The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-05-29
Report from the Committee of Thirteen


Report from the Committee of Thirteen.
Mr. CLAY. Mr.. President, have risen to
present to the Senate a report from the Commit
tee of Thirteen, which was appointed some
weeks ago.
The report is Of some length, sir, and there
have been some erasures and alterations in it;
and therefore, if the Senate will allow me, there
may be some expediency in reading it myself.
If there is no objection, will do SO.
"The Senate's Committee of Thirteen, to whom
were referred various resolutions relating to
California, to other portions of the territory
recently acquired by the United States from
the Republic of Mexico, and to other subjects
connected with the institution of slavery, have,
according to order, had these resolutions and
subjects under consideration, and beg leave to
submit the following report:
'The committee entered on the discharge of
their duties with deep sense of their great i'm
portance, and with earnest and anxious solici-
tude to arrivs at such conclusions as might be
satifactory to the Senate and to the county
Most of the matters referred have been not only
subjected to extensive and serious public dis
cussion throughout the country, but to debate
in the Senate itself, singular for its elaborate
ness and its duration: so that full exposition
veral subjects confdcd to the committee, have
determined the conclusions at which they have
arrived, seems quite unnecessary. They will,
therefore, restrict themselves to few general
observations, and to some reflections which grow
out of those subjects.
s'Out of our recent territorial acquisitions, and
in connection with the institution of slavery,
questions most grave have sprung, which, great
ly dividing and agitating the people of the Uni
ted States, have threatened to disturb the har-
mony, if not to endanger the safety, of the Un-
ion. The committee believe it to be highly de-
sirable and necessary speedily to adjust all those
questions, in spirit of concord and in manner
to produce' if practicable, general satisfaction
They think it would be unwise to leave any OF
them open and unsettled, to tester in the public
mind, and to prolong, if not aggravate, the ex-
listing agitation. 1t has been their object, there.
fore, in this report, to make such proposals and
Recommendations would accomplish general
adjustment Of all those questions.
"Among the subjects referred to the commit
tee which command their first attention, are the
resolutions offered to the Senate by the Senator
from Tennessee, Mr.. Bell. By provision in
the resolution of Congress annexing Texas to
the United States, it is declared that 'new States
'of convenient size, not exceeding four in num-
sber, in addition to said State of Texas and hav-
sufficient population, may hereafter, by the con-
ssent of said State, be formed out of territory
thereof, which shall be entitled to admission
under the provisions of the Federal Consttu-
'tion; and such States may be formed out of
shat portion of said territory lying south of sc
deg. 80 north latitude, commonly known as the
missouri compromise line, shall Jc admitted in
Ito the Union with or without slavery, as the
people of each State asking admission may de-
sire ''
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that whenever one or more States, formed out of
the territory of Texas, not exceeding four, hav-
ing sufficient population, with the consent of
Texas, may apply to be admitted into the Union,
they are entitled to such admission beyond all
doubt, upon the clear, unambiguous and abso-
lutte terms of the solemn compact contained in
the resolution of annexation adopted by Con
gress and assented to by Texas. But, whilst
the committee conceive that the right of adnis-
sion into the Union of any new States carved out
of the territory of Texas, not exceeding the num-
Der specified, and under the conditions stated
cannot be justly controverted, the committee do
not think that the formation of any such new
States should now originate with Congress-
The initiative, in conformity with the usage
which has heretofore prevailed, should be taken
by a portion of the people of Texas themselves,
desirous of constituting new State with the
consent of Texas. And in the formation of sucl,
new State, it will be for the people composing ii
to decide for themselves whether they will admit
or will exclude slavery y And however they may
decide that purely municipal question, Congress
is bound to acquiesce, and to fulfill good faith
the stipulations of the compact with Texas
The committee are aware that it has been con.
tended that the resolution of Congress annexing
Texas was unconstitutional At former epoch
of our country history, there were those (and
MIR. Jefferson, under whose auspices the treaty
of Louisiana was concluded, was among them)
who believed that the States formed out of Lou
isiana could not be received into the Union with.
out an amendment of the Constitution. But the
States of Louisiana, Missouri, Arkansas, and
Iowa have been all, nevertheless, admitted And
who would now think of opposing the admission
of Minnesota, Oregon, or othernew States form
ed out Of the ancient province of Louisiana, up.
on the ground of an alleged original defect Of
constitutional powera In grave national trans
actions, while yetin their earlier or incipen
stages, differences may well exist; but when once
they have been decided byja constitutional ma
jority, and are consummated, or are in process
of contamination, there can be no other safe ant
prudent alternative than to respect the decision
already rendered, and to acquiesce in it. Enter
tanning these views, a majority of the committee
do not think it necessary or proper to recommend
at this time, or prospectively, any new State o.
States to be formed out of the territory OF Texas
Should any such State be hereafter formed, anc
present itself for admission into the Union
whether with or without the establishment O.
slavery, it cannot be doubted that Congress will
under full sense of honor, of good faith and O.
all the high obligations arising out Of the com
pact with Texas, decide, just as it will decide un
der the influence of similar considerations in re
gard to new States formed of or out Of New Mex
leo and Utah. with or without the institution o
slavery, according to the constitutions and judg
lncnt Of the people who compose them, as t
what may be best to promote their happiness
Gin considering the question Of the admissio,
of California as a State into the Union, a majo
rity Of the committee conceive that any irregu
larity by which that State was organized with
out the previous authority Of an act Of Congress
ought to be overlooked, in consideration Of. tn
omission by Congress to establish any territoria
government for the people of California, and tn
consequent necessity which they were under t
create government for themselves best adapt
ed to their own wants. There are various in
stances, prior to the case Of California, Of til
admission Of new States into the Union Withou
any previous authorization, by Congress Th
sole condition required by the Constitution {
the United states in respect to the admission {
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