Washington sentinel., 1854-03-02
ConsrfssionaI. q
THIRTY-THIRD CONGRESS.
FIRST SESSION.


In senate--W ednesday, March 1, 1854.
Memorials demonstrating against the passage OF
the Nebraska bin were presented by Messrs. Sc
WARD and SUMNER
Mr. FISH introduced bill 10 prevent unneces-
sary delay in the unladng Of cargoes arriving from
foreign ports Referred
Mr.. BENJAMIN. from the Committee on Com
merce, reported bill making Lakeport, IN Louisi-
ana, a port OF delivery and the same was con-
sidered. read third time and passed
Inc resolution directing the payment tot Hon.
X. M. Young, for his services as commissioner TO
investigate the charges preferred against the Hon.
Alexander Ramsey. late superintendent OF Indian
affairs for Minnesota Territory, was taken up and
passed
LAND FOR THE INSANE.
The Senate resumed the consideration Of the
bill granting land TO the several States OF the
Union, loNaid in the support of the INDECENT insane,
and the question being upon lis passage, Messrs.
MASON and HUNTER opposed il. and Messrs.
WALKER, STUART, and BADGER supported
it. The bill was then postponed
NEBRAsKA-sLAvERY.
On motion of Mr.. DOUGLAS, the Senate pro-
ceeded 10 the consideration Of the bill to establish
aterritorial government for Nebraska.
The last clause in the 18th section now is iii
these words:
"That the Constitution and all laws of the United
States which not locally napplcable, shall have the
force and effect within the said Territory Nebraska
elsewhere within the United States except the Sth
ton OF the act preparatory to the admission Of Missouri
INTO the Union approved March O. 1920 which, being In
consistent with the principle of nonntervention by Con-
gress with slavery In the States and Territories
cognised by the legislation Of 1885, commonly called the
compromise measures, Is hereby declared imperative
and void being the true intent and meaning Of this
to exclude It thereom but to leave the people thereof
perfectly free TO form and regulate their domestic nstu
lions In their subject only to the Constitution Of
The nue stion nandino 1,as on The ,ootion of Mr.
CHASE 10 amend the same by adding thereto the
following:
"Under which the people of the Territories, through
their appropriate representatives may If they see fit
hibit slavery therein"
MIR. CLAYTON said that, ever since the sena-
tor from North Carolina had stated that the south
ern wings were unanimous in their support of
this bill, they had been subject TO the fercest as
saults from the northern presses. He had been
in particular manner assailed, and was now,
with the exception of the senator from Illinois, the
best-abused man in the country. He proposed
in explaining his views upon this bill, 10 put forth
no new set Of principles, but to explain and TO
force the correctness of principles advocated by
him on former occasions. In debate in the Sen
ate in July, lS4S, be expressed views similar TO
those he would utter now. On the 18th Of July,
1S4S, he proposed reference ofthe exciting mea-
sures 10 sc ect committee of eight-four from the
north and four from the south. That proposition
was adopted, and the committee appointed. He
how the southern members proposed the n ssouri
line TO the Pacific, and how the north refused il;
how the committee agreed upon bill to estab
lish territorial government for Oregon, Calitor-
MIA, and New Mexico, with denial TO the territorial
Legislature Of all control over slavery, and leaving
that matter to the adjudication of the COURTS
and how the south supported this, and majority of
the north voted il down, and finally rejected il in The
House. This proposition was truly non-interven-
ton.
The Oregon bill was passed with the Wilmot
proviso in il, and was approved by Mr.. Polk. Pre-
siden Polk in his message, stated that he had ap-
proved that bill because Oregon laid north of 800
30', and with the understanding that that line
would be extended to the other territories in the set
tement of The slavery question. The President
then advised Congress that, if that line not
applied to the other territory, it would cease to be
n compromise, and the question would become an
original one. Notwithstanding this, the north for
the next session refused TO adopt anything but the
Wimot proviso, and California was left without
any government. The compromise of 1850 fol-
lowed He gave details Of votes, &c., on all these
measures, showing that the north had voted down
the Missouri compromise AS often as il was offered
He regarded the Missouri compromise un-
constitutional and, because he thought so, he
would vote for It's repeal He read speeches and
from the journals Of Congress to show that mem
bers Of Congress Of 1890, and particularly Messrs
McLane and Van Dyck, of Delaware, voted for it,
believing il TO be unconstitutional, but as meas
ure necessary for the preservation the Union.
He argued the unconstitutionay Of the Mis-
souri, restriction at length.
He objected to the provisions of the bill giving
the territorial Legislature power TO legislate on
slavery. and was for total denial of that power
He also objected TO the provisions OF the bill al
lowing a legislature al all, and was for confning
all legislative power TO a council composed of
the governor, secretary, and judges. He denied
that there was population in these territories to
enttle Congress 10 establish this class of govern
ment. To give them power TO exclude slave
holders was not to give them selfgovernment, but
the right 10 control tn. peoale Of other States
He appealed to those who supported the bill of
lS4s conferring the decision of all questions TO the
Judiciary, stand by that measure, the true one
OF non-intervention.
He had not concluded, when
On motion by Mr.. BAYARD,
The Senate adjourned.
House Of Representatives.
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