Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1854-05-24


consideration! 1t will certainly be part of that
bill, and shall then vote for it with pleasure.
, Now It will only embarrass our action.". l.a ii
r. Let 1t be remarked, that no one denied the pro-
priety of the provision. All seemed to acquiesce
in the principles; but it was thought better to in
sertit in the territorial bills, are now doing,
instead of adding it to the Texas boundary bill.
The debate proceeded: a- - '... -
"Mr SEBASTIAN. Ny only object in offering
the amendment is to secure the assertion OF this
principle beyond doubt. The principle was ac-
quesced in without difficulty in regard to the ter
ritorial government established for Utah, part
of this acquired territory, and it is proper, in my
opinion, that it should be Incorporated in this
bill. Hs..r. 80 ..ur - ..ar,... ...-..g
"Messrs. CAss, FoorE, and others. Oh with
draw it. s-.. rf. ..r.- ..4H
j 'Mr. SEBASTIAN. think this is the proper
place for it. 1t is uncertain whether it will be
interpreted in the other bill referred to, and the
bill itself may not pass" r-r'. s.. .'...
u 1t will be seen that the debate goes upon the
supposition that the effect was to release the
try north of 36o 80 min. from the obligation of
the prohibition; and the only question, was wheth
er the declaration that it should be received into
the Union "wth or without slavery should be in
serted in the Texas bill or the territorial bill.
The debate was continued, and will read one !
or two other passages:
'Mr FoOTE. | wish to state to the Senator
fact of which, think, he is not observant at this
moment; and that is, that the Senator from Vir-
ginia has introduced an amendment, which now a
part Of the bill, which recognizes the Texas COM
pact of annexation in every respect.
"Mr SEBASTIAN. was aware of the effect of
the amendment of the Senator from Virginia. 1t
is in regard to the number of States to be formed
out of Texas, and is referred to only in general
terms" ,.1a . go.a -.sa-
! Thus it will be seen that the Senator from Ar
kansas then explained the amendment of the Sem
ator from Virginia, which had been adopted, in
precisely the same way in which explained it in
my opening speech. The Senator from Arkan-
sas continued: nose 90 .,L9l .-e' .7s '1r .u
'sIf this amendment be the same as that offer
ed by the Senator from Virginia. there can certain
ly be no harm in reafhrmng it in this BILL, to
which think it properly belongs
Thus it will be seen that nobody disputed that
the restriction was to- be removed; and the only
question was as to the bill in which that dBcara-
ton should be put. 1t seems, from the record,
that took part in the debate, and said
4 ''Mr. DOUGLAS. This boundary, as now fixed,
would leave New Mexico bounded on the east by
the l03 Of longitude. up to 36 , 80 min, and
then east to the 100 ?; and it Leaves narrow
neck of land between So 80 min. and the old
boundary of Texas, that would not naturally and
properly go to New Mexico when it should be-
come a State This amendment would compel
Us to include in it New Mexico, to form it in
to another State. When the principle shall come
up in the billtor the organization of territorial
government for New Mexico, no doubt the same
vote which inserted it in the omnibus bill, and
the Utah BILL will insert it there .tsr'H 4
"Several Senator's No doubt of it."
Upon that debate the amendment OF the Sena-
tor from Arkansas was voted down because twas
avowed and distinctly understood that the amend
ment of the Senator from Virginia, taken in con-
necton with the remainder of the bill, did release
the country ceded by Texas, north of 80 > 30
min. from the restriction; and it was agreed that
if we did not put it into the Texas boundary bill
it should 60 into the territorial bill. stated,
reason why it should not 60 into the Texas bound
AIRY bill, that ifit did it would be compact, and
would compel us to put the whole ceded country
into one State, when it might be more convenient
and natural to make a different boundary |
pledged myself then that it should be pu! into the
territorial bill ;and when we consider the territorial
!, for New Mexico we put in the same clause, SO far
as the country ceded by Texas was embraced with
in that territory, and it passed in that shape
When it went into the House, they united the two
bills together, and thus this clause passed III the
same bill, as the senator from Arkansas desired.
= Now, sir, have not shown couclusvely that it
} was the understanding in that debate that the
effect was release the country north of 36 . 80
! min, which formerly belonged to Texas, from the
operation of that restriction, and to provide that
it should come into the Union with or without
J slavery, as its people should see proper. That
being the case ask the Senator from Ohio Mr..
f CHAsE] if he ought not to have been cautious
when he charged over and over again that there
was not a word or syllable uttered in debate to
r that effect! Should he not have been cautious
,l.&x~ ln,
t my part! Should he not have been cautious when
5 he said that event never dreamed oft up to the
7 4th of January of this year whereas the record
] shows that made speech to that effect during
the pendeney. of the bill of 1850. The same state
Q ment was repeatedly nearly every Senator who
followed him in debate in opposition to this bill;
: and is now being circulated over the country,
$ published in every abolition paper, reid on every
9 stump by every Abolition orator, in order to get
: up prejudice against me, and the measure have
= introduced. Those gentlemen should not have
|, dared to utter the statement without Knowing
o whether was correct ornot. Those records are
Z troublesome things sometimes 1t is not proper
G for man to charge another with mere after
d thought because he did not know that he had ad,
1t vocated the same principles before Because he
did not knowit he should not take it for granted
g that nobody else did. Let me tell the Senators
II that this is very unsaferue for them rely upon
! They ought to have had sufficient respect for
: brother Senattr to have believed, when he came
d forward with an important proposition, that be
= had investigated it. The ought to have had suff
n cent respect for committee of this body to have
e assumed that they meant what they said.
IS WhenI see such system of misinterpretatior
e and misrepresentation Of views, of laws, of re
cords of debates, all tending mislead the pub
10 lie, TO excite prejudice, end to propagate error
hHU / uDt n fO pXn N
ot without being arraigned for violating the courte
y sizes of the Senate.,l 8'ag a@ t15t- a
t Mr.. President frequent reference has beel
n made in debate to the admission of Arkansas as
ut slave-holding State, furnishing evidence tina
d, the Abolitiontss and Free Soilers, who have re