The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1850-08-07
Speech Of Mr.. Clay,
On the Csm6rpnIsc Bin.
Delivered IN The uailsd sssse. s<nsls o. Men,
/. -- dsy. ga Jsly. 1850.

Sir CflY. Ms. President. IL Is known
t6 ,he SENATE thsi IL has besn my hope
,nd exwcsa,ion thai We should dispose
of II. she smrndDpnis ether proposed or
10 Be proposed 10 The bill, and shas upon
the question Of iis encrossment intended.
with The prrmissi.n of Inc Senate. to oc.
.e.py snmr possion cf i,s time in taking .
ran,d review of some Of shs objections
that have been made 10 the adoption Of
the measure under consideration. and then
IN submit Il into those hands In which. by
the canssi,uiion af Ihe rounir-. fhe rrspcn.
sibiily i pIared. The events of Saturday
~ which we passcss information. dspriv-
ed us Of the oppor,pniiy ofemploying tha,
day in the rsus;dsraiion Of those amend
mrn,s which werr intended TO be submit.
led. or we're yet before the Srnaie. But
% some rather impatient anxiety has been
manifested 10 arrive at The conclusIon Of
this important snhjcct-an anxiety in
whirh, 10 some extent. share with nlhers
II have risrn This morning. to perform .
duty tawards the comrniilee and 10 The
subject. wIlirh my position prompts rne 10
endeavorio to ere..ule.
lsay some i,npaiienee has been man
ilrsied. do moi meanit in any unkind
sense. The honorable Senator from New
Hampshire tMr. Hsle) who now sits on
my leli. has upon two occasions moved
10 lay this bill on the table; and hrs mo-
lion was made with III The air Of conscious
power. as IL he felt perfectly secure not
merely of the general result, but in his
being co.opera,ed with by all the oppo-
uen,s Of The bill. Il 10 true the Senator
finally mos, graciously condescended to
withdraw hir motion 10 lay the bill upon
the table. at my instance. for which ] am
profoundly grateful. But as do not desire
again 10 place myself 10 any attitude Of
solicitation with regard 10 the progress and
the FINAL disp silion OF this bill, have
risen, I repeat. now TO perform duty
which apper,ains TO my position.
Dir. President. in the progress Of this
debate |, has been again aud again argued
,ha, perfec, tranquility reigns throughout
the country. aud that there is no dislur-
bance threatening its peace, or endangering
iis safely, but ,hai which was produced
By busy. restless politicians. II has been
maintained that the surface OF the public
mind 10 perfectly smooth and undisiurbed
by a slngle billow. mast heartily wisI,
I could concur in this picture Of general
tranquility that has been drawn upon
both SIDES of The Senate. ] am no alarmist;
nor. 1 tl.ank Gad. vt The advanced age at
which Ills providence has been pleased
20 allow me 10 reach, am very easily
slarmedsy any human cent: bun ] totally
tpisreaJ The signs Of the times. if there be
,ha, state of profound peace and quiet. that
absence OF all Just cause df apprehension
ofIu,ure danger 10 this Confederacy. which
appears TO be entertained by some other
Senator'S. Mr.. President. all the ten.
denotes Of the ,imes. ] lamen, TO say. are
,swards disquiclude, il not more fatal con.
SEQUENCES. When before. in the midst
Of profound peace with all the nations ol
the earth, have we seen convention, re-
presenting considerable portion Of one
rrea, pali OF The republic, meet to delibc'
rate about measures offuture safety in con
nexion with great interests Of that quar-,
ter of the country! When before have
We seen. no, one. bu, morc-some half
dozrn-legslative bodies solemnly re
sol, ing ,ha, il any one Of these measured
the admission Of California, the adoP
lion Of ,he Wilmot proviso. or the abolition
OF slavery in the nis,ric. Of Columbus
should be adopted by Congress, mea
sures of an extreme character, for WI
safeiy OF the great interest TO whlchi re
fsr in particular section of the country
~ould be- resented ioi For years this sub
ice. Of The ahoii,ion Of slavery. even with
In this District Of Columbia, small as ]
the number Of slaves here. has been I
source Of constant irritation and disquiei
SO Of the recovery offngiiive slaves whit
have escaped from their lawful own
ers; not mere border contest, as has beel
suppnsed--ahhough there. undoubtedly
W ude kt'cu ttsc W tiistC utUeN'u s""" "
other portions Of the Union-but every
where through the slaveholding counsr.
it has been EEL. as a great evil. grea
wrong, which required the in,erven,io
of congressionsl power. But these twv
subjecls. unpleasan, as has been the AZ
ta,ion to which they have given rise. az
nothing in comparison 10 those whic
have sprung out Of the acquisitionsr recen
" made from the republic Of Mexico
THESE are not only great and lesdin
causes Of jus. apprehension as respec'
the future, but allths minor circumstance
Of the day intimate danger ahead, wha
ever may be hs final issue and const
quence. The establishment OF a.paps
in tins city--a sectional paper-and
wish could say tina, upon all occasion
IL propaga,ed ruth with more attentio
than In particular instance i has don
"a sectional paper is is'ss,sblished hero
espouse. not the interests Of the entir
Union, but the interests of "a, ticulsr SCI