The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-12-23
Remarks OF Mr.. Mason, of Virginia.
IN SENATE.-December II, 1851.
THE COMPROMISE MEASURES.

THE COMPROMISE MEASURES.
On the Resolution Of Mr. Foote of Mississippi.
declaring the compromise measures to be n
final settlement OF all the questions growing
out of the bject of domestic slavery.
Mr. MASON. Mr.. President, do not know
that | should have taken part in the debate on
this res oluton but that have thought it proper.
and perhaps necessary, to place myself right
upon some questions which have arisen hereto.
fore and were adverted to at a former period by
the Senator from Mississippi, MIR Fo"Ts,l in
reference 10 the action Of certain Senators from
the Southern States, myself included, upon the
bill for the reclamation OF fugitive slaves, which
passed during the last Congress, and which
{ rmed one Of that series of measures " hich
some gentlemen term the compromise. In or
Ter that may he distinctly understood upon this
question, will ask the permission Of the Senate
| Ia read tine remarks IN ide by the Senator from
Mississippi during the present session, 80 far ~
they refer to il. Those remarks, rs reported.
were as follows:
"lt is also not forgotten by me, and hone that
1t is not forgotten by the Senator either, that this
particular act would have been passed by the two
| Houses Of Congress at a much earlier period Of
the session before the last than il was but for the
| fact that il was not deemed polite by certain
1
subject, to report bill for the reception and re.
storation Of fugitives from service until Il should
he ascertained that all the other questions connec
ted with the subject ofdomesfc slavery were like.
| ly TO be satisfactorily disposed Of In Congress
\ The senate viii remember my former exposition
Of this matter here, and cannot have forgotten my
statement OF an important matter Of fact connected
with this delicate point, when declared in hear
! ing Of honorable Senators from the South, who
could not deny the truth Of what said, ttat the
honorable Senator from Michigan, mir. CAss,
and other senators from the States Of the North,
now present, and whom | could easily name, re
quested me to see the Senator from Virginia mir.
| Mason. and the Senator from South Carolina, Ia
whom am now replying. at a very early day OF
the session then IN progress, and to urge upon
them both the importance Of their reporting n bill
without delay which, when IL should become a
law, would secure full justice to the South in re.
gard To fugtiyes from service, pledging themselves
TO vote for any bill which should be thus reported
which should be free from constitutional obiec.
tons. Tbs motives OF honorable senators in not
reporting this bill earlier, have never arfaigned
| nor do on the present occasion. They were
doubtless conscientious in their action, though
thought them at the time InjudIcious in the course
adopted by them, as still do The reason gwen
me for delaying the reporting OF this bill that n
! the question involved therein should be sstisfac.
torly adjusted at hat time, IL might prove i'm posi-.
bic thereafter TO rouse the border States TO enpr.
getIc action IN cooperation with the other South.
| ern States, for the yndcation OF their esseut nj
! rights, never having been considered hy me 10 be
of character sufficiently solid to entiie il to ope.
rate potentially upon the deliberations OF Con.
gress."
| Such is the reference made TO this subject by
the Senator frnm Mississippi, as contained in IN,
report from which read lie said there, and
said correctly, that like reference had been
made TO the same subject at former time, his
| purpose being then, as il was the other day. to
show that those senators who il was supposed
had the most particular charge Of the bill ad
verted 10, had not broughti il forward or pressed
IL upon the consideration Of the Senate in snct
a manner n the Senator from Mississippi and
those Northern senators with whom he advised
! deemed il became them 20 do, have looked
| back to his former reference 10 this subject and
4 desire now 20 give history Of the action Of tie
Senate on that bill, and Of the agency Of those
having IL in charge, so far a. the same has been
questioned by the senator-.hat series Of
measures to which have diverted, and which is
called 1.-THE compromise" IL is well known
tt'at Notwithstanding this batch Of measures had
/ been aggregated into one BILL the omfibus 1"
and that from being overloaded, or the passen
! gers quarrelling by the wav, the omnibus broke
| down, and each measure left to take care Of il
self They were separated a great effort had
been made 10 keep them together But il
failed and each bill stood upon it's own m, tit,.
The bill for the admission OF California passed
August -, 1850. 1t had on the day previous
been ordered to a third reading On the same
day ii passed, motion was made by the Senator
from Illinois. Mr. DoUGLAs,l chairman Of the
Committee on Territories, to take up. a. next
IN order, the bill providing government for the
territory of New Mexico. The Senator from
South Carolina, at The head of the Judiciary
Committee. Mr.. Butler. the committee thit
reported the fugitive slave bil-interposed, and
said that, according to his view, the bill for the
reclamation Of fugitive slaves had the preced.
ence, and should be taken up next in der. IL
wa' at that time that the Senator from Missis-
'ippi took the first notice Of what he supposed,
nd II would appear yet sppposes, To have been
some delinquency, either on the part OF the
Senator from South Carolina, who had reported