The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-02


speaks of the introduction of the resolution
now under consideration, and says that he Of
fered it as asserting the series of measures
embraced in the plan of adjustment to be a
final settlement in principle and substance oil
the distracilng question growing out of the sys-
tenn of domestic slavery"
Now there is no such thing as that in the
resolution in its present form. There was nc
such thing as that in il in its original form. II
did not assert, in its original form, that it was
"a settlement in principle and substance" In
its present form, it does not assert that il is Z" q
final settlement of the distracting questions
growing out of the system of domestic slavery
And it is one objection that am urging to it.
that il does not assert that fact.
do not wish to reply to the arguments that
have been made on this subject by any senator
who has preceded me, nor do | wish to involve
myself in controversy on this question with
any senator But must be permitted to say
with reference to speech made by the honor
able Senator from Alabama, Mr.. CLEMENS, that
do not agree with him in the opinion he ex-
pressed in his speech when he said--and his
speech was made upon this resolution in its
present form
wish il always remembered that this reso
luton proposes no approval of tie compromise y
When first took my seat here III the Senate,
found my late colleague engaged in the dis,
cuasion of this subject. In the opening of his
speech Of the second day, he said:
1t must be obvious to all, that the merits of
this resolution, if merits it possess, depend en-
tirely upon the character of the compromise
measures themselves"
Now the resolution in its present form, in my
Judgment, does require every one who sanctions
lu vat Ia hat bo 10 he
approval Of the measures Of compromise. There
fore say | cannot concur with the Senator
from Alabama, in the remark which he made, that
it does not.
The main objection which have to the reso-
luton is that it requires US to aequesce in the
approval of the measures of compromise; and
in giving our acquescence to these measures,
or in giving this expression Of our opinions in
regard to them, it requires that we should assent
to the principles on which these measures were
passed Now that the resolution is here and to
be voted upon, representing what | believe to
be the will of the people If Mississippi, all now
acquiescng in these measures, myself included,
though not in the principle Involved in several
of them, will say that if the resolution was as
it stood in its original form, and came to final
vote of the Senate, should feel myself bound
to cast my vote in its favor, however much OPP
posed to The propriety Of its introduction Bat,
altered as it now is, requiring me to give my
sanction to the principles involved in the COM
promise measures, could not conscentiousy
do so; nor do believe that the resolution, in
its present form expresses the will and inten.
ton Of the people of Mississippi-evcn of the
Union party--in acquescing in these measures
1t the resolution can be SO amended, now that
il is here, as to be made to express fully, in my
judgment, the will and intention Of the people
of Mississippi, in aequiesciog in the measures of
compromise, and can be relieved from the ohjec
ton of requiring me to sanction the principle
involved in the passage of these measures, them
upon the final vote upon it, if it shall ever come
to that, will still cast my vote for it,
Mr.. President, the most serious objection
which ! have to this resolution is, that it says
this is settlement of these measures on princi
pie. Now, sir, have already said, that though
was willing to acquiesce in these measures,
and 10 vote for resolution, now that it is be-
fore us, simply declaring my acquiescence in
them, could not conscientiously vote for res.
olution requiring my assent to the principles in
volved in several of the measures ;. and have
no hesitation in saying here, that whoever votes
for this resolution, does thereby give his assent
to the principles on which these measures were
plSScu NOW, III may Ue Saiu lDdJ inc TeSOlu-
ton does not say that this is settlement on
good principle or on bad principle but what
ever may be the case in that respect, the people
of the country will say, that when a senator
casts his vote for this resolution, he does so on
a principle which meets with the assent of his
Judgment; and cannot vote for this resolution
declaring these measures to be settlement on
principle, when that principle is not one which
meets the appreciation of my Judgment. had
understood my late colleague Mr. FooTE,l at
one time to be opposed to some of these ques-
tons on principle--oPposed at least to the ad
mission of Observation-Disclosures on looking over
some of his speeches and writings which have
been able particularly to examine, find by a
speech made by him on this floor, on January
9th, 1850, on introducing bills to provide terri
toral governments for California, Deseret, &c.
and speaking of another bill which he had prev.
ousy drafted, to divide Texas on certain cond-
tons, he says:
"This had resolved to offer as new scheme
Of compromise, which, with the establishment of
a territorial government in New Mexico, in De-
seret, and California as State, when freed from
her present unfortunate, organization, hoped
might tend to settle the vexed question of the
Wilmot proviso forever"
II WV NpJeS'loi VI my ldLb CUled8ub TO lIlo
admission of California was, that her organiza-
lion was wrong, and that she ought to be freed
from that organization before she could be adj
mitted az State into the Union, then think
hat his objection was FUNDAMENTAL and went TO
the principle on which California was organized
and admitted as State ! have reason further
TO believe, that he was opposed to tho admission
of California on principle, from the following
remark find in letter signed by him, with his
colleague at that time, Colonel Davis, and the
delegation from Mississippi in the House, adj
dressed to the governor of our State, January
q, 1850;
we regard the proposition to admit Califor-
MIA as State, under all the circumstances of
her application, as an attempt to adopt the vii
mot proviso in another form"
Now, sir, have always understood the South.
the whole South, or at all events with very few
exceptions, as asserting the want of constitu-
tional power, on the part of Congress, to pass
what is called the Wilmot proviso; and the OBJ
lection, therefore, TO be on principle, if the at
tempt to admit California was an attempt to in
troduce the Wilmot provso in another form, the
objection to it was fundamental, and must have
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