The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-02-28

10 me e:-"Mr. Clay, heard you make a re.
mark the other day which induces me to sup.
pose that 4 precious relic in NV possession
would be acceptable to you." Eie then
drew out ofhis pocket, and presented 10 me,
the object which now hold 10 my hand
And what. Mr.. President, do you suppose
il is? Its fragment of The coffin Of WASH
ing,on--a fragment Of that coffin 10 which
now repoae in silence, 10 sleep, aud speech.
less, all the earthly remains Of the vsnera-
ted Father Of his Country. Was il por,en.
tious that. il should have been thus present
ed to me! Was il sad presnge Of what
night hnppen 10 that fabric which Wash
ng,ons virtue, pstriotism. and va'or estab
Iishedi No. cir, no. ! was.a warning
voice coming from the grave to the Con-
gress nov In session to beware, to pause, te
reflect befnre they lend themselves 70 any
purpose which ehalI destroy that, Union
which was ce emented by his exertions and
example. Sir, hope an impression may
be made ON your mind such a. Tint which
was made op mine BY the reception OF this
precious relic.
And, in conclusion, Inow nsk every Sen
ator, entreat you, gentlemen, in fairness
and candor, to examine the plan ofncc"ln
mediation which this series Of resolutions,
proposes, and no, TO pronounce against them
until convinced after thorough examine-
ton. move that the resolutions be read
and received.
Mr.. Foote having questioned the sreu-
ment Of Mr.. Clay as to the District OF Co
lumbia, the latter said: L
do not desire to detain the Senate.but .
few moments. The Senator and Tnyse!f
differ, Tint is all. | do not hold to the
opinion which he does, and will cite case to
him. Suppose slavery is abolished in Mary
land Tomorrow. could not Congress. abolish
slavery in the District? Suppose Virginia
and MARYLAND both abolish slavery to-mor-
row, must il still apply here, and is there
no power to abolish it? The implied faith,
according to the view twelve years ago,
was a faith implied to the ceding Staies.--
They were not supposed when making the
cession to have anticipated the exercise Of
the power Of abolishing slavery while il
continued within their limits. That is the
Limitation Of plghted faith we maintained
and conte nded for al that time, but we new
er suppose il included all the States in the
Union. Certainly. l never supposed that if
slavery was abolished in MARYLAND and
Virginia, it must still apply to this Distric,
for all time nnd eternity.
Mr. Davis Of Miss. having attacked Mr..
Clay's proposition, accusing him Of incon-
sistency and declared that he would never
accept any thing else than the Missouri
compromise line, Mr.. Clay said:
Sir, was extremely sorryrto hear the
Senator from Mississippi says that he re-
quires, first, the extension Of the Missouri
compromise line to the Pacific, and then
tha, he is not satisfied with that, but h: re-
quires, if understand him Alright, positive
provision for the admission If slavery south
Of that line. Now, sir, coming from slave
State as do, owe il to myself, owe il to
truth, owe it to the subject, to say that no
earthly power could induce me to vote for
the positive introduction Of slavery South
or North of,hat line. Applause in the gal
leries, Immediately checked by the officers
Of the Sena,c.l |. is solemn, deliberate,
long -matured declaration--no earthly pow.
er shall ever compel me to vote for tie pos
Tive Introduction Of slavery either south or
north Of that line. No, sir, No! We re-
proach-justly reproach--our British an
cestore for the introduction Of that ins.itu-
ton in this country. ] am not for laying
the groundwork Of on institution for which
The prosperity Of Californie-perhops the
present inhabitants Of California and ,ew
Mexico-shall reproach Us for doing toward
them what we reproach Great Britain for
doing towards us. Nthey choose to estab-
l:sh slavery themselves, and como here
with Constitution establishing elavery, !
am for admitting them with their institution,
because it will be their work. not mine
Their posterity will have 10 reproach them.
not me; for in that case they come with a
Constitution establishing slavery.
These are my views, and ! choose to 81.
press them. Icare not how extensively and
universally they are known. As to the
Honorable Senator from virginia, Mr..
Masonl he has expressed his opinion. J
dare say he honestly and sincerely enter
tains il. with equal honesty and sinceri-
II believe that Slavery nowhere exists now
within any portion Of that territory scqui-
red bv us from Mexico. That IS my oPin-
ion. He holds the opposite one. Very
well, we will not quarre! upon il. we vii!
each act upon our own opinion. shall
upon mine; he will upon HE. But, sir, J
regret--I sincerely regret--this premature
discussion; for could show, and at prop
er time would show, that tho proposition
which | make, Of leaving the subject unac-
ted upon, with regard to the subject Of
Slavery, without declaration pr OF against
i,--leaving il open-Tcouid show that this
Isl much better proposition for the South
than that extending the Missouri line to
the Pacific, unless you couple with i that
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