The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-02-27
California presents herself -faf adm !. sion

itlIluUlIaNtB gnuy-
ing sNsen taken, and without any definition or
regulation on the subject Of voting; aud he
greatly feared thatthis was brought aboutby
the policy of the Administration, which was
suggestive Of this course. There had been
an effort to avoid tho questions which this
subject presented. TO avoid tho Wilmot |
Proyiso, the Territories had been loft in a |
state Of anarchy, aud now California comes
here in worse condition than with the VIII |
mot Provso, for she comes here claiming
rights and privileges which she has taken to
herself by an open act Of usurpation.
1t was in the power Of Congress 10 adopt
this ursurpation by retrospective act; but il
you sanct,iy it in one case, you set dangcr-
Gus precedent, which will be set up in all
times hereafter as binding on Congress.
Under such precedent, Minnesota, Ncbras-
k,a, Dcscrct, New Mexico, and several States
TO be formed out of Texas, will set up a con-
vention, adopt a constitution, and claim
right for admission into the Union.
lie had heard Of kings exercising their pow
cr by creating new peers when votes were
wanted, but such power was nothing to tie
one which such precedent will place in the
hands Of all Executive of this nation. Ii SO
disposed, our Executive may, by his policy,
create new pccrs-ncw sovereign States
whenever he may want their votes to aid his
Administration, and Congress will have no
power to check this thing, for the precedent
once set, becomes binding.
ltc had no fears OF the two gentlemen chos-
en- from California; one was 4 native of his
own State, and an accomplished gentlcnan;
the other had already bccn vouclIed for az
worthy OF Il scat in this body: he had no obcc-
| ton to them personally, but he would say 10
them that, if they do enter the Senate, they
cannot do it but by brcrk,ng down the barri-
crs of tho Constitution.
lie had great fears OF the temptation which
power afforded. The majority had upon
| them the responsibility Of the whole m,ttcr
| They must, IN order to satisfy the people, tio
something more than admitting new States,
| or presenting patchc,-up nproiiiscs-tliey
| must do something giving greater security to
the minority than is afforded by such meas
urcs.
| The whole attempt to exercise the power
oi excluding slavery was 4 measure 10 obthin
dominion. 1t is to get the power forever to
exclude tho South from office, and to take i,
all for one section. 1t was in effect, il accom-
plislcd. the salr C as to pass an act declaring
ri,at no stakeholder shall hold any office of hon
or or profit, unless he agree to terms OF sub
scrvicncy to other interests.
| Suppose war was declared tomorrow,
and il was proclaimed that all the territory
and other property obtained by conquest was
to be given to the n.Slavcliolling Stnies,
what man in the Slave States would take a
commission To serve in such war 20 Yet, in
point OF fact, was not the very efforts and the
mcasurcs OF the North To effect tho same
thing But had the North no ulteror end
to accomplish Had the Nortl, no doctrine
1 which they desired to be now established,
and which was TO bind The Union for all time
i to comet
1t was to establish doctrine that this
thing was presiMed in. 1t was admitted By
all that the Wtlmol proyso was unnecessary.
Twas conlendel tha1yiiiIc laws Of nature and
o. Mc;,Is So slavery. Why, then,
was NJ iIsed upon! 1t twas TO cs-
! In sls ~ lie winch was to govern al
uiurc acquisitions. This doctrine was un.
Just, and violatise OF the great principle Of
equality. And were the South to submit
| Quietly wiien such as.hing vac not onlvs ~
( 6!5jo, 45s AZ t.!s lli,lu His, and gay %hr' her
they require the South to yield all lilo Con-
s,itu,on guaranteed ,lem-perfcc, equality.
| He had opposed the acquisition Of any ter.
ritory; he had predicted the evil consequences
which would result from it. Bat he hoped,
~; Il J!ss 's'' SpS SaIp"Ssf!sy isa thing Which would
be degradation for them to accept.
MIR. Badger said he would state some Of
the reasons which would induce him 10 vote
present circumstances, and why he should
vote against the instructions to the committee.
lie had opposed the acquisition of any terrific.
ry from Mexico, and, when the treaty was
under consideration, had proposed an amend
mcnt To it, which, il adopted, would have pre-.
vented that acquisition, and would have saved
the counlry from It's present confusion and
alarm.
Ii the Senator from South Carolina and
ono or two others had vueI with him on that
treaty, the acquisition could have been pre-.
vented
Mr.. Butler said that when he had opposed
The acquisition OF territory, it was before the
time oi the treaty. When the treaty came
before them, he thought the country was too
far into the difficulty. and that the only way
to get ont was to adop, the treaty.
Mr.. Badger said that California presented
herself here under circumstances vastly df-
icrcnt from any attending the admission of
any other State California had no territorial
government prior To the adoption OF her con.
stitulon and this he considered AN important
matter. Congress had the sovereignty of the
land Michigan was admitted without having
had an act Of Congress to authorize her to
form constitution, but Michigan belonged
to that portion OF territory To which was guar
anticd the right Of admission as IA State, un-
der certain circumstances which had tran
sprcd.
Bat California had no territorial govern
nent, winch vas necessary IN order to know
who was to be rcprcscntcd.-wl" was to be
admitted into the Union The United States
having the suvcrc gnty oi the land, the con.
sent OF Congress, the agents OF the United
States, vas necessary 10 the formation OF
State government by the people Of California
1t was an act OF revolution Oh Their part-a
wrestling of the sovereignty from the hands
OF the power holding II by the Constitution
and the provisions 81 the treaty.
Mr.. B then examined the different art.
c'cs OF the treaty Of Guadalupe, concnding
that, under its articles, the people Of Cnlilorn-
ia were only [" be admitted to the rights and
privileges oI American citizens when Con
gress should thlnk Il propcr 70 do SO. In con-