Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-05-11
THE COMPROMISE.


We insert, to-day, the whole of the able report
of Mr.. Clay from the Committee of Thirteen. 1t
is document that reflects high honour upon the
Committee from which it proceeds, and especially
upon the ilustrous statesman who presided over
their deliberations. Whatever may be the fate CT
the measures recommended to the consideration of
the Senate, this Report will be recorded int
public history of the Government as marking an
era in its progress.
In regard to the several propositions which the
Committee have thrown into the form of legisla-
tive acts, it appears to us that objections were
rather hastily taken by some Senat ors. Mr.. Gle
mems declaration that the proposed measures are
identical with the resolutions offered by Mr.. Clay,
is simply silly. They are more satisfactory, be-
cause they omit any affirmation of Mexican law,
and expressly prohibit the Territorial Govern
ments of Utah and New Mexico from passing any
law respe citing slavery. Moreover they include
solemn recognition of the obligation of Con-
gress to admit four new States from Texas,
which is manifestly point of the utmost impor-
lance. Neither can we perceive the force of Mr.
Berriens criticism that the report treats the SUBJ
ject of the Wmot Proviso as if Congress had the
power to pass it. We find, in the portion of the
report that relates to this subject, mere avoid
ance the constitutional question; and this was
eminenty proper, for, in the nature of things,
there can be no honest compromise of constitu-
tional opinions
The opposition made by Mr.. Borland to the part
of the report touching fugitive slaves, seems to
us to be unreasonable and untenable. The amend
ments of the present law suggested by the COM
mttee are, in our opinion, admirably devised to
accomplish most desirable end. The great diff.
fculty in the matter of fugitive slaves has con-
sisted in the ground taken by the Northern States
that they may commit serious wrong to a negro
who is really free, if they allow every negro
charged upon er parte evidence with being slave,
to be taken by his pursuer. The Committee meet
this difficulty by providing that the owner must
produce prima tacie record evidence of the fact
of slavery and, then, that the negro shall be emit
tied to final trial Of the question of his freedom
by jury of the vicinage whence he fled. We
see in this proposition, nothing which is seriously
Objectionable or which transcends the limits of
justice to the STAKEHOLDER and Justice to the negro
who may be captured in free State upon the
charge that he is a slave. And we believe that
the measure, by removing the pretext upon which
fugitive slaves are now almost uniformly detain-
ed from their rightful owners, would have very
beneficial operation
The turning point of the Committees projet
however, is the admission of California, with her
proposed boundaries. Considered separately, there
ls.xsgy little i the circSsmstansss-unaei which
Cafofn'iia-p~ssspts .lhssssp,tication. to command
the faysssths scohsiitfersa sasQtf. congress. She
'hsEes her demS I'D without having com pffssaa~ith
any of the conditions heretofore deemed essential.
She carves out large integral Territory accord
ing to the pleasure of majority of her people, and
Congress has no assurance that a respectable mi
nority do not desire separate government The
amount of her permanent population is not known
and cannot be estimated without censns. But
notwithstanding these grave difficulties, the practi-
cal question for the South to decide u.s. whether it
has any advantage to gain by insisting on the
tailment Of the boundaries of California? To
put the case more directly, is the probability of
making Southern California, at some future day.
slave State sufficient, and are the benefits to be
expected from her becoming one, of such conse-
quence, that Southern interests would now be
promoted by keeping her out of the Union, though
at the cost of leaving the whole slavery question
open for further agitation? Our present convc-
lion is, that the hope, INDUCED by some that slaves
might be introduced in California, is Elusive, be-
cause people with anti-savery prejudices and an
ti-slavery interests have occupied the ground be-
fore u.s. If this opinion is correct, the South can
gain nothing by contendng for division of Cali
forna, but may suffer an important loss of Federal
power, by creating four Free Soil Senators in
stead of two.
Benton and "the True Democratic Press
Although the Union has not yet given the sig
nal that the time has come when ''the true Demo-
cratic press should call men and actions "by their