The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-05-22
as were necessary 70 secure that wight. BY aOrding


as were necessary secure that right by affording
it suitable and necessary protection.
Under this section such projection could never
be given by the territorial legislature. II man
were 10 lose his slave, and went TO judge for a
warrant 10 recapture him, he would be answered,
have no power, nor is IL in the legislature to give
me the power.
He attributed the highest motives TO the commit
tee in framing this report, and was sorry he could
not support il unless il were amended in many of
its most material points. He could not believe it
compromise and could not vote for il and GO home
with gayety expressed in his countenance, because
he would have nothing IN il To cause that gayety.
Mr.. CLAY said the Senator declares he cannot
vote for this compromises will the Senator give Us
his proect-will he give us something for which he
can vote This finding fault with minor points,
and by aid Of magnifying glasses discovering ami
malcul@ on the surface which not discernible TO
the naked eye, was not, in his opinion, the most
staesmanlike course II this does not suit the Sen
ator, 1t is his duty to submit something which is
better.
The Senator finds fault with the fugitive slave
bill, and says it comes back with embarrassments
added to its operations by the committee. Now,
the greatest cry upon this subject of fugitive slaves
comes from those States who suffer the least. Louis
lana suffers nothing in comparison to Kentucky.
The amendments reported by the committee, he
considered so far from embarrassing it, could do
no injury TO the master, and would concillate many
who had prejudices on the subject
He alluded to the various quarters whence came
opposition to this BILL from the North well the
feeling
81 do not like you, Doctor Fell,
The reason why cannot tell
But this know full well,
do not like you, Doctor Fell"
The Senator could hardly be aware that this OBJ
noxious part of the section TO the bill under consid
Grafton inserted on the motion of his colleague,
(Mr. DowNs,) and had received the vote of every
southern man on the committee, and one northern
man.
The committee, in inserting that section, had but
object in view, and that TO prohibit the ter
ritorial legislature from admitting or excluding
slavery. That was all that was intended.
MIR. CLAY then examined In detail all the OBJ
ections urged by the Senator from louisiana TO the
bill, and piquantly asked what sort OF provision
the Senator wanted to have inserted in the bill?
Mr. SOULE said that the amendment of the SEN
ator from Mississippi would be acceptable to him.
Mr.. CLAY said that such an amendment he
could not vote for because il assumed that slavery
did exist there, which lac did not believe The bill
assumed nothing on this point, but left it to be de-
cded hereafter. He would vote to amend the bill
by saying the legislature shall pass no law admit
ting or excluding slavery or he would vote to strike
it out altogether.
He hoped the bill would pass; he had the greatest
fears that if this agitation continued for two years
more, it could never be settled If this measure,
or something like it, do not pass there, will be
nothing done for California, nothing for the terri
tories, nothing for the Texan boundary, nothing
for the fugitive slave BILL and nothing for this Dis
trict II this bill be not passed. as he hoped and be-
lieyed it would, then nothing will pass.
He pointed out the probable consequences, and
the great increase given to agitation, if Congress
should adjourn without settling these questions.
He said that there was probability that in any
event California might be admtted and he asked
what would be the state of feeling at the South if
| she were admitted and nothing done on the other
questions.
He then examined the plan of the Executive, and
challenged any friend of that plan TO stand up and
meet him in argument upon the relative merits of
that plan, and the one reported by the committee.
What Is that plan?
The country now stands before us with five
wounds, bleeding and demanding remedy. Docs
the President propose to heal up all these wounds?
No But his plan is to heal and leave the others
still bleeding even if they result in death The five
wounds were the admission of California, the fugi-
tive slave bill, the Texas boundary, territorial gov
ernments for the Territories and the slave trade in
this District The President proposes that
should admit California, and do nothing for the
others. The plan of the committee was to provide
a remedy for all these in one general bill, and for
ever dispose OF them and get rid of their agitation
He was sorry to see with what persistence the
Executive adhered to his own peculiar plan. He
had thought that the spirit of compromise, which
had for its object the restoration of peace and har
mony, would have been cordially met and APP
proved by the Executive; and that at both ends of
the Avenue there would have been mutual desire
to settle all these questions in spirit of amity and
| forbearance. The Presidents plan, far it
| proposed action, had been accepted by Congress,
and he thought he would have met them a COM
promise which would settle all the questions. But,
| he was sorry 10 say il was not so.
He then examined the present and the future
condition in which the Territories of Utah and New
Mexico would be involved in case the plan of the
President followed. He contrasted with this
state of affairs the probable result of giving them
proper and suitable territorial governments He
referred to the treaty of Hdago and it's obligations
and urged that 1t was the duty of Congress to pro-
vide such governments for the Territories.
He examined the doctrine of preserving an equi
librium between the North and the South, and pre-
sumed such thing impossible; and concluded with
description Of the happy effects which the Mis-
souri, compromise produced the minds of the
whole people, and predicted similar result upon
the passage Of this compromise.
Mr.. WEBSTER moved, and
The Senate adjourned.