The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-22
ADMISSION OF CALIFORNIA.
SPEECH OF

Hon. J. n. THOMAS, OF Tennessee,
In COMMITTEE of the Whole on he state Of the
Union ON the Presidents Message, rd'tsniit-
ting The Constitution Of California, dslirered
IN he House of Representatives., May ~, 1850,
Mr.. THOMAS said: The California mes
sage was delivered to this House on the 2lst
Of January last, and it has now been under dis
cussion for four months.
| have been unable to obtain the floor until
this late period, yet late as it is propose to ex-
press my views upon the subject The Pres-
dents plan" has been often condemned, and
never until last week has any Southern mcm-
Der raised his voice in its defence. The honor
able gentleman from Virginia Mr.. HAYMoNDl
has the honor f honor it bc) to be the first mem
Der from the South Gf he may be called
Southern, being from that part Of Virginia lying
between Pennsylvania and Ohio) who has
spoken in its favor And how has it been from
the North? Three or four Northern men have
sustained it, and they do so as a second choice,
it being the next best thing in their estimation,
to the Wilmot Proyiso. M
This short history shows with how little fa-
yor it is received. There may be others who
will support it, but as yet they have made no
declaration of such an intention. What is this
"plan :" 1t is to admit California, and to
leave the Territories without civil govern
ment And this is said to be wise statesman
) like ''plan" If the North should insist that we
must raise revenue by a protective tariff, and
the South that it should be collected by a reve-
nue. tariff and the President should propose to
4 settle the difference by advising to collect no
revenue--this, then. would be iwise and states
masl-like." If the country were at war, and the
North should insist upon defence by sea and
the South by land, and the President should
n h,,,, hot Ia
fence should be made--then this would be "wise
and statesman-like." Sowhen the North insists
that the territories shall be governed with thepr
viso, and the South that they shall be governed
without it, it is ''wise and statesman for the
President to recommend that they shall not be
governed in any way.
The Presidents plan" has so few advocates
that it is needless to consume time in its discus
sion. So far the indications are, that the Ad-
ministration is powerless to carry out its own
plan; but it may be powerful for evil in defeat
ing other plans for the settlement of this alarm
ing question
A plan for compromise is now under con-
sideration in the other branch of Congress. This
plan, though so far as can Judge, it does not
do justice to the South, and should not be passed
without important amendments, yet it is now
proposed and advocated by its friends from just
stands the senior Senator from Kentucky, Mr.
CLAY,] who has been the architect of the Wing
party, its leader in its greatest trials. His great
object is, to settle all difficulties upon the sub
ject of slavery, and to quiet, and quiet forever,
this agitation upon the subject This is a pat
riotic object, one that should command the re-
spect of every well-wisher of the Union yet,
sir we find the Administration arrayed against
it, and every Northern friend of the Administrl-
ton in the Senate and in this House, so far as
is known, are opposing it. In the Senate, they
voted against the compromise committee, and
they voted to lay the compromise bill upon the
table-thus endeavoring to defeat even the effort
for settlement. And sir, so far rs the North
ern Wing members Of this House have indicated
their opinions, they are for corresponding effort
to thwart all proposed adjustment. 1t remains
yet to be seen, whether the friends of the Adj
mnistration South (some Of whom may favor
without the boldness to advocate the plan of the
President) will yet aid it by opposing all Others,
for the defeat of all others is the success of the
Presidents plan, it being simply to do nothing,
so far as concerns the territories; and the resis-
lance of all measures to settle this question, so
far, seems the chief aid that the President re-
ceives from his friends in both branches of Con-
gross. And, sir, when we remember, that barely
two years ago, in a time of war, when military
governments were established by the late Adj
mnistration, how bitterly this measure was de-
nounced by the Wing party North and South,
and when the friends Of that Administration JUS
titled it alone upon the ground that it was au-
thorized by the laws of war, and that so great
was the condemnation of the Wings, that they
threatened to impeach the President for what
they were then pleased to call hgh-handed usur-
patton. Now, sir, when it is recommended by
rlf.D IF oh, m
such military rule indefinitely, in time Of peace,
as the settled policy of the country, and for this
President to ask many of the identical men, who
were loudest and boldest in their denuncia-
ton of this very measure, even in a time Of
war, now in a time OF peace, to sustain it, am
not surprised that they should hesitate, and even
refuse, to give it their support
The Importance of creating civil governments
for these territories has been so ably discussed
by these who have preceded me, and is so gene
rally approved, that think it needless to say
more upon this part Of the subject.
Can it be true that this great and happy Gov
ernment is in danger? If so, whence comes it?
If stranger were told the history of Nthe trials
and dangers encountered and overcome, and the
unparalleled advancement and Improvement of
the country, and the universal prosperity that
overspreads this Republic, and then told that
all tins was In imminent peril OF destruction, he
would look abroad to see what great enemy to
happiness and to man was approaching
fell serpent was seeking the destruction of this
fair Eden of the earth. Itwould never be sup
posed that the danger came from any Of the re-
cipients of these unnumbered blessings-from
any of the children of this Government. Yet
strange as il is, it is true, that the danger comes
from no foreign invader--from the hands of no
ruthless barbarian, but from the discontents
iealousies and sectional feelings of our own cit
liens From this source all real dangers to this
Government have ever come. 1t may be said
that our General Government is created and con-
trolled by constitution--that all have assented
to this, and all should be Herewith content
This is true; but since the adoption of this con-
stitutiou, two parties have existed in the coun-
try one that insists that the constitution shall be
construed strictly, and another contending for
more liberal construction-G mean not so much
to apply these remarks to the political parties,