The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-05-16
CONGRESS
THIRTY-FIRST CONGRESS- -PIRSr SESSION.
SENATE.
SENATE.
"WEDNESDAY, May s, 1880.
The cOMPROMISE Report


THE COMPROMISE REPORT.
Mr.. Clay, chairman Of the Committee of Thir-
teen occupied about an hour in reading their
Compromise Report which, although volumi-
nous, was listened to with profound attention by
Senators and spectators. The leading features of
the bill have been already anticipated by the
press. We, however, make room for the entire
report Upon the motion TO print several Sena-
tors took occasion to express their assent or dis
sent TO some Of the provisions Of the bill Messrs
Phelps, Mason, Cooper, Downs, and Clemens
were opposed to certain measures it recommend
ed, and said they should express their views and
objections more fully when the bill should be
properly before them for debate Messrs Foote
Clay, and Mangum, made some remarks in sup
port of the report. Mr. Clay said he had enlisted
himself in the great cause Of the Union, and of
harmony in its distracted parts, and he meant to
vindicate what he had done, and to vindicate the
report too, IL necessary, from beginning to end,
and show that 1t was founded in reason, in fact,
and in truth.
Mr.. Hale rise, perhaps, rather to occupy the
attention of the Chair than the Senate confess
that am somewhat surprised Mt the manner in
which this report has been received. | am In ia
vor Of its printing, and propose to suggest few
reasons why. ] recollect, in my reading of histo-
ry, that 1t is said somewhere that Henry VIII of
England was on the point of putting to death one
OF his Queens for some most outrageous heresies
which he had avowed She excused herself by
saying that she did not really entertain those he
retical notions, but had merely advanced them
for the purpose of hearing his eloquence in refu-
ting them. ! confess that was inclined 10 think
that some of our friends on the other side Of the
chamber had taken up the policy Of Henry VIPs
Queen, and did not really entertain the notions
which they advanced, but did it merely from
desire Of hearing the eloquence Of the defenders
OF the report thus attacked. When we look at
the report In connection with the attacks upon IL
to which have referred, what Is the state of the
case Ii only serves TO strengthen my convictions
of the truth Of the remark Of the Senator from
Alabama, Mr.. Clemens, when he said athat
concessions to fanaticsm never satisfied fanaticsn
Never, sir. IL we can suppose that there is any
fanaticism ut the South-we all know that there
is a great deal Of il North--but If we can only
suppose that there Is any at all at the South and
il they are not satisfied with this measure Of con-
cessiop, ! do ask, In the name of humility itself
what do they want In the name of humility,
Senator's, what do you want This bill turnst the
whole of the Territories into q slave pasture, and
offers no obstruction TO the spread Of slavery over
every inch Of IT, want this fact TO 20 out 10 the
country in connection with the report, 80 that tho
people may Bee aud understand the extent Of the
concession Yes, air, the report proposes to turn
this whole territory into slave pasture, and TO |
let down the bars so that all may 20 In and the |
Senator from Arkansas Mr., Borlandl | believe
did say that, as an abstract proposition, he was
satisfied with that. Well sir, what has the North |
got IL has got nothing, because it asked for
nothing, so far M know, and il wants nothing.
What then is the concession to the North Is !
this, then, u compromised No. sir. A compro-
mise gives and takes, but in this case 1t seems to
me that the South takes the whole
In times past the South has been urging and |
urging that California should form Constitution
for herself and come into the Union, and thus |
avoid all this agitation. That, sir, was the
Southern teaching, promulgated by the high |
priest Of the elect here in this city, the Union |
newspaper; for that was the doctrine they
preached Let California form State Constitn-
ton and come into the Union, and thus avoid all
this difficulty. Well sir, il Is now proposed to
take California with just such CONSTITUTION rs
she has framed under this Southern teaching
Then we are 10 take the rest of the Territory,
every inch Of II, and appropriate II 10 what yon
contend and believe, II there be any truth In You
TO be the use Of slavery, because you say the Con-
stituton carries that institution with IL wherever
IL goes. Thus you Of the South get all you ask,
and we Of the North get nothing
Then comes the fugitive slave bill, and you pro-
pose To pass that and you are going to give the
slave the right oftra by jury Ifa colored man In
New hampshire there ARE n very few there
should be seized and claimed rs n slave in this |
desert at the back side Of Utah. he would he tried
there, md not be brought back 10 New lamp |
shire 10 be tried where he was born and brought |
up. But your bill gives him jury trial In the |
deserts Of Utah That would be worth good |
deal TO him wonder what II would cost him TO |
get his witnesses there! That IL concession 10 |
the North, indeed! Now, ! am extremely glad |
that we have had the exhibition that we have had |
to-day. The Senator from Mississippi iMr |
Foote thanks the committee for what they have
done Well, thank the Senator's who have OPP
posed the report, NO that there are thanks all
round. Laughter thank them, because now
the country will see where we stand. And they
will see, too that the Senator from Alabama did
not speak without the book when he said that
concession TO ksnaticIsm satisfied fanatics p
for, SIR think he demonstrated the truth Of that
proposition most clearly to-day--that he fully
made out the a. C. d. Of II, and that IL will never
he disputed hereafter. hope that gentlemen are
In earnest, and that their opposition 10 this report
IL not q mere fcint, like that Of the English |
Queen merely with view to hear the eloquepce |
with which their notions should be rsfuted. I |
hope there il feint In this matter but that gen
tlemen will stand up and face the music. Let |
them pat this report down, and then lot us 70
homo and tell the country We have exhausted the |
cup Of concession that We hive conceded every
thing that Was asked Of rs that nothing was held
back, and that then, when all this was done we
stood exactly whore We were at the commence
mont These gentlemen were not satisfied at
first, they were not satisfied mt last, and they
never mean TO be Satisfied and they never will be-