The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-07-06
CONGRESSIONAL.
srEECH OF MIR. ovOeGa,
cT Pennsylvania,

sPEECH Of mtS. CUOrE1,
cr Pennsylvania,
On the Compromise BIZ; detirsred IN the Ssaa,e of he
Uaisd States. Saturday, Jane 20, and Moaday, July
I, 1850.
The Senate having under consideration the bill for the
admission q California into the unon, the establishment
o territorial governments o Utah and New Mexico, and
making proposals to Texas for The settlement OF her
northern and western boundaries
Mr.. COOPER said In the present state OF my health
and under different circumstances would have preferred
10 silent, and have contenled myself with simple
vote upon the important and deeply absorbing questions
now pending in The Senate Having no expectation and
not even entertaining hope Of being able % shed any
new light upon these questions, would lady have per-
severed IN tue silence wlc have observed from The
beginning Of The discussion Il Is grateful task to
ssaa e ssnassd q ~ Y Y novelty and duty
The subject is wearisome has become can scarcely
hope Tor the attention Of the Senate whilst endeayor 10
he bill But as deem il due, both to nv constituents
and myself that my reasons for doing so should be
known, must beg The indulgence Of the Senate whilst
endeavof TO present them, and shall strive 10 show
my appreciation Of lis indulgence BY occupying as little
OF s lime will suffice for the purpose. From nfor-
nation derived from various sources, am saiised that
a,on 10 the character Of this measure. and that pains
have been taken to increase such msapprehenson and
10 insure,. in advance, The condemnation OF every
member Of Congress who shall dare 10 give it his sup
port Men. northern men, who supported the Clayton
compromises, or who were at least silent 10 its effect
denounce this measure inquitous, and involving
dUdnuOnncut
To support this measure is treason !" treason TO the
President, who has proposed plan Of adjustment differ
ent from this and treason 10 the cause Of human freedom
Tor which the pains and penalties OF ouawry, ii 1ot po
ical death. are denounced Especially is This the case
in relation to every whig What punishment is reserved
for democratic -irators" do not know; probably their
continued exclusion from Office, its emoillments and
bono,s-a grevous infection in the estimation of those
who have constituted themselves judges in this matter
The loss Of popular favor seems 10 be regarded BY the
class o 10 whom have just referred, the dest
oi all ihe calamtes that beiall public man Con-
science violated. sacred duties neglected. sef-reepeci
imolaled ~ The shrine OF base ambition, might be
teemed sacrces but they would be regarded trivial
in comparison with the loss Of popularity Mr. Presi
dent Il do not despise public favor sensible 10
others, and like Others, have sought The distinc.
ton which confers But. in doing this, have not alb
dicaird my own judgment, my se-respect, the
right 10 think and act according their dictates To
surrender these would be 10 surrender ALL everything
that makes public lite desable or the public servant
useful and respectable. constituted 10 be
able to do this On subject OF great TO lhe
country, cannot help but Think and, thinking, my
mind invounlary decides, and according decision
must act, il at all II is necessity OF my moral
constitution 10 do But, sir, repeat that do not
pretend TO be insensibe to public iavor. On the
hdence OF my constituents Yei II the performance OF
what regard 10 be duty 10 the country should involve
the loss OF Their favor which have had the good for
tune to enjoy, can only express my submission TO the
deprivation, and say, in the language of Horace
"Laudo nlancntem /; 81 ceeIes qnatl
Pennas, resiguo qeie dedlL"
But MIR President, sure that the support of this
measure will involve such sacrIice- The people oil
Penney ivania whom partly represent upon this hoor,
deeply, deyoedy, cordially attached 10 the Union,
aud anxious Tor the restoration OF harmony amongst all
members and whilst they love the Union for itself
and for the glorious iuiure which il promises, they will
not be oHeu that their own interests and the interests
Of their children bound up in its preseryaon and in
examining this measure, they will it,
nexion with others that have been proposed before pass
ing Judgment upon it, they will md that though in every
respect may MOI be what they could have mos wished,
nevertheless, the best which practicable under
the circumstance. Tie adoption OF this irDves
vi0Iaiion of national altn the neglect OF no duty
which are bound 70 perform and when Il 10 proper
y understood, will be regarded as more satisfactory 10
be looked upon, but without reason, lis anlago-
mist refer TO the plan Of The President OF the UniIed
States.
But before proceed TO the discussion OF the questions
which are involved in the bill before us. desire
lice some o the Arguments which have been advanced
byihe honorable Massachusetts, A1r DAvsl
who has lust taken bis seat He will pardon me il say
DO II with all ospectthat his speech seemed TO me 10
be designed 10 put person. class OF persons,
IN the wrong. That there WAS no intention on his part
to do this willing TO admit but the tendency oil his
refaJks not calculated, my Judgment 10 illustrate
the measure now under consideration, AID TO make It's
povisons plan AMI appreciabIe TO the country, but to
they could not justify themselves, and in which the
county, OF portion OF at least, would not sustain
them.
Mr. DAVIS, OF Massachusetts WIN the senator
allow me 10 say, thai he supposes alluded him, or
any one with whom he acts, or had any such specific
objects a. he menuoDs he is enrirey mistaken meant
10 DO nothing bul use lair Arguments.
Mr. COPPER know very well that the senator did
mol design wrong 70 any ons and ~ saied but YET IN
the iervof Of advocacy tie peculiar which be
maintained he used Language susceptible OF consruc-
uon such "A have referred TO- will now advert 10
OF his remarks In The first place he declares tina,
The supporters o The Compromsewh he says Is not
Compromise" but " conce esson"-have asserted that
the Wlmot Plovso the ordinance of 1857, ~ mere
abstraction. Now. sr, have heard no supporter OF
tins measure assert that the Wlmot Proviso - an ab-
sirscflDn.
Mr. DAVIS, Of Massachusetts,. II is called so in the
Mr.. COOPER. 1 will show presently what is said OF
IN be report In iis application to The Territories in
question: the Wilmot ProvIso regarded by some as
unprohxbe and useless because they hold that slavery
eectuaiiy excluded BY the Mexican laws the char.
acier Of ne country, and other circumstances as il
would be BY the Provso itself Therefore II is thai they
hate tpoktn OF IL a. an abstraction. Nobody that
have heafd hc course of this discussion has said that
the WImot Pfoviso would not be practical and
II applied under circumstances which the necessity for
il has not been already superseded, either by laws winch
have existed as long the earih has existed or by
laws that were enacted BY the countries TO which the
Territories belonged, and which continue TO operate in
lhem This Is the view that has been taken Of it, Blu,
difficulty about these laws He says that the honorable
chairman Of the COMMITTEE Of Thirteen Mr. CLAYl gave
az his oplnlon that the laws Of Mexico are now IN
iorce in the Territories, and that slavery being IN
consistent with these laws, cannot exist mere and ina
other dstngus lawyers and senators have announced
The same opinion in the OF tie discussion upon
this subject But the difficulty OF my Honorable friend
arises from the TACT thar on the other side OF the cham
r opolon adverse to that expressed BY the honor,
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