Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-05-18
DEBATE IN THE SENATE.
MONDAY, MAY l3, 1850.
DRr OF THE ooMMIrrEE OF THIRTEEN.


On motion of Mr.. CLAY of Ky the Senate proceeded
the consideration Of the special order of the day, being the
bill reported from the Committee of Thirteen for the sdms-
sion Of the State of California the establishment of Terrific
rial for Utah and New Mexico and making
proposals to Texas for the settlement Of her western and
northwestern boundary.
Mr.. CLAY. Mr.. President, have risen for the purpose
of making some and additional exposition rea
tive to the report of the COMMITTEES of their proceedings and
of their action upon the important subjects before you When
the report of the committee presented to the Senate last
week various members of the committee and stated that
parts of that report had not met with their Mr.
President might have been stated with perfect truth that
member of the committee concured all that done
or omitted be done. There was, however, majority up
Of the subjects indeed upon all of the subjects which
have been reported by the committee to the Senate Each
Senator perhaps left to himself separately would have
presented the matters which have been reported to the
Senate in different form from that in which they pre-
themselves. was myself upon occasion in mi
nory have not been discouraged, Mr.. President in the
smallest degree by the differences which existed either in the
committee or which were manifested in the Senate when the
report presented Gentlemen who did agree exactly
what done will doubt, in the progress of the
sure endeavor make it conormabe their wishes II
should be modified indulge with confidence the hope
that no one of them rrevocaby committed against the
to induce him upon the question of lis final passage to
against it. am not authorized 10 say, and do not
say that there will be affirmative vote Of every member OF
the Senate who the committee in favor Of the
sure upon the final passage Of the bill but mean say
that indulge hope that whether all the notifications which
desired by various members Of the committee may
may not Obtain finally there will be not only majority
the committee voting favor Of the greatly
hope they will for it unanmocsy-buI trust that
will leave this body with large majority in its favor
not discouraged repeat by any thing that has trans
pired in the committee in the Senate, the country
upon the subject of this have believed from the
first and yet firmly believe, that if these unhappy subjects
which have divided the country be accommodated by
amicable adjustment it mutt be upon such basis
that which the committee has reported and there be
in mir of
Sir, | believe that the crisis has arrived and the fate
of the which have been reported by the com
mee will in my humble judgment determine the fate of the
harmony continued distraction of this country. Enter
tanning this belief bnt indulge the hope that honora
BILE Senator's who, upon he first hearing Of the report might
have seen some matters in Objectionable according to their
wishes and Judgment and the entire Senate, after full
sderaon Of the paa and after fair contrast between and
the other proposed pans and all the other practicable plans
for the adjustment of these quesonswhaever expectations
hopes may have been announced elsewhere Of this
body, will ultimately give it general concurrence.
But, sir, have risen, as announced particularly for
the purpose OF entering into further explanations Of the
of the committee, and of throwing few OBJ
servatons in support Of the which they have
mended TO he adopted by the Senate The first measure
which they reported, Mr.. President that of the true
exposition of the compact between the United States and
Texas upon the occasion of the admission of that State into
the Union Upon that subject as has beer already
ed IN the report happy to say there vas undivded
opinion. Two honorable Senator'S Of whom is ab
sent and the other present. whilst they declared their
in it of the exposition of the compact declared
that they did not hold themselves, and did MT intend to be
understood holding themselves in all possible things
and in every possible contingency pledged vote for the
admission Of States that be carved of Texas they
intended to preserve to themselves the right determine
when any Safe formed of Texas should present
ITSELF whether under al the circumstances Of country, and
all the circumstances under which the Stale might pre-
sent ITSELF should should not be admitted Whilst they
made This reservation, both united most heartily in the true
exposition of the compact between the United States and
Texas according to which, you know, sir number of
States not exceeding four, with without slavery having the
requisite population, and with the of Texas
be admitted in the Union from time to tme they might be
matured and present themselves for admission But will
not dwell longer upon that part of the subject.
will now, Mr. President, approach that subject which in
the committee and the two Houses of Congress has most
trouble and created the most anxiety Of all the upon
which the committee have reported-I sir the admis
sion Of Caorna into the Union Against this there
objections. One of hes, objections with respect
to its population 1t has been conended that it ought only
to be admitted if admitted at all, with representative
that admitted with two representatives will be violation
OF the constitution of the United States and that there
sufficient evidence before the Senate and the country that
has population enling it representative. sup
pose, sir that will contend-Caforna and the other
acquisitions from Mexico having been admitted into the Union
only about two years ago last February years the date
of the treaty Of Hdago-no will suppose that that sort
of evidence to enle California representatives
could be furnished by the decenna enumeration of the pop
uaon Of the United States is impossible with respect to
California that apy such evidence could be frnshed-she
having been part of this empire only the time have
toned '.,
Now, sir, let ask what done the first appor-
onment OF representation amongst the several States OF the
Union? There Federal enumeration of the people Of
the United States which that apportionmen made
So many representatives allotted State many
to another and completing the number provided for by
the constitution Of the United States In that instance the
Congress- rather the Convention that allotted those repre-
senatves to the various States upon all the information
which they possessed whether perfectly authentic
II known by those who at all acquainted with the ADJUST
ment OF the question of amongst the
States the number of representatives allotted larger than
the actual population Of the State would entitle her
may mention more particularly the of Georgia.
pretty well known that larger number of representatives
allowed to her than the state Of her population
would authorize but was said Georgia is State
pidy filling up; strong current of emigration is pouring
into her limits, and she will soon, perhaps by the time
her representatives take their upon the floor of the
House, have the requisite population In this way sir,
upon information not obtained federal authority but upon
information obtained by all the modes by which it could be
procured and which Of nature calculated to satisfy the
judgment Of the convention the appoonment made by
the convention that framed the constitution. So sir, in the
Of more recent acquisitions annexaons Thato Texas
for instance. Nobody believed, think, the time, that
Texas had population emitting her to two representatives.
but the of Of the old thirteen States in the
case of Texas, she rapidly filling up II was known
as have doubt will turn be the whom the
census to be taken in Texashat before the next
enumeration should take place she would have population
not only emitting her to two but probably to than two
representatives.
Now sir there an error existing at least thought so
from the remarks of two friends the other day, with
regard to the requisite population to enle California two
representatives Ii is not supposed, double the ratio
which fixed years ago by Congress That ratio