The North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1834-1850, 1850-06-05

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REMARKS OF MIR. CLAY,
OF KENTUCKY.
Derered in the Senate, on the 2lst May, 1850, the
nending measures of Compromise, and especially .vi
reference to the Presidents plan.
Mr. President, Il will not say anything more with
respect to the able ingenious and eloquent argument
of the Senator from Louisiana but will proceed to
the other subjects which propose to discuss. l am
not one of those who, either at the commencement OF
the session at any time during its progress, have
believed that there was any present actual danger to
the existence of the Union. But am one of those
ho believe that if this agitation is continued for one
or two years longer, man can foresee the dreadful
consequences. dissolution of the Union, the great
est of all calamities in my opinion which can befall
this country may not in form take place; but next to
that is dissolution of those fraternal and kindred
ties that bind together as one free, christian and
commercial people. In my opinion, the body polite
cannot be preserved unless this agitation, this dis
traction, this exasperation which is going on between
the two sections of the country shall cease Unless
It do cease, am afraid that this Union, for al! the
hgh and noble purposes for which fathers form
ed it, will not be preserved.
Mr. President, will go 80 far as to venture to ex-
nress this opinion, that unless this measure OF COM
promse not the exact words of the bil-for the COM
mi
mod6cations which will better the measure-but un-
less some measure of this kind pass, / hazard the
nrediction that nothing will be done for California,
nothing will be done for the Territories. nothing upon
the fugitive slave bill, nothing upon the bill which
inerdcts slavery in this District. Unless some such
measure prevail, instead of healing and closing the
wounds of the country, instead of stopping the en-
sion of BLOOD it will flow in still greater quantities,
with still greater danger to the republic And re-
peat that in my opinion the measure upon your table,
with such amendments as it may receive, or some
tantamount measure, must pass, or nothing passes
Let US look at the subject. 1t you do not pass this
measure, there is possibility, some gentlemen will
saw high probability, that the California bill will
not pass have no doubt myself but that there are
rue maiorities in both Houses of Congress IN favor
of the admission of California into the Union; but
from causes upon which shall not dwell, and which
are adverted to by me not with pleasure, but with
pain. am afraid that that bill never will pass the
Two Houses rs a measure by itself. What, then,
will be the condition of the country9 Let us sup
pose that Congress does nothing; let US suppose
that it fails to furnish remedy for any one Of the
narate and 90 home under those mutual feelings of
dissatisfaction and discomfort which will arise out Of
the failure of Congress to adjust these questions
will say nothing Of the reproach and oPProbrium that
would be brought upon us by all chr,stendom.
will saw nothing of those who are looking upon Us
with anxious solicitude, under the hope that we will
fulfil all the expectations and fulfil the high desnes
which appertain to one among the greatest OF all
countries. will say nothing OF that large portion
of mankind who are gazing with intense anxiety
upon this great experiment in behalf OF mans ca
pacity for sefgovernment and mans freedom.
will saw nothing of all this Suppose, then, that af-
ter the lapse of six or seven months, during which
we were vany endeavorng to reconcile the distract
ed and divided parts of the country, We 60 home full
of the feelings of rage and animosity, one section
against another. In such state OF feeling can the
republic long continue! Let US suppose. however,
that YOU reject this bill and pass the California BILL
and 90 home in that state Of things; what Will not
the South saw! What reproaches will it not level
at the North upon this subject! They Will say to
the North, {" You got all you wanted; you got the
substitute for the Wilmot proviso; you have got
clause much more potent, much more eticac'ous than
that you have got the interdiction of slavery into
the constitution Of California you have got all you
wanted for the present, and have refused US every
thing you have seized upon California, and hereaf-
ter, from time to time, you mean to appropriate the
In that state of feeling of mutual evaporation and
excitement, with heated press, with heated par
ties, with heated lectures, with heated men, how
you expect hereafter to come back to this theatre
of ste and contention calm and composed, to settle
difficulties which six month of earnest and anxious
labor have not enabled you to adjust!
1t is said that nothing has been done tor the South
in the establishment Of these Territorial Govern
ments; nothing in this measure of compromise
What, sir! Is there nothing done for the South
when there is total absence of all Congresslona
action on the delicate subject Of slavery when Con
gress remains passive, neither adopting 'he "nmo
proviso on the hand. nor authorizing the intro
duction of slavery on the other; when every thing
is left in statu QUO? What were the South complain
ing of all along! The Wilmot proviso-a proviso
which if it be fastened upon this measure, as trus
it may not be, will be the result. aPprehend, Of tn
IS kei
great effort their sole aim has been for several year
to escape from that odious proviso. The Proviso i
not in the bill. The bill is silent 1t is non-activ
upon the subject of slavery. The bill admits that
slavery is there, there it remains. Ihe Dill admit
that If slavery is not there, there 1t Is not. In
bill is neither Southern nor Northern. 1t is equal
1t Is fair; It is compromise, which any mar
whether at the North the South, who is desirous
healing the wounds of his country, may accept with
out dishonor or disgrace and 60 home with the smile
which the learned Senator regretted he could not
with him to Louisiana. They may 60 home and sa
exist there, there it is does not exist there
not there. Neither the North nor the South has tr
umphed; there is perfect reciprocity. The Unio
only has triumphed. The South has not triumphe
by attempting to introduce slavery, which she woul
not do if she could, because she maintains (althoug
its not my own individual opinion) that Congress ha
no right to legisiate the hand for its nroduc
ton, the other for its exclusion. Nor has tn
North been victorious. She indeed and probabl
will, find her wishes ultimately ccnsummated by tn
exclusion of slavery from territorial acquisitions
but if she does, that ought to be an occasion
complaint with the South, because it will be the re
suit of inevitable causes. The bill has left the feel
open for boh be occupied by slavery, if the pee
pie, when they are forming States, shall SO decide
orto be exclusively devoted to freedom, it, as is pr
oaDie, they shall so determine.