Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-07-04
Gbtrtp- first Congress.
SENATE.


"New States not exceeding two In number,
of convenient size and having sufficient popula-
ton, may hereafter, by consent Of said State of
California, be formed out of the territory there
of which shall be entitled to admission under
the provisions of the Constitution"
Mr. Foote moved to amend the amendment by
adding thereto, "with or without slavery, as the
people of each State asking admission may de-
sire"
After protracted debate, the amendment of
Mr. Foote was adobted, as follows
YEAs-Messrs. Atchison, Badger, Bell,
Berrlen, Butler, Clay, Clemens, DAVIS of Miss
issippi, Dawson, Dodge of Iowa, Downs, Foote,
Houston, Hunter, Jones, King, Mason Morton,
Pratt Rusk, Soule, Spruance, Sturgeon, Under G
wood, Wales and Yulee-26.
NAYs-Messrs Baldwin, Chase, Corwin,
Dodge of Wisconsin, Hale, Phelps, Smith Up
ham, and Webster-9
The question recurring on the amendment of
Mr. Hale, as amended, it was withdrawn by
unanimous consent.
Mr. Davis of Mississippi submitted the follow
ing amendment, to come in after the 2lst sec
ton:
Sand that all laws, or parts of laws, usages,
or customs, preexisting in the territories acquir-
ed by the United States from Mexico, and
which in said territories restrict, abridge, or OBJ
struct the full enjoyment of any right OF pelson
or property of citizen of the United States, as
recognized for guaranteed by the Constitution
or laws of the United States, are hereby de-
clared and shall be held as repealed"
Fir Hale moved 10 add to the amendment as
follows:
provided that the laws abolishing slavery in
said Territory are excepted from this repeating
clause"
Mr. Foote said that he tho't that the Mexican
laws abolishing slavery had been abrog0ted by
the Constitution of the United States. He
thought, therefore, that the amendment of his
colleague was unnecessary. He would vote
for it, however. He could not vote for the
amendment of the Senator from New Hamp-
shire. 1t was but the Wilmot Provso in one of
its various shapes.
Mr. Clay said that he would vote against the
amendment of both Senators. The provlso was
equivalent to the enactment. There was moth
ing enacted by the amendment of the Senator
from Mississippi but what was proposed to be
I excepted from its operation by the Proyiso OF
: the Senator from New Hampshire. He would
vote against both He thought the adoption Of
= the amendment of the Senator from Mississippi
S would be departure from the course indicated
: by the Senate, which was not to decide at all
upon the question Of the ler loci, but leave 1t to
S be decided by the Judiciary whether those laws
were in force, or whether they had been abbro.
= gated by the Constitution and laws Of the Unit
# ed States
e Mr. Davis Of Mississippi explained his amend
d ment. All that was asked by it was, that those
J. local laws preexsting in the Territories inter-
0 fering with the rights which American citizens
( were entitled to under the Constitution, should
J be repealed The amendment was not intended
to reach the Mexican laws aboishing slavery,
but it was intended that any law which prohibit.
ed the enjoyment Of rights secured by the Con-
sttution Of the United States should be set
aside.
Messfs Prat and Downs expressed themselves
as IN favor of the principle OF the amendment,
but would vote against it.
Mr. Berrn supported the amendment.
Mcss:s Davis, Foote, and Downs, continued
the debate,
MIR Dawson followed in support of the amend
ment, and in reply 10 the objections urged a.
galnst it.
Mr. Walker addressed the Senate in opposi-
ton to the amendment.
Mr. Badger said that by an amendment to
the bill already adopted, the Constitution Of the
United States and the laws of the United States
|
There was then no necessity for the amendment
for every thing proposed to be accomplished by
the amendment had already been accomplished
by the amendment which had been inserted
He thought the amendment unnecessary, and
perhaps might embarrass the bill, therefore he
would vote against it.
Mr. Houston moved, and the Senate adjourn
ed.
HOUSE.
Mr. Strong from the Committee on Elections,
reported in favor OF the right of Mr. Thompson
Of Iowa to the seat now occupied by him.
minority report was made by MIR Van DYKE
The consideration Of the reports was postponed
till the Goth instant.
A reconsideration was moved of the resolution
by which, on the day before, a Committee OF In.
veStigation had been ordered to examine wheth-
er the Secretary of the Treasury has not used
or appropriated a large sum Of money out Of
the surpuss fund without authority of law.
A discussion took place in which Mr. Morse
of Louisiana denounced the practice of getting
up such resolutions in the strength of statements
or rumors from persons outside the Hall.
Finally the molten to reconsider prevailed,
and the following amendment, offered by Mr.
Chandler, was adopted
Resolved, That the Committee Of Ways and
Means be instructed to procure an account of
all sums of money VII ch may have been taken
(if any from the surplus fund, which had accu-
INFLATED to said fund under the provisions of the
act of Congress of 1895, from appropriations
made for the Florida Indians and for other pur-
poses, under various specific appropriations made
by Congress,
The House adjourned.
WEDNESDAY, June 10,
The Senate, after attending to the business of
the morning hour, resumed the consideration of
the report of the Committee OF Thuteen.
Mr. Benton gave notice of an amendment, al
tering the boundaries of New Mexico, as pro-
posed in the bill.
The question pending was on Mr. Hale's a.
mendment, which was rejected.
The amendment moved by Mr. Davis of Miss
ssippi was then taken up, and also rejected, by
the following vote:
YEAs--Messrs Atchson, Bell, Berrien, But
Ter, Clemens, Davis of Mississippi, Dawson,
Foote, Houston, Hunter, King, Mason, Morton,
Pearce, Rusk, Sebastian Soue, and Yulee-lo.
NAYs-Messrs Badger, Baldwin, Benton,
! Bright, Cass, Clarke, Clay, Cooper Corwin,
| Davis of Massachusetts, Dayton Dodge OF
: Wisconsin, Dodge of Iowa. Felch, Greene,
Hamlin, JONES' Miller, Norris, Phe lps, Pratt,
Shields, Smith Spruance, Sturgeon, Underwood,
Upbam, Walker, and Whitcomb-20.
e An amendment offered by Mr. Walker, to sec
ure the right of suffrage to aliens born, who had
e scnifed their intentions to become citizens,
was rejected.
Another amendment, moved by the same gen.
tleman. to strike out from the 10th section the
words ''nor shall the lands or other property of
G non.residents be taxed higher than the lands or
/, other nropertvs shared the same fate.
Ell Mr. Underwood moved to amend the 10Th Sec
ton, so as to secure only the, 10th instead Of