The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-06-19


that was right. Time has disposed of the argu-
ment of speed. That reason has expired under the
lapse of time Instead of more speedy, we all know
that California has been delayed three months, wait
ing for this conjunction instead Of defeat if she
remained single we all know now that she might
have been passed singly before the committee was
| raised, If the Senator from Kentucky had remained
on his original ground, on my side and every
one knows that the only danger to California now
comes from the companionship into which she has
been forced. do not believe in either set OF rea-
sons do not admit the territorial governments
to be objects of superior interest TO the admission
of California. admit them to be objects of inter
est, demanding our attention, and that at this ses
sion but not at the expense OF California, nor in
precedence of her, nor in conjunction with her,
as condition for her admission. She has been de-
layed long, and is now endangered by this attempt
| to couple her with the Territories with which she
has connexon, and TO involve her in the Wilmot
proviso question, from which she is Free The SEN
ator from Kentucky has done me the favor to blame
me for this delay He may blame again when
he beholds the catastrophe of his attempted con-
functions but all mankind will see that the delay
is the result Of his own abandonment of the posi-
ton which he originally took with me. The other
which the Senator gave in his speech for the
conjunction is not repeated in the report-the
which addressed itself to our nervous system, and
menaced total defeat to California il urged in a bill
by herself He has not renewed that argument to
our fears, so portcntously exhibited three months
ago; and it may be supposed that that danger has
passed by, and that Congress is now free. But Cal
ifornia Is not bctered by it, but worsed Then, 1t
was only necessary to her salvation that she should
be joined to the Territories; said the speech.
Now she is joined to Texas also; and must be
damned if not strong enough to save Texas, and
| Utah, and New Mexico, and herself into the bar
| gain
United together the report says the bills will be
passed together. That is very well for the report.
II is natural for it TO say But suppose they
rejected together, and in consequence of being to-
gether what is then, the condition of California?
First, she has been delayed three months, at great
damage to herself, waiting the intrusive compan-
ionshp of this incongruous company. Then she is
! sunk under it's weight. Who then, is to blame
| the Senator from Kentucky or the Senator from
Missouri? And if opposition TO this indefinite post
ponement shall make still further delay to Caifor
MIA and involve her defeat in the end, who then is
to be blamed again? do not ask these questions
of the Senator from Kentucky 1t might be unlaw
ful to do for, by the law Of the land, no man is
bound to criminate himself
Mr.. CLAY, [from his seatl do not claim the
Mr.. BsNToN No; high spirited man will not
claim IT, But the law gives him the privilege; and,
! as law-abding and generous man, give him the
benefit of the law whether he claims il or not. But
think it is time for him to begin to consider the
responsibility he has incurred in quitting his posi-
tion at my side for California single, and first, to
tumble her up in this crowd, where she is to
meet death, come the vote when it will. think it
| is time for him to begin to think about submitting
/ to is-tria withdraw juror. and let a uenire
facias de be issued.
| But have another objection to this new argu-
ment. The territorial government bills now
the object; and TO make more certain of these bills
they put into the California bill, be carried
safe through by it. This is the argument of the
| report; and il IL plain declaration that one
| sure is to be forced TO carry the other. This is
breach of parliamentary law-that law upon the
| existence of which the Senator from Kentucky
took issue with rne, and failed to maintain his
side of it. True, he made show Of maintaining
Iit-ostentatousy borrowing a couple of my books
| from me, in open Senate to prove his side of the
case; and taking good care not TO open them, be-
cause he knew they would prove my side of il.
Then he quoted that bill for the "reief Of John
Thompson, and for other purposes" the reading
| Of which had such an effect upon the rsibe
capabilities of that part of our spectators which
Shakespeare measures by the quantity, and quail
| ies as barren Sir if the Senator from Kentucky
| had only read DR.. Franklin's story of John
| Thompson and his hat-sign, it would have been
| something's thing equally pertinent as argument,
| and still more amusing as anecdote. The Sena-
tor by doing that much, admitted his obligation to
maintain his side of the issue: by doing more, he
confessed he could not. And now the ilegality
of this conjunction stands confessed, with the super
| addition of avowed condemnable motive for it,
The motive s--so declared in the report-to force
one to carry the other-the identical thing
mentioned in all the books as the very why
subjects of different natures should be tackled
| together. ! do not repeat what have heretofore
| said on this point: II will be remembered by the
Senate: and its validity is now admitted by the
attempt, and the failure, TO contest it, II il COM
| pulsory legislation, and a fragrant breach Of par
liamcntary law, and of safe legislation II is also
a compliment of no equivoca character 70 a portion
of tho members of this chamber To put two mea-
1 sures together for the avowed purpose of forcing
one to carry the other Ia TO propose to force the
| friends of the stronger measure TO take the weak
one, under the penalty Of losing the stronger. II
implies both that these members cannot be trusted
| TO vote fairly upon one of the measures, or that
an unfair vote is wanted from them and that they
are coercible and ought TO be coerced. This Is
| the compliment which the compulsory process i'm
plies and which is good declared in this case
| IL is a rough compliment, but such a one as "ds-
| tinguisbed Senators'-such composed this COM
mittec-may have the prerogative 70 offer 10 the
Al ting tliahp hnt nndia fin.
gushed may have the privilege 10 refuse 10 receive
it-may refuse 70 sanction the implication, by re-
fusing TO vote as requred-may take the high
ground that they are not coercible, that they owe
glance, not TO the committee, but to honor and
duty, and that they trust themselves for an
honest vote, in bill by itself, although the commit
1 tee cannot trust them! But stop II is a govern.
| mcnt or he government which the committee pro.
pose to secure by coercionS IL il government
such a majority of the Senate may agree uponi
or is il the government, such a majority Of the
committee have prescribed? If the former, why
not leave the Senate 10 free voting in a separate
bill If the latter, will tho Senate be cocrcedi will il
allow majority of the committee to govern the
Senate?-scyen TO govern sixty? Sir, IL s the lat
terso avowed; and being the first instance of such
an avowal, it should meet reception which would
make il the last.
functions exemplihed in this conjunction Of the
| territorial government bills with the California
State admission bill. They are subjects not only
foreign TO each other, but involving different ques
tions and resting upon principles of different ma
turcs. One involves tho slavery and anti slavery
questions; the other is free from them. One in
wolves constitutional questions, the other docs not
One is question Of right, resting upon the Cons
| tuition of the United States and the treaty with
Mexico; the other Is question of cxpediency rest
ing in the discretion of Congress- One is the case
of State asking for equality of rights with the
other States; the other is question of territories,
asking protection from States. One is a sovereign
ty--ths other property. So that at all points,
and under every aspect, the subjects differ; and il
is well known that there Senators here who can
unite in vote for the admission Of California, who
cannot unite in any vote for the territorial govern
mcnts; and that, because these governments involve
the slavery questions from all which the California
| bill is free. That is the rock which men and
parties split here. Some deny the power Of Con-
grcss IN toto the subject Of slavery in terrific
res such as they support no bill which touches
that question, way or the other. Others admit
the power, but deny the eSpedency Of its exercise.
Others again claim both the power and the exer-
else. Others again are under legislative instruc-
lonesome TO vote ono way, some the other. Fl
-