Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1851-08-02
California and the Californians-By ii. S. Foote.

ted by some other members of the Senate l shall
be quite specific Mr.. President shall use the
plainest and strongest language which can en-
lploy consistently with the rules of parliamentary
courtesy. hope not to disturb unduly the sensi-
bites of any one present. l hope especially that
the honorable senator over the way Mr.. BENTON
will not grow at all restive under my explana-
tions. l trust that he may be able to keep his
temper and to retain his seat among us as long as
may continue to occupy the attention of the SEN
ate. Indeed | should feel most seriously aggrlev-
ed were that honorable gentleman again, as on a
former occasion, to grow uneasy under my strlc-
lures, and be seen again precipitately to fly our
presence. He seem to sit quietly enough, and, in
the hope of engaging his patient audience, | will
proceed AS preliminary remark, l beg leave
to say, that has ever been my opinion that God,
in bestowlng upon his creatures certain faculties,
designed that they should all be- far possible,
usefully employed. There is perhaps no other
faculty so important to mans happiness that of
vision. Indeed, l entirely agree with Mr.. Addi-
son when he says: 'tOur sight is the most per-
feet and most delightful of all our senses 1t fills
the mind with the largest variety of ideas, con-
verses with its objects at the greatest distance and
continues the longest in action without being tired
or satiated with its proper enjoyments'" But
this is not all, sir by the proper exercise of this
faculty OF our nature, not only able to re-
eeive pleasures innumerable, but to ward off dan
gers innumerable too, and guard against surprises
from the designing and the selfish Though it is a
melancholy fact that my own power of vision is by
no means perfect, yet labor to supply all actual
deficiency in this respect by the extreme of vigi-
lance-being mindful of the wisdom of the legal
proverb-0iglantibus, non dormtenhbas, teges ad-
juoant.
Wei sir by good of i'll fortune, it did so happen,
on the day before yesterday, that looking about
the chamber to see what was going on therein for
without being exactly spy upon my brother Sen
ator, | have for a year or two past deemed 1t
sound policy to exercise much carefulness with re-
gard to the movements of particular members of
the body)-I say that, in glancing around this
hall for the purpose named, l did see certain
Senator who sits just to my left, Mr. Benton J
glide across the chamber to the seat usually oceu-
lped by the Senator from New York, { Mr.. Sc
ward) and Immediately proXimate to that OF the
/ honorable Senator from Kentucky Mr. Clay) so
unusual an apparition awakened my surprise, and
aroused the speculative principle OF my mind to
action. 1t was not long before was able to say
to friend: ''Rest assured there is some scheme
on foot for the betrayal of the South. I should
not be surprised if ere long we witness attempt
to Smaggte California into the Union" say
smuggle, sir, and [ mean precisely what l say,
intending to cast no reflection whatever upon the
honorable Senator from Kentucky whom do not
even suspect of illicit improper motives OF ac-
ton. Well, sir, it is surprisingafow soon my ap-
prehensions on this point realized.
On yesterday, when the message of the Presl-
dent now under consideration came in the member
from Missouri arose, and with that imposing ma
salty intonation for which he is at leasE as much
distinguished as for his learning or eloquence, he
proceeded to say that he had expected the honor
able Senator from Kentucky Mr.. CLAY) would
have moved to refer the message and accompany
ing documents to special committee inslnuatng
In a. e. 81 No
tween the honorable senator from Kentucky and
himself The Senator from Kentucky seemed
not to be altogether surprised by this but alleged
that whilst quite willing to serve, if appointed
upon such committee as the one proposed to be
raised he must decline making the notion
Whereupon the Senator from Missouri, who seem
ed resolutely bent upon accomplishing his object
himself moved for special committee, and IN to-
tai disregard of parliamentary usage, went os fal
as to name the honorable Senator from Kentucky
as the most suitable person for chairman of this
special committee. Much to my gratlfcation-bu
certainly not at all to my surprise-the honorable
Senator from Kentucky manifested no eagernes
! whatever to become the mere agent of the gentle
man moving in this business, for purpose so cen
surable. l thought it best to move postpone
ment of the whole affair until to- day; and now /
appears that the honorable Senators from Kentucky
and Missouri have at last agreed heartily to co
operate III tnlSsndSHHlcent eHteIpIlS
Well, sir I may honestly avow perfect disinter
eStedness of motive in regard to this curious afai
having no father, brother or so1a-a-loao to be spe
cay benefited by the result of this effort to dra
; California into the Union before her acedding gar
; naent has yet been cast upon her person, and er
she has been regularly hidden to the nuphal.
leave others to answer for themselves. But max
ing all allowance for the intrinsic weakness of hu
: manity; regarding it quite natural for one VIII
has been for some time past among US IN this cham
Der quite 'solitary and Alone" to desire to
at least one confidential ally-one FSdelis Achates
get feel bound to sag that inn judgment the Sen
ator from one of the Sla0e States Of this Conede'
: acy, who under all the auta1 circumstances qohic
surround as, could be induced By SCI
loue-anbition for family distimctiom-or any oth
: er neotioe Of personal charaeter--to disregard I'll
interests Of has constituents to expose them to dan
. gers more multiplied than those Of which the
haze already become cognizont;; to subject them
the hazard Of ultimate dishonor and ruin-the Ser
ator aOho does THIS describes censures aohich rego7
for decoram alone restrains me from altering b'
0hich intelligent and spirited constituency, sci
n assaredly and speedily intaict Sir, let me spes
e out still more explicitly. To the honorable Sen;
g ator of Missouri, might say as Nathan said UNI
e David Thou art the man. Yes, sir / might de
: a little more freely with that gentleman and Sc
Sir: you who would not aid in acquiring Californ
by voting for the treaty with Mexico-you WI
refused last winter to unite with those who stru
d gIed night and day to supply our suffering bret
IL rem in California with the protection of COVER
It ment and laws-voting even against the amen