Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-12-18
The Compromise Measures.
u. S. SENATE, DEC. 8, lool.

i HC SeI;ltc llicl ploSSs a.. r,l !
Grafton of the special order, being ms .ne iI,, I,
lowing resolution heretofore lherouu''o y
Mr.. Fooe, of Mississippi:
Belt Resolred, That the series o. lho",
surcs embraced in the acts entitled "a" "L'
proposing to the State of. Texas the es'ap-
ishment of her ncrlhern and eastern eon,- S,
daries the REIMBURSEMENT blythe SAID ela.e
Of all territory claimed by her exterior 10
said boundaries, and of all her c'al',Is IE u Po" ~
the United States. and to establish u lerillo,
rial Government for New Mexico, approved
Sept 9, 1850. :: An act for the aqmissio', 81 80 VI
the State of California into me o".o,'i III; p :
proved Sept. 8, 1885," An act to estaol.snJd ,.ad
Territorial Government for Utah., afPrnre'
Sent. g, 1885," AN act to amend an ACT sup
Elementary to The act entilledan act resl'ecs'
ing fugitiycs from Justice aid persons cs,
canine from the service oftheir masters,
approved Feb. -, 1893, andupproved sept
Is. 1850 and "An act to suppress 'tle s'''S
trade in the District of Columbia" approseeu
Sept. 20, 1850, commonly known as 'he
Compromise acts" are, in he Jnasnie"' ~ -
this body, entitled to be recognised as i ,s us-
finite adjustment and settlement OF ''e .s,
tracting questions growing oat OF lhe sts'e; ,;i
of domestic slavery, and, asSuch, ina. sas"
measures should be acquieecd in ana re-
spccted by all good citizens. -. h. al
Mr. Footp modified his resolution, oy ADD
ing thereto the Words !" and ant faithfully OBJ
served e, -, -o.o,r
Mr.. Foote, having advocated the TesnlG- u
ton at some length and with cons'ocr"O,e ae
warmth, Judge Butler arose and rep''eu a.
follows: o,r
Mr.. President, do not propose to say
much on this subject at this .time; oTt / W II
say that when I heard of this resol"'i,": = r
heard of it with surprise. i isa mooc ol
proceeding scarcely known, 1believe' IN any nv
deIberalive body that overheard Oh, 10 10
introduce at subsequentSsessioh VI VI .''I
Legislature resolutions confirming "'''
suppose must be regarded IS statutes upon
the statue book, is an erpost facto moue oa !
reviewing the past And for what purpose
! If the Legislation referred to by the hon'ra- '
bic Senator from slississippibe wicked can
he restore purity to it by arcsoluiion "i 'h'>
! kind? If that resolution he wise, IS IL MOI
supercrogatory and unnecessary to introduce
such resolution? For what purpose: 'lieh'
is the resolution introduced? have 10
right to arraign the gcntlcmT's motives nor
do ]. What may have been his 'Dlec''
have no right TO dispute, che has avowcu
it but as TO what will be the. effect Of 'l,i'
resolution, I have right 'telspcak. II INC
gentleman had been selecting motions 10 III
lroducc, he could not have been more sue
ccssfuI in Introducing one 10 open former
discussions, and to let loose upon this Iano
the waters of agitation. Iiprotest agaIns
this mode of proceeding ashnusual, as un
necessary. and as-I will nd say intended
because shall not use aty word of tht
kind-but The tendency of which will be ''
widen breaches which already exist and L
reach feelings that might pqhaps have sub
sided under the influence ofaimc ora belle
understanding among ourselves. nhurr
stand the honorable Senatot from MisslsSlp
pi to introduce the rcsolutih with Wow It
give to the measures of co9promse an au
thority which they do not nSssess 6y the % &C
7 other authority-and other influence by
vote of this Senate than they would hav
had without it? Can he reconcile me Il
these measures by his vote or the vote of hi
friends!
Sir, he knows the opinion entertain o
these measures, and the manner in whicl
they were introduced and passed in tlri.
body. ] then denounced them. | now de-
nounce them; because believe that the,
have made precedent in the political histo
tory of this country, under the influence o
which this Union. welded by q despotic ma.
Joriy, will survive tie Constitution. be.
licve now, as believed then, that they were
passed in violation of the spirit Of the guar
antees calculated 10 protect one section of
this Union. Does the gentleman suppose
that the South is to have security BY an rs.
surance such rs he proposes? DGes he en-
pect that |, who have heretofore denounced
these measures, shall now consent to pn,
upon them the seal of appreciation, and to
Kiss the rod Of oppression, as have regard
cd it Sir, cannot, with Drnidira devotion,
worship at the foot of Il tree whose fruits
are to be bitterness and destruction to my
posicriy.
If there is any one thing in the political
history OF This country that will bc devrl-
oprd by time, it will be this that the Ccnsti.
tuition of the United States never can be
amended. | think it may be proclaimed as
settled fact, that the Constitution, which has
been in operation for more than sixty wears,
never will be amended. And why? Because
as soon as we meet with any difficulty from
the administration Of the Guvernment-as
soon as any trying iuncture of affairs is pre-.
sented-wlr't is the expedicnt? Do We
apply that great principle provided for in the
Constitution of the United States, by which
it can be amended! No, sir. The resort is
to compromise, or to enlarging by conslruc-
ton, some Of the provisions of the Constilu.
ton. Who is it that will dictate compro.
misses of this kind, and give to the Consiiiu-
tion its character under their operation
Will it be the minority? Will it be those
whose interests have suffered. ard whose IN
terests are in danger?. No, sir. Whenever
constitutions have TO be patched up by COM
promises, Or to be changed by construction,
depend upon it such propositions will never
come from minority. All cxpedipnts of
hat kind will proceed from II maiority-tAc
majority who have the temptation of inie-
est to consult in giving character to the in
'titu'ions of the country.
am unwilling to 90 further into this de.
lnfs sl,yH