The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-05-26
CONGRESSIONAL.


| sPEECH OF NM. CLAY.
KENTUCKY,
On the Pending Measures Of Compromise; dsiiusrsd
the Senate of United States. Tuesday. May 81. 1850
The Senate having under consideration the special
der-being the bill to admit California as State into the
New Mexico. and making proposals to Texas for the
tablishmen of her western and northern boundaries and
Mr. SoULE having addressed the Senate
Mr. CLAY said: Mr. President. the debate has been con-
Quoted IN this case with great irregulary single prop
osiion was before the Senale and that Of amendment
to particular section. in relation TO the prohibition as
iect Of African slavery; and although this was The sole
question pending before the Senate senators have
launched out upon the broad ocean. and embrace, in
the course OF their Arguments, the entire subject
Sir, feel constrained in vindcation of the acts OF the
COMMITTEES Of which was an humble member. to meet
and will begin with the last, who has Just sat
down The senator from Louisiana finds himself
unable to y 1s scheme o. which q
present conirs-proA Of his own. for the satisfac-
ton and reconciliation OF the people Of this country
win he tell us what he wants Sir, this finding Of
fault, and, with the aid of magnfying glass, dscov
erng defects, deserving the little animacula which
move upon the surface Of matter, and which are nds-
3 b s whoa
profitable result Il is the duty of the senator who has
just addressed us--t is the duty Of all who assathis
to tell how they would reconcile the interests OF this
country and hamonize its distracted parts And Iven-
learned senator T has treated hs has done great injustice
to the acts of this committee do not mean to follow
him throughout the whole course OF his remarks, but
will take rapid notice Of his objections to the various
features OF this report.
Sir he began, if I am not mistaken, with that which
relates to the recovery and restitution of fugitive slaves
and he said with air OF great dissatisfaction, If not
of deson that the committee had brought back that bill
with certain embarrassments, instead OF improvements
Sir beg to recoect that the greatest objections made
to the amendment relating to fugitive slaves come from
States which not suffering under the evil OF having
to recover fugitive slaves stated here the other day.
the State suffering most from this cause, while the State
Of Louisiana s among those States which suffer from il
ana, when we are satisfied with these poysions sees in
them objections which are insurmountabe. And what
are the embaHassments OF which he complaints Why.
properly has to carry with him record itha instead
OF carrying with him, in pursuit Of his slave At great
trouble and expense witnesses and loose aadayls hs =
vantage and protection to the sIaveholdera great ad
vantage; for that record will command respect the
testimony Or ooss aaas taken Ssors uscs Of the
peace, could confer The record, moreover, Is
cumulative, not exclusive remedy. leaving him free to
employ the provisions Of the act OF 1893. lI IS -
With respect to the other portion of the report which
relates to this subectha OF trial by urywhere the
Inconvenience Of such trial taking place in the State
will be no disadvantage; Tor there will not be one in
stance in thousand where the bond 10 allow trial by.
jury st home will incommode the slave since The
preiext; and when he gets back TO his own State be
will. beyond all question: abandon that prelext. Sir
put TO the honorable senator whether he does not be-
eve that this will be the CASE and this, you will recol
ect, is proposed as substitute and satisfaction 10 the
North Of that 'ra BY Jury Which they contend contend 70. a.
would amount to virtual surrender OF the constitutional
provision Moreover. il is granting TO The slave only
The right which he ndsputably possesses. all the
savehoding States, OF sortng their tribunals of JUS
tce 10 establish his claim 10 his freedom il he has one.
Mr.. President find myself 10 peculiar and painful
myself assaed by extremists under
rentsby those in high well n those in low author
ity; but, believing, as do, that this measufe and this
measure only, will pass If any does pass. during The
present session OF Congress, shall stand IT, and to
this report, against all objections, sprngng from what
Sir. il was but the other day that found myself re.
preached at the North for conveying alleged calumny
Of their institutions BY saying thai the trial BY jury in
upon remedy TO the master who had lost his slave
as If had made any such charge on northern judges
Snd T. ~ - ss way q e or
State and federal courts generally. But urged
that il, in Massachusetts, you require a kenuckan,
going in pursuit Of his slave there, to resort 70 trial by
Jury the question Of freedom or slavery OF fugitive,
would be requisite in consequences OF such an assertion
Of privilege on the part OF the fugitive, that the parties
should produce testimony from the State oil Kentucky;
that you will have 10 delay the trial from time 10 time;
that there must be power 10 grant new trial. and that
supervisory power would be necessary when you come
called on to administer the unknown laws Of remote
commonwealth; that, when you up the expenses
and charges the end OF the although the
may eventually his property the conies TO regain
IT, would have him than il is worth thai, in
short, he might be largely out OF pocket and that he
would lind he had better never moved at all in the
matter That was the argument which used and yet
at the North accused OF casting unmefiied oppro
brium upon the right OF trial by jury and the ndmnisa
lion OF justice; while at the South. in another and the
last extreme IRON which should have expected any.
thing Of the kind find that this amendmentis objected
10 creating embanassmens to the owners OF fugitive
slaves. Sir, this ia something like the old song
81 do not like thee, Doctor Feii-- ataf
The reason why, Icannos tell I. eN f6sA
But this know, and know iuli we'll s 81
l do not like thee, Doctor Fell fa Nt
Sach, Mr. President are their objections to this meas
ure. :, H@ ~, a..
Now let us follow the honorable senator from Lousi
ana tile further One OF his great objections was
clause which prohibits the territorial leg aaures from
passng any Law in respect TO African slavery within the
Territories Did the honorable senator know The his
tory OF that clause Did he know that that clause was
moved in the Committee OF Thirteen BY his own col
league Did he know that that clause was voted Tor BY
every southern member that committee except my sell,
IL am so to be denominaed, contrary 70 what 10 my
usual habit OF denomnating myself Every southern
man on that committee voted Tor the clause which ~ the
theme Of the senator's criticism to-day, against my opiA
lon and that OF all the northern members Of that CON
mittee with, believe, solitary exception And yet,
the moment il presents ITSELF although II comes unoef
southern auspices, il 10 objected 10!
Again, ask the honorsble senator from Louisiana, ii
this be rejected, tell us what you want; put II down
in black and whites put down your projects compare u
with that of the committee, and let us know the full ex
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