk through tellers,
under eyes that will not wink at any movements
that look like treason to the people.
SENATE
But two formal speeches were delivered last
week in the Senate, on the great question. Mr.
Turney we did not hear. He is not a man of
mark, and his speech delivered to o thin audience,
produced no impression.
Mr., Douglas occupied portions Of two days, in
a speech characterized by much ability, present
ing many just views, and advocating with'great
force the admission of California. He admitted
that he had at first been opposed to the present
boundaries of California. He should have pre-
ferred two States, both OF which would have been
free; but after celebrating long while on the
subject, he had come to the conclusion that it was
now too late to propose any alteration of the
boundaries.
Mr.. Douglas took occasion to insist upon the
obligatory force of Legislative instructions in op-
position to the views presented by Mr.. Webster,
and to this part of his speech we listened with
unalloyed satisfaction. When a Senator finds
himself instructed by the Legislature which
elected him, in relation to his action on any
question, and when he has reason to believe that
such instruction is in accordance with the will of
the majority Of the people Of his State, he is
bound on every principle of Representative
Government, to obey instructions; or, if his
conscience forbid, promptly to resign. To do
otherwise, is to usurp power, and to defeat the
end of Democratic Representative Government,
which is, to secure the execution of the will Of
the People How are the people to govern, if
their agents assume the responsibility of disre-
gardng their will
ings of the Senate have been important BY
reference to our Congressional record, it will be
seen that the unreasonable usage by which Anti
Slavery petitions have hitherto been disposed Of
by laying tho question of their reception IN the
table, has been overturned. Petitions praying for
1 the prohibition of slavery in the Territories,
against the admission of any more slave States,
and for the establishment of jury trial in the
of alleged fugitives from service or labor, have
been received aud referred, several members from
Q slavebodng States voting for the reception, and
but one Senator from the North against it, Daniel
t Dickinson of New York enjoys that unenviable
Q distinction" The Bayard of the North" as Mr.
e Davis of Mississippi grandiloquently styles him.
Mr. Foote'S motion for select committee of
r thirteen to compromise all matters relating to
slavery is at last regularly before the Senate but
under such circumstances that it cannot be pushed
to a speedy decision The motion is to refer to
, such committee the resolutions of Mr. Bell, and
to this motion an amendment is pending, provd-
a ing that said committee shall not be authorized
to take into consideration the subject of the ad-
{ mission of California. The only effect, then, of
the movement so far, is, the introduction of an
other series of general propositions on which the
whole question of slavery may be debated. The
D desire of Mr.. Benton AMI some other leading
Senator's is to keep the question of the admission
of California distinct from all other subjects so
that it may stand upon its own merits. This is
sensible and were it the aim of Senator's general
9 y to expedite business, they would concur in this
policy, and pass bill Immediately for the admis-
sion of the new State.
1t will be observed that Mr. Cass availed him
self Of the motion of Mr.. Foote to make speech
, somewhat discursve in its character, upon the
general question OF slavery lie attacked some
of the positions of Mr. Calhoun, but it will not be
overlooked that be repeatedly made admissions
which afford ground for the inference that there
is no demand of tae South Carolina Senator, even
an amendment OF the Constitution so as to secure
equality of political power between the two sec
TONS which he might not be induced to vote for
in certain contingencies. The truth is, the ven
cradle gentleman is frightened He believes all
he hears about a dissolution of the Union He
seems to be ia state Of perpetual trepidaton, lest
the stars in our political system should suddenly
. start from their orbits, rush madly against each
other and chaos and old night should come again
q The speech Of Mr.. Calhoun clearly took ground
beyond the wishes of the Southern Senators gen.
orally. It left no room for compromise. 1t made
charges which, If true, justified disunon, and it
laid down conditions to continued union imposs-
bic to he complied with. Mr. Foote of Mississippi
was the only Southern Senator who had the courage