The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-04-19
CONGRESSIONAL.
DEFERRED DEBATE.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL II, 1850.

cal order-lhe resolutions submitted by Mr.. BELL pro-
posing plan for the settlement BY compromise q the
questions in controversy between the States OF the Unon
arising out OF the institution OF slavery
Mr. FOOTE had moved 10 refer these resolutions, 70.
gethe with resolutions on the same subject submitted oy
MIR. CLAY. to select committee OF lhirteen and the
question pending was upon motion BY Mr. BENTON 10
amend the motion by adding the following;
Provided That nothing in tais reference shall be SO
whatever in Congress for the abolition by Congress OF sa-
very within the Staes 70 authorize the suppression
Congress ought abolish slavery IN the iors arsena
dockyards. and nayyyards OF the United States nor that
Congress ought TO abolish slavery In the District oil Conm-
Mr. CLAY Mr.. President, desire to offer an amend
men to The amendment OF the senator from Missouri II
will be recoeced by the Senate, that the senator from
Missouri proposed an amendment, when this subject
last up, restrict the committee TO the consideration Of
certain TOPICS which were enumerated in his motion, and
that afterwards moved an amendment TO that amend
ment which The senator from Missouri adopted There
FORE the amendment it stands, is the one which
proposed modlhcaton--lhat modification being ac-
cepted by the senator from Missouri. now wish TO
offer an amendment the proposition OF the senator from
Missouri, as modified by my amendment: MY amend
mentthe one which now propose to oferIs to strike
out OF the proposition OF the senator from Missouri all
after the words rovded That and to insert the follow
ing the Senate does not deem II necessary TO express
in advance, any opnion or TO give any Instructions ener
general or specific for the guidance of the sad commit
III this amendment be adopted, it will then read,
r0vied That the Senate does not deem II necessary 70
express, in advance any opnon OF 70 give any nsfuc
UUnS citHcI ScHciui VI oPSsihS, ~ aIS Hu~S - sAS
Mr.. President, viii make single remark upon
this subject The amendment Of the senator from Mis-
souri, as modified proposes to declare that Congress
possesses no power certain subjects therein men
iioned. Such declaration upon the part OF Congress
seems 10 me wholly unnecessary Il Is unnecessary 70
declare what the whole people OF the Union by unani
nous v0ce concnrs in, that Congress has no power to
abolish slavery in the several States and so think
it. therefore, useless and propose this amendment that
the Senate does not think necessary to give any advice
or to express any opinion in the matter hope that this
amendment will be adopted.
Mr.. BEN TON. The proposition now pending. Mr..
President is the amendment OF the senator from Ken
lucky HIMSELF accepted by the senator from Missouri on
Thursday last, in the spirit OF compromise II the sena-
tor from Kentucky proposes now 70 amend ms own
then sir, | Withdraw my amendments, upon which his
notifications were ingrafted, and throw myself back
upon my own original amendments. J withdraw the
Arnei The VICE PRESIDENT. The amendments offered
by the senator IRON Missouri are Withdrawn, and the
proposition Of the senator from Kentucky [Mr. CLAYl
10 amenl the amendment falls.
Mr BENTON. now offer my original amendments,
rs follows:
Provided That nothing these instructions shall be
sued authorize the said eonnee totake into consd-
anything that relates % esr Of the four following
Isl The abolition Of slavery within he States.
ID Tue suppression Of the slave trade between the States
Sd The abolition OF slavery within the forts, arssnals,
dook-ynrds, and navy grounds Of the United States
4th The abolition slavery the District oil Columbia
dad propiasd, Jnrihsr That said committee shall not
sct of domesc slavery ia iae Un.ed States which shall
be specially referred to il by order OF the Senate
Mr. CLAY. now move my amendment, as just now
proposed, to the amendment which the senator from
Missouri has proposed-tha is TO strike all after the
words "Propided. That" and insert the amendment just
now proposed by me.
Mr. HALE / want to inquire il the amendment Of
the senator from Missouri is not amendment to
Mr. BENTON. tits not
Mr. CASS. Mr.. President, ii seems to me that the
fyyoa ndonen c0nfradctOFy Do cOrrectly
destand the amendment OF the honorable senator from
Kentucky as intended TO do away entirely with the
amendment Of the honorable senator from Missouri
Mr. CLAY. Certainly
Mr. BENTON. / rise, Mr.. President, with great re.
lucance and with great Difference 10 the senator from
kentucky, who certainly possesses the skill OF paria
menlaan equal TO thar OF any other person. either in
this country or in Europe The question which would
sugges, is that he is not proceeding parlamentariy,
when he offers such resolve as that and calls u an
amendment Ii does not come under the name, style,
description OF amendment a all. The object OF IT
is TO be obtained in parliamentary way, by voting down
the proposition which offered previously The true OBJ
Iec Of an amendment is always supposed TO be 10 i'm
prove thing-to make IL better but here Is design TO
obtain resolution IRON the Senate declaring that they
will not act upon the subject tall
Now, Mr. President II ismy intention, IN consequence
oi what was communicated 10 the Senate on yesterday
before 20 into the question OF amendment al all, To
bring motion before the Senate II was yesterday com
munlca,ed 10 this body thai Monday next, half a
dozen senators will be absent By the order OF the Senate,
% attend the remains the lately deceased senator from
South Carolina and would be kept away for one or two
weeks, ongera period not under their control-and
that dung their absence ~ understood that no subjects
ol any particular interest to be taken up for knal
action II will then be two three weekswe
not tell bow long-beiofe anything that concerns Cafor
MA be taken up BY the senate. New, sir, we have
three days and hall ior forehoughi and during these
lew days. u 10 me that what concerns California
can be disposed OF an way the oier that before
those gentlemen 20 away. that State will have decision
upon her applcaion ior II anything u done which pre-
vents decision upon her apphcaion now. stands
aas.rf
weeks which have already elapsed since the message OF
he President communicated TO Congress- proposing
the Immediate admission OF California into this Union.
rsmy desire then, alter having awaited long, and
done noihng. since i perfectly apparent 10 all that
whsa anything lies lew weeks, grows cold, and
whea you take pp you take up dc nouo, and
gFe ~ Iehash o yhing that has been said before,
with The addition Of much has been thought Of
N the meanme--ii y my desire TO proceed in q way
which viii bring ths decision OF the California question
70 conclusion ths week or not 20 do Is 70 make
dad lo.s o Than two weeks, 10 be followed BY as
many more weeks this discussion may last feel my
sav, ihsfeote and have made up my mind accordingly,
below ss - any iahet 10 20 take up senate bill
NO les Ftsned isom The Committee Territories, Tor
the aeml-<on 81 The State OF CaornIa do from a
hees that sef having had the subject upon hands,
u shape Other. iron The opening of the present
until now, the middle of Agt we shall be able
me fhrre 0ur remaining DAYS OF this week 10 act
upon and di~1o~s of way of he other n our action
y confined 70 lhe bllI itself
VIII read he ball reported BY the committee for the
adnssoa n California IN order that may be seen how
6flsf and easily oompfehensibe Il is
That she STATE u ualfnns shall be one and i hereby
declared 70 IL one. u Uaea states Am-rc1 and
aAnsffsa nfo unlon upon eqns footing Ia III ve
sp~cn with osbst states % ihe Union