Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-08-17

application to introduce into the proceedings Of this body
what has been totally unknown for SIXTY yea Il is APP
pcaon to introduce it. not because this is the FIRST occasion
in history when questions Of similar Importance and sm
excitement have agtaed the members Of this chamber
but il is TO do now what has been done BEFORE al
though, il ever were proper to do it various occasions hsve
presented themselves in the past history Of this body
which certainly ought to have been done. Now, for one
confess that entertain the strongest objection the intro
daction Of usages the effect and operation Of which
cannot oresee, and the doing Of which the trainers Of
constitution have carefully and wisely excluded from do
ng SO far the regulations Of the constitution concerned
This matter not overlooked in the Convention that I
framed the constitution Of the United States II there
considered This very right Of entering written dissent
upon the journal proposed to be given members Of this
body II was considered and rejected by decided and
overwhelming vote of the States represented in that Conven
on The reasons given, brief and will beg the in
diligence of the Senate while read short paragraph II
was proposed to amend the article of the constitution
which requires the yeas and nays be entered upon every
question the demand Of oneh Of members present of
each House, by striking the words "each House. and
introducing the words the House Of Representatives
TO conne the yeas and the House Of Representatives.
and then to add this clause and any member of the Senate
shall be at liberty to enter bis dissent"
"Mr Gouverneur Morris and Mr. Wilson observed that if
the minority have right their and
sons the other side would have right complain lift
not extended to them and allow to both would fill the
Journals like the records OF court with replicaton reon-
"On the question on Mr. Carros motion to allow mem
Der to enter his Virginia. South Carolna
noes s."
II seems then, sir, have been considered. That is OBJ
ous The question between having the yeas and nays
having the dissent protest entered upon the Journal
seems have entered into the head Of member Of the
Convention that both should be allowed The clause in the
constitution, asst stood then and az stands, hstin
each house. the demand Of oneh Of the members pre-
sent the yeas and nsys should be entered Il proposed
amend that leave that provision to apply the
House Of Representatives and to give Senator the right
Of entering his the record The Convention BY
decided majority rejected the proposition and determined
that each house should stand the same foong that in
each the votes Of the members be recorded and that in
neither should dissent protest be entered But what
wish call attention to il, that to have been
sdered all hands that the question the right of enter
ing the protest. the and nays It was conceded on
all hands that both ought not to be extended.
The more therefore, Mr. President have thought this
subject the have been struck with these facts That
this carefully considered by the Convention; that
the proposition Of allowing protest rejected by the de-
cisve Of eight States three; that in the prosecution of
the business of the Senate for sixty not single instance
has occurred in which such privilege has been allowed
satisfied, therefore, that there must be danger and diff
Guilty ahead if allow this privilege Gentlemen say
the Senate will exercise sound discretion granting the Pv
ege In my opinion, the Senate will be stripped of all dis
creton practically upon this subject If allow this protest
to be entered upon the journal Of the Senate with what pro-
ety decline receive and enter upon the journal
protest from any equal number of brother Senators upon
any other subject when they state that it is matter Of inn
to be pepeuated and handed down poseriy lido not
how upon principles of courtesy upon which alone this
asked if we allow this privilege now, refuse it
hereafter, without making marked distinction between
of gentlemen this aoor and another. That is a dis
ncton which for one, will consent to make. Upon
all questions Of courtesy if would yield to in regard to
subject, would yield to another in regard to another
subject And feel satisfied that the Senate shall now
depart from what has been its uniform practice for sixty years.
they will find great embarrassment and difficulty in their future
progress
But further, sir, my friend from Maryland (Mr. Parry
alluded portion of this protest which seemed to imply
reflection upon uncomfortable number Of gentlemen here
representing Southern constituencies, if they had concured
in system Of the object Of which inure
the South know no such thing meant, because the
gentlemen say they meant no such thing
| Mr. HUNTER Has the gentleman read that portion Of
the protest to which he refers n .f2
| Mr.. BADGER. I have not. / was only going to say
that my friend from Maryland drew attention to this yes
terday But wish call the attention Of the Senate to
another part Of this paper heard very little of read yes
terday as came in just before its reading concluded
understood from gentlemen that there nothing in it but
simple Of the of the gentlemen who offered
it. why they opposed to the bill for the admission of
California. Now, that does not to to be correct
view of what this paper really is find that part Of is
in these words:
In view of all these considerations the undersigned are
constrained believe that this Government could be
brought to admit State presenting itself under such crcum
not for the purpose of excluding the people
of the slaveholdng States from all opportunity of settling with
their property in that Territory"
Now, do not propose to inquire whether this be true
untrue correct incorrect. But am asked to put upon
the journal of the Senate in the shape of formal proesa
thing which has before been done in this bodya
per which that this Government would never be brought
admit State presenting herself California does but
the purpose Of excluding the people Of the avehodng States
from settling there with their property That may be true,
or it may be mistaken opinion. But undoubtedly it in
wolves arragnment of the motives Of persons forming
part Of this Government either in this chamber
the Executive Government in the other chamber of Con-
gess, the motives and considerations which induced
them support this bill. That brings up this question
Suppose the paper printed then suppose Of these
gentlemen, who, this foor have dsavowed being infu
enced at all by that considerations who have said they would
have voted for the admission of California without reduc
ton Of her boundaries irrespective Of the particular provisions
contained in her constitution forward and ask for per-
mission, by way of reply vndcate themselves
the journal shall not necessarily be drawn into grant
ing that II seems And thus think would soon be
verified the wise remark made when proposed to amend
the daught Of the constitution by giving this right Of dissent
instead Of the yeas and nays that if the right granted
would have to he granted TO another and the
sequence would be that the Journal like the records Of the
courts would be filled with replcations and rejoindeis
And now, Mr. President feel bound to say that, after
having given this subject all due reflection have come to
the conclusion, with great reluctance and regret that ought
to adhere my original objection to devatng from the esa
bshed practice Of the Senate feel my duty to take the
share there be any share in it, of reactng the reasons
which hastily assumed yesterday in Difference to opinions
of friends around for one, cannot give my vote for
the admission Of this paper
Mr.WALKER. / do not think the Senator from North
Carolina has presented the feature of this protest
Mr.. BADGER l hope the Senator will allow me to say
that did intend present the worst the bad feature
IN hat