The New York herald., 1850-05-17
INTELLIGENCE BY THE MAILS.


wAsnsoros, May Is, 1850
The Comgaoni's Bia-.a Test Vo, vhieh is not 9 Test
Pste-Progress Of the Debate.
The Compromise bill being resumed TO-DAY. Mr.
Douglas, with view Of procuring test vote of the
senate on the question, whether California and the
territories shall be considered separately or in the
snne bill, he therefore moved TO lay the compound
bill the table, to take up the California bill
by itself And the result was "a to 2S-a majority Of
four supporting Mr.. Clays bill, In preference Col
Benton's scheme Of admitting California by herself
The the substantially a several on
the question pending the debate on the subject
of appointing the committee Of thirteen with this diff
ference, that Mr. Yuee Of Florida is completely op
postd to this compromise that he voted with the North
minority to lay upon the table viii hoat further
dhcussion With this exception, the extreme South
voted against laying he promise the table But
this vote is not to be taken as test 1t does not de-
eide the question upon the bill 1t only decides that
the South prefer to discuss these questions all together
to the alternative OF suffering California to in in
d'pend'ntly Of any other question whatever. III the
vote had been upon the passage Of Mr Clays compro
mise spprehend the result would have been widely
different, and that ten twelve Southern Senators
would have been added to the Northern minority
Mr.. Webster and Mr. Cooper, Of the Committee OF
Thirteen, voted lay the bill of Mr. Clay upon the
table. The position of Mr. Webster is thus very clearly
defined IL he opposed to the mere consideration OF
the admission OF California in connection with any
other measure. he must certainly be set down
Bill
The amendment moved by Mr. Davis, or MISSISSIPPI,
to the tenth section of the bill pretty clearly indicates
that the compromise it stands is not satisfactory to
the South. According to the bill the tenth section
reads = follows
Sec TO- And be it further enacted That the legislative
OF said territory tUah shall extend to all rghul
subjects egsation consistent with the constitution Of
the United States and the provisions Of this act but law
shan be passed interfering with the primary disposal OF tho
SOIL nor Ia respect 20 African Siarerp, &c.
Mr.. Davis, of Mississippi, moved to strike out the
words in italics and to insert
Nor with those rights of property which out of the
States of this Union.
At the fret glance this amendment appears to BE-
change Of phraseoogy without altering the
ing Of the bill but there Is a wide distinction Ac
cording to Mr. Clays construction the local laws de-
scended to the territories from Mexico excluding sa
very remain in force and there rights of pro-
perty in slaves in the said territories While the bill
therefore does not disturb this construction of the r
loci OF Mr. Clay, the amendment Of Mr. Davis guaran-
ties under the sanction of Congress the rights
property in slaves In the territories In other words
while the bill afhrms nothing the amendment of Mr..
Davis recognises establishes slavery in the territories
Mr. Clay, Of course argued that this amen dmen
superhuous or else mschievous in its tendencies Mr..
demanded by the necessities of the case.
Mr. Foote, as Southern man. and a friend OF the
compromise, occupied very ticklish position on this
endment If he advocated it, ii WAS calculated to
damage the bill; If he opposed It, the effect might be
to his own disadvantage as a Southern man He
compelled to define his position, which he did very
adroy but at very great length, be in favor of the
constt utional rights Of the South In the
amendment, but in opposition to the amendment as
not necessary, the constitution itself conceding the
right Of property demanded.
We shall probably have another day or two spent
upon this amendment, after which, Mr.. Seward will
follow II up, with another of the abolition stripe After
protracted discussion the chances appear to be in
favor of the bill passing the Senate although there
dozen southern who yet to be conciliated to
its support.