Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-05-31

States, held In or introduced into said Territory.
Mr. MASON said that he desired the indulgence Of The
Senate 10 allow him To speak upon all the subjects embra
ced IN the BILL well those matters referred o by the
committee in their report The first of these was the amend
cn reported by the committee be added 10 the fugitive
slave b and which provided that the master may carry his
record evidence with him when about 10 reclaim fugitive
slave tie thought that this section had been greatly mis-
understood 10y his southern friends. He thought highly
favorable and ha would be found Of great advantage.
The other section, requiring that whenever the slave should
assert his freedom he should have right TO trial BY
on his 10 the State whence he fled,
able. This did not his favor He thought that it
would prohibit the sale of the reclaimed slave by his master
during the tendency this trial il would be detrimental TO
fhe rights ana privileges OF The lie did not approve
OF this amendment.
The mex, matter to which he alluded the bill reported
part OF The general scheme of Compromises abolish
the slave trade in the District of Columbia He thought
his could not meet with The favor of the South II left free
and unrannelled he could .,rit. But he
prcssly forbidden by the resolutions OF his Legislature passed
al the late General Assembly
Mr. FOOTE asked the Senator 10 say whether such pro-
ysionthough in the former resolutions of the State OF Nr
sniawas Significantly omitted in the last resolutions Of
that body
Some conversation ensued between the CHAIR Messrs.
! FoOTE, BERRlEN and MASON, the subject OF inter
lrupions.
j Mr. MASON read the following resolution passed by the
Leglsaturc Of Virginia in January 1919 which Ia him
instruction. and which had since been revoked al
tered modified:
Resolved That regard the passage of law, by the
Congress Of the United States abosng slavery or the
slave trade in the District OF Columbia direct attack upon
the institutions o the Southern States 10 bc resisted at
every hazard.
He then examined the bill before the Senate He did
hins that the bill such compromise would hap,
py H. all the disturbing questions VI the day lie would
crcriuly support any bill which accomplished this gea cnd
M bill cond receive his support which in incrie
ed WITH ar in prevented tic citizen oi any part o
the country, going into the territories belonging 10 all Inc
States, with all his property, OF whatsoever kind. lie
thought tla. such right clearly ana unquesI!onaby
secured by the Constitution of the United States and any
law conflicting with this constitutional right should be re-
pca,d.
The South had conceded in the Clayton compromise to
hayc this right decided by The proper Judicial tribunals, and
to have tested whether any local law of the territory,
regulation by those who first settled there was superior To
that right
There was another compromise made in the Of Mis-
.ou by which the territories Of the Union were divided by
line OF 2 50 which The South had asscntcd The South
would accept il now
Iii, objections to the BILL which said 10 be compro
misc first that excluded the South from the territory
California down the 32d parallel which four and
ha degrees than what they had yielded By the Missouri
compromise line. 10 say nothing more the bill violated tc
Missouri compromise line. II said that this was not
The act Of Congress, but OF the people of California lie
considered that the adoption OF tins bill would make me
of Congress- The people of California, who had framed
this constitution and State government had no night or a-
hoy take such proceedings and they were OF no bind
ing force unless Congress- by s legislation carried these
| proceedings into operation
lie alluded 10 the strange proceedings of the President
who entrusted with the due execution oi the laws ana
who invited tn people in California which was The property
of the Union 10 up this State government, and directed
the military Governor 10 give up his authority 10 the Gov
crnment thus set up without authority vi aw against
|
upon the duties Of the Executive in an analogous case dur
ins the administration ol Mr.. Van Buren.
He read from the debates in the California Convention for
the purpose Of showing that lie people Of California do not
attach that importance their boundaries is supposed
n Washington; those boundaries were contracted
tney wor consider il injury oppression. lie also
read show that the representatives i'll the conNeno" from
that part OF California south Of 81 deg 30 min were al OBJ
posed the establishment of State government and were
in favor of territorial government He conside inc
question whether slavery could ey in California ana con
tended that had il been for the fact that Southern men
had been deprived of their constitutional rights TO carry e
slaves there California would be peoped by thousands
slaves lie cited the debates III The convention n sh""
tia, in the proposition xcuc all negroes il was demon
rated that the labor Of slave in the mines would = worth
i've thousand dollars and who could deny lhat thry
would be Of the valuein that portion OF California
| .o,l,h ui 80 deg 80 min.
| lie argued that would be but fair compromise To ADOPT
the division OF California by that line OF 80 deg 81 ntn
lie would vote Of compromise for scheme Of
adjustment admitting California on the sole condilon mat
she contract her boundaries 10 the line Of 50 de-. 81 B-
Il had constitutional objection the immediate admS-
ion Of California because he believed that she could be en-
mid Ia bul one representative until such time enume
ration of her inhabitants had He w0uld though with
rcat reluctance overlook all tho irregularities and
the conduct OF the President and that California should be
admitted proclamation, BY the PRESIDENT whenever s
would in convention contract her southern boundary 10 e
line Of 36 deg 80 mn and her representation III the House
10 member
lie did not believe that the South would accept any
bin az compromise which excluded slavery from one men
If territory south of that line California would then have
tive and half degrees the Pacific coast and leaving
|
He mex, alluded to that part Of the bill settling the boun.
day Of Texas He objected 10 this because The elect OF II
was 10 take part of the territory oTeXas, and make IL he
territory United States The boundary OF Texas was inc
Rio Grande and she doubtless could make her claim gooa
A. such she annexed. The effect OF ms part OF 'e
compromise reduce the northern and western oou
Diary Of Texas the 2d parallel being four and nan de-
gress south the Missouri compromise line; and mar uch
uf The soil OF Texas, now subject to the laws oi s'G H
thought il not only violated the Missouri compromise nle
but also compact made with Texas, that suc 't'e
which may be formed south of 80 81 shall DC adIeu VIE
her she permit slavery this territory be taken
away from Texas and made the property oil he Ghio, men
il be the territory oil Texas ana Is reehsel o
hc obratons of the compact with Texas This the South
yas called upon sanction What was the equivalent
II was the withholding of the Nmo provlso from he Ter
tores of New Mexico and Utah. He did not consider lal
;his equivalent He read from speech
lde the House. To show that the povso was not aeea
cd, but only postponed, "
III thought that the whole South would be perfectly salts
fed and content, and hc knew why should not
be acceptable the whole country if the Missouri line o
81 deg and 80 mn extended from the State oi Texas
10 the Pacific coast. Such compromise would DC uuGf
stood by the people, because il familiar 10 te ana lie
thought that it, and it only under present circumstances
would be acceptable and satisfactory ,,
Mr. CLAY said that he would like 10 understand rom uc
Senator from Virginia whether he asks that the line oi o
deg 80 min should be established, without any hine peln
said the subject OF slavery, excluding OF au'os =
| North or South Of that line.
Mr. MASON said that he meant distinctly to be 'nder
stood To say that the adoption oil the ine Oh 80 oeg az
- tho Southern boundary of California and as appcu rom
Texas TO that Southern boundary would content hi WITH
u any legislation b. Congress- that for the territory VI
ai(nna South OF So deg 81 nin territorial go'rhns'
should be provided the usual c.mS without any niis
bnr said OF slavery. The to be done rs regards i
aud New Mexico Bur if the Senator would strike OUT ai
that pa. of the bill relating Texas boundary teh nc
would be content with the division of California oy Tie hc
| OF 36 deg. 30 min -. .,,,;o,,
Mr. CLAY said that OF the first occasions on wlc
m had addressed the Senate he had said that ne considered
e adoption OF the line of 6 deg 80 min without any re-
cornton of the right carry slaves South Oh ha me- woo
be but mockery The Senator says now that ne "i ac-
ceo such a line Can the Senator speak for the whole
south or can lie say that such will be acceptable to the
Southern Senators? He understood the Senator 10 say lat
he spoke only himself Now would Southern Senators
accept this compromise! ,,..,
| Mr. MASON said that if the Senator from hentuchy
would say that he would be in favor Of he would receive
4 response very readily from the other SIDE -
Mr. CLAY said he gratied 10 hear he oen'or say
that he would take that line of SO deg ~ nn wiou. an!
recognition the right hold slaves Souh IL ou
hc Senator proposed divide California lie would say 10
the Senator that he would propose as sort oi compromise
hy extending that line from Texas through oah ana New
| ,l.yiro I'M 10 the Eastern boundary of California
MIR Fl f. sid that from the remarks OF the Senator IRON
yrcn il irht be supposed That the Missouri compromise
n had been oied To Texas He did not understand sucs
m bc the fact but that Texas admitted as slave State
and NIL her territory slave territory until such time a.
s was divided into additional States and then and not I'll
ihn was the line of SO deg 30 min to be applied 10 her
Mr. MASON said that the resolutions OF annexation