The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-08-05

cepta a. e. ths psssalngsiou thsi aii.ss h.1n 900
CLAIMS D. o. Au ihteiiEsuf ysaqiF.
NV~, sr. ! a'ak' 40 ,pnpaAiai Nlraiaa 49, lseutr
she Seustnf 80 tar ~ ulis Htsral iloslsf
isin and pffisgtiy ~iilihF b. sgasld UlsNt be-
.iruune iat.ous Bui d,sirs a. ssg tat a. a. 81
regards thf course ~ ths President. tasy whi ~
ditiun 81 ,bc Prssidcni' Iiif konaaaiie ~thaiar
knows, and have ssen iu iay si4irt pHt8ia fasrsF
not more thaa hall hia sums tNiag "a iits d.fl al
iics Of the plsitpn II Prcsidenf "a So ibitrt
states. ~ kugws bst,cr than ~ So sHaiiliifaas
that naturally hgteag 10 EAsti4tigs egatfs 80 xeA
10 thuae Who ouly Sven ~ a taierl P49sF D. q
very dCioate aud atshtu tssk 9ifb taih ~ go
along without CcnsuTe knss ths iaaagftias ,-sn
atof cors here Nita discrimination tsai a. tr 1i
taici O., and be- has given tils fau energy = ~
talents % thc support ef tsr ttti ftpaTted ~ fh
Committee 81 Tiiftrsu, his fstnslie pian lhf Pc
sdrui announced that be- ftlli Aihsfsd a. So Pisa
he had proposvj and ti1 old question: y pftsCbteai
whether Mahpnlct sili ~ " dhs mountain, ~ 80
mountain shall come ~ Mahpnct. A. ~, unaiff
take Ca say which Il Mahstirt, 80 whrh ths tnsun
tain 4 laugh !
Mr. CLAy I beg pardon. but only v antc8 ihy
mountain 90 let me alone llauehtrf.l
Mr. BEtL, ann not aware that thc Ia,r,iniarn has
made any attark upon MahoInct. it0ntinufd
Laughter1 The President has certainly, 80 Ia A.
have understood, made no sgch attack.
hlr. President, | hayr l0okot ca thts aruvins
controversy With intensc interest, bccauss t.uThi
saw ioreshadpwcd IN ibese CircunlsiaaprH rcs5ts
;hut mi ght affect the interests " thc whole country
have looked on with deep and profound ern,
and if could have avoided the discussion 90 have
prevented the causes ~ such contests tirss in
this hall, or olsewhcrc would have dpne 80 meet
gladly. Sir, Il was announced that the President
would not change his opinion and THE tllC h0npra
bic Senator considers attack upon thc plan II the
Committee of Thirteen
Mr.. CLAY, Gin his seat) Not that alone ti,Sfs
were other concurrinE circumstances
Mr.. BELL That was all | had any knowledge
Of | know that il has been said that OF
the Secretaries had been talking against the com
promise.
Mr. CLAY, Tin his scat) All an
Mr. Bell. But put il to the honorable Seua-
tor from Kentucky To say how far he would regard
the talk OF a secretary How far be would con
slider the legislation of the country likely 60 be ia.
iiuenced by what Il secretary might say; And who
is it, what member OF the Senate, oi the House,
and what number Of them, would he controlled by
such an influence, Look, cir, 10 the North and the
South, and see who they who support the plan
of the President As TO those OF the North they
not pledged aud tied TO the Wmot proviso by their
instructions. and have they not already seeded
little from their platform in coming TO the plan
of the President? Who among them could a sec.
rotary, even the President himself, control;
Questions now and then arise upon which tho
weaknesses of human nature may be success.
fully approached, but now, looking round the Sen.
ate who s here so dcbased, subservicnt yler-
ccnary TO be influenced by any considerations Of
Executive favor power in his vote upon qucs-
ton SO important TO the peace and harmony VI thc
country?
Now, sir let me put il to the sagacity and pene.
tration of the honorable Senator from kentucky
| and know of no man who possesses either quality
in more eminent degree-suppose the President
had, upon his invitation, TO the plan of
the Committee OF Thirteen, what would have been
the cry instantly rung through the country 10y the
Opposition presses? want the honorable Senator
to remember that, for the last six months, and dur
ing the full period of the discussions upon this sub
jectevcn al the very height Of the excitement and
agitation which filled the whole country with
alarm--the organ of great and powerful party
UFGshington Union) did not fail to fill its daily
sheets with the most violent and unqualified vitu-
peraton and abuse of the President his motives and
his policy; charging that nc but the tool Of
unprinciplcd cabal and that his whole scheme Of
policy relative to these Territories founded in
the cOwardy purpose OF ayoiding the responsibility
of decision upon the question of the Wimot pro.
viso; and put il To the distinguished Senatorand
no man can better appreciate the question-what
would have been said if, under such circumstances
the President had signiied a change of policy and
come to the support Of the plan Of the com
| mltees And this, after the honorable Senator
himself had declared in his speech, aud the whole
| country considered that the Wimot proviso was
dead' perceive that the honorable Senator secs
| the point.
Mr. CLAY, lin his seat) viii you let me ex.
! press II :
Mr. BELL. Let me express il first. Laughter !
II would have been Immediately proclaimed that IL
! Furnished the last evidence the President could
give oil ms utter unftness Tor the high station he
occupied, the sacrifice of his sef-respect, in
| going for territorial governments now, when there
| Is no danger Of the Wilmot proyiso-no danger
that the frauds" and cheats" practiscd upon
4 the North the South in the late canvass will ever
be revealed. Old lack, who never hinched from
the foe upon the field Of battle, shrnks from a ques
ton OF political responsibility lie opposed to
| territorial governments when he thought the Will
mot proyiso might be put at him; but the moment
the Committee of Thirteen, seconded by the talents
| and eloquencc of the distinguished Senator from
Kentucky, had given the go-by to the Wimot pro-
vso, he takes the plan Of the committee under his
VIII md hg "a to-
| rial governments ! know the honorable Senator
from kentucky would be disposed at present TO
| take very different view of the position Of the
| President. He would probably say that magma
! nimity aud patriotism required that man should
! rise above all anticpations of danger from the
shafts Of calumny. lie may csclaim, " What is a
man worth who ia not willing TO sacrifice him.
| self for the good OF his country" have already
given the answer to all this. The inference have
pointed out would be drawn both by opponents and
friends. lie would have beer scofcd at and scorned
| by his friends at the North; and even his rcceding
! friends nj the South would have despised him for
/ doing act dcrogatory TO his self respect
! What would his opinions hereafter be worth, II,
/ under such circumstances, he should have agreed
10 the plan OF the committee, admitting that u
best, after all, 10 establish Territorial governments.
The President having recommended the policy be
| thought most advisable upon this subject in my
opinion, consistently with his principles required
that he should leave Congress TO adopt whatever
/ course IN their Judgment would beet promote the
public interest, free from any further Interference
on his part; and this understand, he did. lie
had a right TO the expression of his views, and.
when 20 expressed, he had a right 10 adhere to
them, unless he cav good cause TO change them
unless lac became satisfied that the public good de-
inanded a different policy. And II, without such
urgent reason, he bad changed his views, should
myself have felt Tor him infinite scorn. And am
not that, II, under all the actual cunstances
of his position, the President had given IN hs ad.
hcsOn 20 the plan of the committee, the honorable
Senator from Kentucky himself would not in his
heart, have participated in the same sentiment.
| Mr. CLAY. wish merely to say, with the per-
mission Of the Senator, as | stated Just now, that
! there were two courscs ono was 10 come out la
support of the mcasurc--and ! really do not sec
E,~, in that case, the President would have sub
Iccted himself 10 the and contempt the hon
| Orablc gentleman has wildly described. but I
stated also that there another course with which
| the committee would have been satisfied, and that
was course Of forbcarance-to say nothing. 10 do
| nothing against the measure Of the committee TO
leave 10 Congress its undsturbed and free dclbcra
| tons upon a great measure, involving the peace
| and harmony Of the country. now say, sir TO the
! honorable gentleman from Tennessee, and in the
face Of the country that what he said this moment
is in my mouth, and in the mouth Of every membsy
Of Congress that, If the President had either
out in support Of the plan of the Committee of 1hir
teen, or been silent II war bad not been made upon
u by all the influences Of power, the would
have passed both houses without the slightest diff