The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-05-26

4
Mr. CLAY. Thai, then, is what the senator contend
e. Ion Very well, then. H. by the constitution OF the
United States. there right the part Of every slave
holder IN THIS country 70 carry slaves into the coded Ter
ritores (Which certainly do not believe or sdmit) what
more does the senator want He talks about the satu
quo The stau quo is precisely what should suppose
hm 2 ~, want put. superseded 70 that that g with
u not satisfied Does he wish the constitution TO be
enacted Can the paramount authority be strengthened
Tie intlodaeon Of The wmot proyiso into o The Jill Or
Legislative enactment to admit slaves because the plan
OF the committee is silent upon that subject The sen.
aor 10 not satisfied with this compromise Will he tell
US now, in so many Words what he would put into an
act OF Congress to satisfy himself the subject oil sa-
very should be extremely happy to hear il
gentleman Al will be satisfied with this section
OF the bill i the amendment proposed by the senator
IRON Mississippi prevail. That is al! want am will
proposed by tie senator from Mississippi. and which
have this morning sustained be adopted. will also be
satisfied with other portions of the bill, il reasonable
Mr. CLAY. am happy to find that there is some pos.
sbilty that the senator may yet vote with u.s. Perhaps
should have been less earnest i had not despared Of
course OF bis argument and from the manner in which
he treated every proposition contained IN the report he
could Reconcile him to any scheme thai The committee
could propose regret however, to perceive that the
senator announcing What would satisfy him. restricts
himself TO his section But. now. should like to know
what other law The senator wants upon the subject Of
slavery ii an the paramount law Of the constitution OF
the United States!
Mr.. CLAY. The paramount law Of the constitution
affords that protection
Mr.. SOULE think j, does not afford that protec-
Mr.. CLAY. Will the senator be satisfied with stri-
king out the clause M
Mr.. SOULE. will be satisfied with the clause. pro-
vded be modified as proposed by my friend from Mis-
Mr. CLAY But that amendment the senator knows
cannot agree to, because it fact the exist
ence Of which deny. 1t assumes the fact that slaves
are there maintain that there none there, except
and there body servant that has been carried there
BY those who are solourning or travelling through the
Ii the senator will be satisfied with striking out the
clause. will vote to strike it out because Ivoied against
putting It IN Or would consent to its being 80 modi-
ned declare that the territorial legislature shall
neither admit nor exclude slavery, which will leave il
e sf ina w q
by any indirect MEANS by any clause which goes beyond
its professed object, BY any implication which can result
from that clause to assert either that slavery exists
that country, that is lawful to carry there under
the constitution OF the United States l. Tor one,
agree 70 it. II the senator will agree 10 the modification
OF the clause, declare that the territorial egsla
ture shall pass no laws either TO admit or exclude sla-
M WEBSTER, Respecting the establshment or ex-
Mr. CLAY Certainly. ii the senator win agree to
modify the clause, to declare that the territorial
legislature shall pass laws respecting the establish
msnt exclusion Of slavery. win go FORT with pleas
ure.
Mr.. SOULE | wish not to misunderstood the honor
able senator; but understood his argument, seems
to imply that the amendment proposed BY the honorable
senator from mississippi assumes the existence OF slavery
there. cannot concur with hun 10 that The amend
ment assumes that slaves may be there. but certainly
will not carry them there, il they be not already there
And any right exists under the state OF things which
that asserts cannot conceive what serious objections
can be entertained the part OF the honorable senator,
10 the amendment proposed by the senator from Mlsss-
spp i only protects whatever rights may exist there
rights as, under the Constitution Of the United States
may now or hereafter exist For these reasons shall
vote Tor the amendment beg the pardon Of the honor
Mr.. CLAY. Well SIR, II the honorable senator will
be satisfied with such amendment have suggested,
and which understood the other day satisfactory to
most gentlemen that side OF the house-an amendment
declaring that the legislatures OF the Territories shall
Their establish nor exclude slavery content. Then
will leave open all these questions oil right to be set
tied under the constitution OF the United States, and all
those matters OF police which stated TO be desirable
But cannot ag ee to amendment which, in point OF
iae ASSUMES that slavery has an existence there Al tins
tuition OF the United States there 10 right TO carry slaves
there. Icannot vote for either proposition repeat that
ready vote 10 strike the clause, TO retain the
clause or 70 modify the clause in the way that have
suggested, which will accomplish all the objects sought
for the other side o. the house. il understand them
Now, MIR President am not going, al this time OF the
and at this stage OF the progress OF this
to discuss the question OF the validity OF the laws OF Mex
ico The question whether the opinions expressed by
and by others, the opposite be right only be
decided by the Supreme Court OF the United States. upon
proper brought before that tribunal We 20 far
as we can TO settle all these questions We establish
governments there, and courts there from which courts
appeasmay be taken, according the express provisions
OF the bill, to the Supreme Court of the United States
question TO whether not the Mexican law prevails
m these Territories, whether the constitution admits
slaves TO be taken there, only be decided BY that s
unal.
Mr.. President viii not say anything more with re.
spect 10 the able, ingenious, and eloquent argument OF
the senator from Louisiana but will proceed to the
other subjects which propose to discuss. not
OF those who either at the commencement OF the session
or al any time during its progress 0ave believed that
there any actual danger the OF the
Union. But OF those who believe that, If this
agitation is continued for two years longer, no
man foresee the dreadful consequences. dIssou
cn OF the Union, the greatest OF all calamites in my
opinion, which can befa thus country, may not in form
take place but next to that dissolution oil those fra
christian, and commercial people. In my opinion, the
body polite cannot be preserved unless this agitation,
this Distraction this evaporation. which 10 going on be-
tween the two sections OF the country shall cease I'M
less II do Cease afraid that this Union, for all the
high and noble purposes for which fathers formed it,
will not be preserved.
Mr.. President will 20 80 far as to venture to express
this opinion that unless this OF compromise.
not the exact words OF the bill-for the committee am
which will better the measurebut uness some measure
OF this kind pass, hazard the prediction that nothing
VIII be done for California nothing will be done for the
Territories, nothing upon the fugitive slave bill, nothing
upon the bill which inierdicis slavery in this District
Unless some such measure prevail instead OF healing and
closing the wounds Of the country, instead OF stopping
the enuson Of blood will flow in still greater quanti