The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-02-15
THIRTY-FIRST CONGRESS.
FIRST SESSION.
TnuaspAY, February u, ls5O.
sENATE.

lOn Yesterday, alter the executive session, Mr..
FOOTE submitted the following resolution:
Resoloed, That the message OF the President, this
day received, on the subject Of admitting Califor-
mia as State into the Union, with the accompany
ing document, be referred TO special committee OF
hfteen to be chosen ballot, whose duty il shall
be To consider the saIae and also TO take into con-
sideration the various propositions before the
Senate relating 10 the same subject, in connection
with the question Of domestic slavery in all its va
rious bearings, and To report, if they find il practi
cable to do so, plan for the definitve settlement
OF the present unhappy controversy, and to rescue
from impending ruin the sacred Union itself
The VICE PRESIDENT said that the first bust
ness in order The question of reference Of the
constitution.
Mr.. BADGER moved, and the subject was post
poned till after the presentation of petitions.
THE SLAVE TRADE.
Mr.. DAYTON presented the petition of the So
cety of Friends in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and
Delaware, asking Congress To give its influence to
the suppression of the slave trade, and particularly
in the negotiation of treaties.
Mr.. DAYTON said that he was instructed to
say, i'll the name of the Society of Friends that no
memorial petition of that body had ever been
authorized praying the dissolution of the Union.
The Society of Friends were too sensible of the adj
vantages Of the Union and Of the security of re-
hgious federation which they enjoyed under the
Union, ever to be in favor of its dissolution
After some remarks by Messrs. HALE, KING and
DAVIS of Massachusetts, the memorial was referred
to the Committee on Foreign Relations.
SLAVERY.
Mr.. HALE presented large number Of petitions
from Pennsylvania New Hampshire, and Della
ware, praying the abolition Of slavery and the
slave trade in the United States, the motions to re-
ccve which were laid on the table
PHOTOGRAPHY
MIR. DAVIS, of Massachusetts, presented a peti-
ton praying that Congress would pass law direct
ing that all the reports and debates of Congress be
printed under the phonograp hc system. Referred
TO the Committee on the Library.
The Senate then proceeded to the consideration Of
Mr.. CLAWS
COMPROMISE RESOLUTIONS, (sLAvERY.)
Mr.. DAVIS of Mississippi, resumed his remarks
by considering whether slavery was virtually ex-
cluded from the new Territories by the laws Of ma
ture.
This statement was contained in of the reso-
lutons, and the Senator from Kentucky declared ii
to be truth. He denied the truth of the assertion
New countries required combination of labor to
reclaim it. Without slave labor this combination
could not be had This combination OF labor now
existed under the system of pconage; but by the
laws Of the United States, peonage being bondage
for debt, this system was at an end. This combi-
nation OF labor was necessary, and African labor
was the only labor that could be successfully prose-
cuted in certain climates. For this reason it was
retained in Brazil, Cuba and Porto Rico and those
countries were prosperous; while Jamaica and San
Domingo, where slavery had been abolished, had
become Improbable. The climate Of certain por-
no other kind of labor could be used.
The South desired no law securing TO them the
right of taking this slave labor to the Territories
they only desired that Congress will not by its ag-
itation or by its legislation, deny to the South the
privilege of testing whether slavery was excluded
therefrom, either by the laws of or of nature.
They had already been denied this privilege of APP
peal to the Supreme Court, as to California, but
would insist claiming it for the rest Of the terri
tory.
With regard to the compromise on this point, he
would say that he could not vote for the assertion
OF such s'truths that slavery was excluded both
by the laws OF nature and of the United States If
there was to be compromise, it must not be such
a one as the Senator from Kentucky proposed,
nor such one as he had carried through, in 1921,
in relation to Missouri He wanted something
better than mere empty declarations couched in
high sounding words. The Missouri compromise
carried by the Senator was, that any law passed by
Missouri should not conflict with the Constitution
of the United States Such compromise would
not do now, There must be something positive
and determined, and Of binding force and obGga-
ton.
The boundaries Of Texas, which it was proposed
by the Senator from Kentucky to alter, were fixed
by DEGREES and laws into which the United States
had no right TO inquire, much less to alter and
change
By the Missouri compromise line of 800 30, as it
was applied TO all the Territories, the North had
received more than fourfths of the territory Of the
United States Slave labor a wastcful labor, and
required an extended territory. II was not the
uuc pOllCy VI inc NOFtn 10 ucny 10 the south an
increase of territory proportionate to the increase
of their population. IL was not a correct position
that because slavery did not exist in half the
States therefore, the free institutions of those
States were equally extended TO the Territories.
This could only be based the assumption that
the Government was the creator of the States, and
not the creature; that the Government established
the right OF slave property, whcn in fact il existed
under no act OF the Government. Slavery was
recognised property by the Constitution and, as
property, 1t was the duty Of the Government to
protect it. The Government was as much bound
10 protect the slave property board of vessel
il was 10 protect the vessel itself The Govern
mcnt was as much bound to protect slave property
cast away on foreign shore, as it was to protect
the wreck of the vessel.
He differed from the Senator in his Interpretation
of the term OF the Constitution comforting powers
Of exclusive Legislation for this District The word
exclusive was very different from unlimited.
Exclusive legislation was necessary that Congress
might make all necessary provisions for making
this the scat OF government, and such power only
was granted. To suppose that Congress had the
power TO abolish slavery here, to claim for Con-
gress unlimited power-a power that never was
and never could have been granted
IL had been frequently asked, of what had the
South TO complaint Was not the action of the
Legislatures OF the free States the messages Of their
governors, the denunciations heaped upon them
from the Legislative hall, the pulpit and the forum;
not all this some cause for complaint on the
part Of your equals Was not the formation Of in
cendiary orgsniza tOns for the dissemination Of in
fiammatory appeals to our slaves, Of the many at
tempts to carry of our property, some cause and
ground for complaint against aggression
Such conduct as the North had practised towards
the South, IL committed by one nation Of Europe
towards another, would be considered by tho civil
lied world ms good cause for war. To keep up an
organization in one State TO aid in the escape and
loss of property belonging TO the citizens Of another
State, was far worse than keeping force under
arms in ono nation to invade an adjoining one. In
the latter case II was manly and an open course;
in the Cher, dastardly and cowardly.
lie not in favor OF the dissolution of the Union.
As son of revolutionary soldier he had been
taught from earliest infancy TO love this Union.
That love bad grown with his years, and still burned
with an enduring heat. But he had been taught 10
love this Union, and loved yet tho Union, because
Of the firm and broad foundation il had on The plain
est terms of perfect equality secured and main
tanned by Constitution The people of his State
were the warmest and most devoted friends Of the
Union. No man there brcathed wish for disunion.
And 10 perpetuate IT, TO maintain IL from the rocks
and shoals towards which tho majority were driving
II, he was willing, for ono, 10 assume the RESPONSE
biity Of voting for any proposition Of compromise
which was framed on principles Of justice and equal
ity. BY so doing he was not making small sacri.
r. LIT. A A.