The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-06-14


make one portion of the country inimical to the
other He was not conscious that he had a foreign
neart or a foreign wish, and he was sure that he
mad not attempted to dissolve people whom God
had designed TO dwell together in unity. He did
not regard the threats as serious The constitu-
ents OF gentlemen not in earnest, if they are;
ana they do not represent the facts as they occur.
The Missouri line, as adopted In 1920 did not refer
to territory not then belonging to the United States;
nor to the Mexican territory and to all other terri
tory acquired by our land -stealing propensities.
MIR. MEADE was inclined, for one, 10 accept the
apology (if 1t was honestly and sincerely rendered
to the Sonth by those who voted against the propo
| sition) that the vote was given merely because
they did not choose TO record their votes for
| mere abstraction" But he would ask these gen
| tcmen why 1T was that only on this occasion they
are unwilling to vote for an abstraction The re-
cords ofths House for the ast five years show that
every non slavery proposition introduced by the ul
tras OF the North-mere declaratory opinions too
| they were found voting on them, knowing that no
| legislative action would grow out OF them. few
| OF the northern Democrats had not voted for the
amendment of the gentleman from Kentucky He
desired to hear from the gentleman from Massa-
chusetts MIR. AsHMUN) and the gentleman who
| used to occupy the Speakers chair. II they de-
clare that should State be formed out of the terri
tory with the institution of slavery engrafted on
her constitution they will vote for its admission,
then he might be inclined to believe the declara-
! ton of the few who did not vote at all. Let the
| gentlemen who gave the eighty nine votes this
morning come forward, some of whom have de-
clared that il slavery should be recognised in the
constitution of State, this would not prevent them
from voting for her admission. The gentleman
from Ohio Mr. CARTER) said that he did not vote
for the amendment because he would not force
this institution upon States hereafter applying for
| admission. There no such admission in the
| amendment There was nothing obligatory in it..
The motives of the gentleman from kentucky (Mr.
SrANToN) were Legitimate, it desirable to
obtain knowledge of the intentions of the North
| as to future action The South want to know
whether any State hereafter to he formed with re-
cogntion OF slavery is to be admitted. He repeat
ed, the motives of the gentleman from Kentucky
were perfectly right.
| Mr.. TOOMBS called the attention of the com
mlttec and the country TO an important point. We
did not hear more than word i'll ten, but he
understood to say that Northern gentlemen profess
| to maintain the policy OF the President, and say
| they will settle on it. They do this only so far
as relates to the admission Of California; and thus
| act fraudulently and ignominiously. And when a
proposition is proposed that may give justice to the
South, they turn round and reject it. The gentle
| man from Boston Mr.. WINTHRoP) voted against
| the amendment.
| Mr.. DUER remarked that when first it was
| charged that the North had voted to exclude slave
States which may hereafter be formed, he intended
to repudiats any such construction of the vote. He
| utterly denied it now. He ready to declare
| himself, ready to act upon the recommendation of
the President He had given notice of a bill upon
| this principle He voted against the amendment
because he and others who desire to admit Cali
fornia, wish to admit her independently of any
other measure. In Remembering the State they
should see that they would not be supporting the
| plan of the President.
| If the South vote for the Presidents plan the
question can be settled on that principle. But the
South ask the North, as preliminary step, to
| tablish slavery in the Territories This is what
was asked by the Missouri compromise. The
South, and not the North, rcpudintc the principle
of the Presidents plan, and not willing to give
TO the people the right establish slavery az thew
please He willing to leave this question to the
| people of the Territories. Did the gentleman say
that those who voted against the amendment
| opposed to the Presidents plan?
| MIR. TOOMBS. Yes.
! Mr.. DUER That vote can be construed in this
way-that the friends of California do choose
embarrass the bill
Mr.. WINTHROP said that one reason why he
had not taken part in the fve-minuie discussion
was, that he did not wish to delay this bill until the
Senate shall have acted on the compromise mea-
sure. lie was not disposed to contribute his share
to the delay, and did not acknowledge the right of
any member TO call upon him in debate. There
was nothing in the peculiar relations existing be-
tween the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. TooMBs)
and himself which authorized the gentleman 10
lect him out, and indulge in speculations to his
intentions and motives. II the gentleman intended
to insult him, by mentioning fraud in combination
with his name, the implication recoils upon the
| gentleman He had pursued policy clear in the
| sight of God and man. II the amendment had
been precisely opposite TO what il was-that no OBJ
lection should hereafter be made to any State formed
north OF 36' 80, excluding savcry-he should have
voted against it, He would vote against every thing
which goes To humbug and cmbarrass the bill. He
had declared for California single measure, and
repeated, he would vote against every amendment
which will have the effect of embarrassing il.
Mr.. STANTON, of Tennessee, remarked that he
had uttered no threats. When gentlemen of the
South say that construction of the Constitution
TO deprive them Of their rights, will drive them
from the Union, they are told that regiments will
be sent 10 preserve the Union. All the threats arc
uttered by northern men, who claim that il can be
preserved by force, when, in truth il ON pub
lie opinion. He repeated, he made no threats but
/ nf hat 1yOt1ld ifa
bly, be the effect Of their conduct, If they persist in
IL. The South will stand the basis OF the Con-
stution, and they will stand there until the last
moment; they will stand there until the death.
Mr.. HALL did not vote for the amendment and
he would vote against any amendment TO the Mis-
souri, compromise. His constituents arc for com
promise in spirit, and he did not intend that the
proposition should be embarrassed by the amend
ment OF the gentleman from Kentucky. He had
no doubt that the amendment offered with the
best motives but he believed that ts effect would be 90
embarrass the Missouri compromise. He was will
ing TO trust the North 10 carry IL out. IL has
ceivcd the construction along ago; il has never been
understood 10 extend 10 Territories when they ap.
ply for admission States. He denied that Con
gress has the right TO require any condition for the
admission OF a State, except that lie constitution
be republican. IL was true, had been said, that
delegates in the convention which formed the con-
stitution of California expressed preference for
territorial government; but when the constitu.
ton was submitted to the people for adoption out
Of eleven hundred south Of 36o 30, only twenty-one
votes were cast against it. If the facts show any
thing, they show this: The people south Of that line
were more united in its favor. OF tho thirteen hun.
dred votes against the constitution, nearly all were
cast by persons living north Of 36o 30.
Mr. HARRIS, OF Illinois, said that as to the repu.
tation Of his colleague, (Mr. BAKER,) il was v rit.
ten on the pages Of the history of the country and
il will stand while the men who indul Ue in pettv
things Of this kind (alluding the charge that MI
BAKER was born in foreign land) arc FORGOTTEN
forever He has not only shown his devotion 10
the Union on the battlefield, but his devotion 10
the Union in this hall. Opposing him as he (Mr
H) had heretofore done in political strife his feel
ing would revolt should he refuse to say here that
his colleagues conduct entitled him 10 the applause
OF all who knew him. Threats had come from tho
South. Early in the session, the voice Of the pen
tleman from Georgia (Mr. TooMBs) was heard,
numbering iorth that until the questions be settled
let discord reign IL such language meant anv
thing, 1t meant threats; and they have done more
TO drive members from the position which they
would have occupied, than any prc-conceivcd opin.
ions which they might have formed. He was ready
TO vote for any proposition which will settle the
question, and not involve a sectional declaration.
He believed that when the question shall have been