The southern press., 1851-12-13
II RI w e E X L Y.
WASHINGTON CITY SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10,

ing intended to intermeddle with the special do.
nestle concerns of any State in the confederacy
or to obstruct any proceedings of domestic
character which may be now in progress IN
South Carolina. 'Na. 49,. ... 49,
| But the gentleman says-and certainly not
with his accustomed courtesy-that, in his
Judgment, this resolution is unwise and unneces.
sary. That is the gentleman's opinion. Well
sir, will not say the resolution is, in my judg.
ment, agiSe one, Gas this might look little
egotistica) but will aver that consider il
quite judicious one, and, under all the circum
stances which surround u.s. almost indispensably
necessary 70 the public repose and safety. J
wish to make known to the honorable gentle.
man, also, that varying very decidedly from his
own example on this oecasion) did not intro,
duce the resolution until had made the move.
ment which it proposes the subject OF much
! cam and dispassionate examination, nor until
had consulted, as to the expediency of offering
it, many gentlemen of acknowledged wisdom
and of tried patriotism and its introduction was
therefore not determined upon by me, until men
far sager than myself had thus aided me with
their valuable counsels. regret that | have
not the good fortune to secure. the honorable
gentleman's cooperative aid in support of my
resolution; and he will allow me to express the
pain which | should certainly feel should find
out, or have reason to believe hereafter, that he
would have been somewhat more inclined ia
nave been co.laborer with me on this occasion
had the State of Mississippi not refused so sig
nally, in September last, to cooperate with
certain persons in South Carolina in breaking
up the Union. Iprotest most seriously against
such perversion of the ler talionis principle
on the part of the honorable gentleman
The senator said, | think, something abe III
his not being willing to worship at the foot OF
tree that bears poisonous fruit; and he said
this in reference to the measures of compromise
referred to in the resolution. am not entirely
certain that duly comprehend this fguratve
language, which, to say the least of it, is as
N.Y. tically in mesning as it is trite in alluson
but if / am to understand the honorable senator
as comparing the whole series of measures en-
braced in the plan of adjustment to tree bear.
ing fruit destructive of human life Their musl
tell him that no such death. producing fruit has
yet fallen from the boughs of that cody tree
upon the sacred soil of Mississippi; and that
am of opinion that the honorable gentleman has
been unfortunate enough wholly to have mis-.
conceived the true character and bearing of the
II easures in question.
Sir, what are those measures that they should
thus be denounced before the country? Have
they so operated as to injure any State of the
confederacy in any substantial respect whatso-
ever? Have they not rescued the republic from
such dangers as never were known to menace il
at any former period of our history? Is there a
single one of them all that can be justly charged
with violating the Constitution, or with threat.
ening serious detriment, or any detriment what
ever, to any section of the Union in all coming
time shall not ut present go into a minute
examination of these measures; Il is not neces.
sary. But the Senate, know, will bear with
me whilst offer brief and running commen
tary upon them, in order to show how little they
deserve the harsh elimination which they have
this day received at the hands Of the honorable
senator from South Carolina-in the progress OF
a speech which, ] must say, has been declama
tory frem beginning to end, and in which can.
not now recollect single sentence that approx.
mated 10 the dignity Of argument
To begin with the California question. Sir
| it is perfectly well known here that | did mol
vote for the admission of California. twas not
in my power 10 do go without violating public
sentiment among my own particular constitu
enis, unless indeed that act should be made 10
form part of general scheme of settlement ;
and decidedly preferred, at any ,ate, voting for
the retention Of California in the territorial con
dition for year or two more. Ny reasons for
htoNiHk Niidt SHOulu w
California for a short period, were stated very
frankly and fully at the time, in hearing Of this
body, and | shall not now recite them. But !
wish il to be understood, sir, that never re-
garded such act OF admission as at all yiolative
Of the Constitution. On the contrary, | have
constantly been Of opinion that there was no
ground for doubt upon this point; and am
happy 10 rccollect that my own honored con.
sttuents have at all times with singular una
nimiiy, ayowed the same opinion. Indeed, Mr
President, think myself justified In believing
that there was never, even in this body, any con
siderable number Of gentlemen who were willing
10 risk their character as public men before the
country by the assertion that the set Of CalifOr
man admission was unconstitutional in its char
acter ] well recollcct that the honorable gen.
tleman from Virginia, who sits over the way.
Mr.. HUETER,l in his celebrated protest, eau
tiousy declined the assumption of any such po
sition; and il do not err in memory, that
gentleman intim1ted, at the time Of its prescn
tation here, an impression that the measure Of
admission vas not fairly subject TO objection
upon mere constitutional grounds.
II the honerab!e senator from South Carolina
to whom am at present responding, entertained
the opinion upon tits question which he now ex
presses, he certainly made nothing like regular
argument w support OI Inls view OF the subject
or, il he did so, it was not Of nature sufficiently
striking to fix itself distinctly in my memory.
Sir, California was admitted just in the mode
adopted for the admission OF every new State
that has heretofore entered into the confeder CIV
II she was unconstitutioually admitted, none o.
the new States heretofore admitted have ever
yet found their way into the confeieracy in such
manner as TO entitle them 10 recognition a.
legtimately appertsining to our confederacy OF
sovereign states. ] will not argue the question
at length; il would be wholly proftless TO do
so. But let me ask the honorable senator il il
be in his power 10 show in what manner the ad
mission OF California has been at all detrimental
to any Of the older States Of the confederacy |!
In what respect is it possible that any such de-
triment could have been experienced Have the
people of California not been as good citizens
since their admission as one of the sovereign
States of this Union as they were antecedent
thereto! Have not the governmental proceedings
of that State been such as should command
the respect Of the nation Is il not an ascer
tanned fact, and does not the gentleman from