The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-06-19
Congressional.
CALIFORNIA DEBATE.

~ AAoosE, No"s"oys S~sse Id
Thereupon the committee resumed the
consideration of the special mess ,ge of the
President relating to- California, and of the
bill relating thereto.
Mr.. INGE requested that the pending
question might be stated.
The CHAIRMAN. The Clerk will re-
port it.
The pending amendment was read, as
follows:
Propided, That the people Of any portion Of said
Territory when assembled in convention pursu-
nnce of constitutional authority to frame a State
constitution, have the right TO adopt exclude
African slavery, and their determination of this
question, by the adoption or exclusion of African
slavery, shall be no obstacle TO the admission of
such State into the Union
Mr.. INGE, in explanation, said: During
our last sitting, the following proposition was
rejected:
"Propided, however, That it shall be no objec-
ton to the admission into the Union Of any State
which may hereafter be formed out Of the terri
tory lying south Of the parallel of the latitude Of
800 30 that the constitution of said State may
authorize or establish African slavery therein
Some members objected to that PROPOSE
ton, because it was limited in its application
to territory south Of SO deg 80 min. NV
amendment obviates that objection, and |
infer that all those who do not wish to be
understood as opposed in all future time to
the admission of another slaveholdlng State
into the Union, will vote for it, offer it as
a test Of the sense Of the committee in re-
gard to the admission Of new siapehOlding
States out Of the territory acquired by the
treaty Of Guadalupe Hidalgo. And / must
say, that unless this principle is affirmed
unless members Of the North can 90 to this
extent, there is no hope Of adjusting these
difficulties. The declaration has gone out,
that no more slaveholding States are TO be
admitted, and ! now insist upon its reversal
insist upon it as necessary preliminary to
any adjustment.
The Missouri Compromise is the pending
amendment, and the proviso which / offer
thereto is relevant and appropriate indeed
necessary to the understanding CT point,
which has been, to some extent, controvert-
ed; that is, the uncontrolled right of the
people to determine for themselves the ques-
ton Of slavery when assembled in convention
to adopt constitution, in pursuance Of con-
gressional authority. hold this to be UNI
versally true, everywhere, both north and
south OF any compromise line which may be
adopted. And trust that even those who
assert the authority Of Congress to abolish or
prohibit slavery in the territories, are will
ing, by the adoption CT this amendment, to
concede the expiration Of the power, when
the relation Of territorial dependence changes
to that Of State sovereignty. IF this princi-
pie be true, it results as corollary, that
upon the application of new State for adj
mission into the Federal Union, Congress
has no right to inquire whether her constitu-
ton establish or prohibits slavery; a power
higher than Congress will have determined
it; and any differences with that determine
'tion would be to overlap the barrier of its
limited powers.
The distinguished gentleman from Massa-
chusetts, Mr.. WINTHROP, the leader Of
his political party in this House, declared,
in explanation Of his vote against the proyiso,
rejected at our last sitting, that he was I'M
willing to embarrass the admission of Cali
fornla by any amendment; and he took occa-
sion to make THO gratuitous and untounded
assertion, that amendments heretofore offer
ed by southern gentlemen were with the
design to retard action upon the questions
involved
Mr., WINTHROP. said calculated to
embarrass.
Mr.. INGE. When Missouri craved adj
mission into the Union, with constitution
recognizing slavery, northern gentlemen
seemed quite willing to embavass her, and
imposed upon her admission clause prohi-
biting slavery in the Louisiana Territory
north Of 36 deg. 80 min. When Texas,
with her slaveholding constitution, desired
ingress, the same spirit prevailed, and the
North were then willing to embdrrdss her,
by condition that in new States, carved
out of her territory north Of 36 deg. go
min slavery should forever be prohibited
Sir, national good faith, political integrity,
and personal honesty, all demand the asser-
ton Of the principle embodied in the mend
ment have offered
Mr.. INGE withdrew the amendment.
Mr.. VAN DYKE, in explanation said:
do not know that the expression OF my
opinion here will amount to much, although,
such as it is, Ihave no objection noryhesita-
ton to give it. This amendment is now re-
newed, as understand, because it is said
that it embraces very important question,
upon which the South desires to have an ex-
preston Of opinion. | cannot speak for any
but myself upon this question, and, as I
said before, have no idea that my opinion
will be worth much. But am willing and
prepared to say that, at any time when the
question can be fairly presented to the con-
sideration of this House and to this commit
tee, shall be ready to express my views
upon it. My own opinion is, that It is not
good ground Of objection to State, when
she asks admission into the Union, Cher adj
mission in all other respects being right and
properly that she either puts slavery into her
constitution, or excludes it. That, say,
is my own individual oplnon-and more
especially when the application comes from
State where slavery existed before the APP