OHIO-William Kennon, jr., William Sawyer-2.
ILLINOIS-Orlando B. Ficklin, John A. McClernand,

William A. Richardson-8.

IOWA-Shepherd Leffler-1.

Total, thirteen from Free States; eighty-eight from Slave States. (Only two from Slave States absent or silent.)

Nays-all the Whigs from Free States, and all the Democrats from Free States, except those named above.

So the House refused to concur in this amendment, and the bill was returned to the Senate accordingly.

The Senate resolved to insist on its amendment, and ask a conference, which was granted, but resulted in nothing. Messrs. Atherton, of

N. H., Dickinson, of N. Y., and Berrien, of Ga., were managers on the part of the Senate, and insisted on its amendment, organizing the Territories without restriction as to Slavery: Messrs. Vinton, of Ohio, Nicoll, of N. Y., and Morehead, of Ky., were appointed on the part of the House. These, after a long sitting, reported their inability to agree, and were discharged.

MAINE-Hezekiah Williams-1.
NEW-YORK-Ausburn Birdsall-1.

On coming out of Committee, this amendment was agreed to-Yeas, 108; Nays, 44. (The

PENNSYLVANIA-Samuel A. Bridges, Richard Brod

Levin-5.

head, Charles Brown, Charles J. Ingersoll, Lewis C. Nays are all Southern, but Charles J. Ingersoll, Orlando B. Ficklin, and possibly one or two others; and all Democrats, but some half a dozen from the South, of whom Robert Toombs has since turned Democrat.) Stephen A. Douglas did not vote. without further opposition, was read twice in The bill passed the House the Senate, and referred; and Mr. Westcott, of mittee on Territories; but the session closed Florida, made a report thereon from the Comwithout further action on the bill.

The bill being now returned to the House, Mr. McClernand, of Ill., moved that the House do recede from its disagreement. Carried: Yeas, 111; Nays, 106.

Mr. R. W. Thompson, of Ind., moved that the House concur with the Senate, with an amendment, which was a substitute, extending the laws of the United States over said Territories, but leaving them unorganized,

And that, until the fourth day of July, eighteen hundred and fifty, unless Congress shall sooner provide for the government of said Territories, the existing laws thereof shall be retained and observed.

OREGON.

The question being reached on amending the Senate's proposition as proposed by Mr. Thompson, it was carried: Yeas, 111; Nays, 105.

(All the Southern members in the negative, with Levin and a few of the Northern Democrats; the residue, with all the Northern Whigs, in the affirmative.)

The House now proceeded to agree to the Senate's amendment, as amended: Yeas, 110; Nays, 103, (the same as before; the friends of the Senate's proposition voting against it, as amended, and vice versa, on the understanding that Mr. Thompson's amendment would exclude Slavery.)

The bill as thus amended being returned to the Senate, it refused to agree to the House's amendment, and receded from its own proposition; so the bill was passed and the session closed, with no provision for the government of the newly-acquired Territories.

Aug. 6, 1846.-Mr. Douglas, from the Committee on Territories, reported to the House a bill organizing the Territory of Oregon.

Said bill was discussed in Committee of the

Whole, and the following amendment agreed to:

And neither Slavery, nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist in said Territory, except for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.

On the 23d, Mr. Douglas again reported his This Congress reassembled, Dec. 7th, 1846. bill to provide a Territorial government for Jan. 11th, 1847, was discussed in Committee, Oregon, which was read twice and committed: as also on the 12th and 14th, when it was resolved, to close the debate. On the 15th, it was taken out of Committee, when Gen. Burt, of S. C., moved the following addition (already moved, debated, and voted down in Committee) to the clause forbidding Slavery in said Terri

tory:

Inasmuch as the whole of said Territory lies north of thirty-six degrees thirty minutes north latitude, known as the line of the Missouri Compromise.

The purpose of this is clear enough. It was intended to recognize the Missouri line, not as limited to the Territories possessed by the United States at the time said line was established, but as extending to all that has since been, or hereafter should be, acquired, so as to legalize Slavery in any Territory henceforth to be acquired by us south of 36° 30'.

Mr. Burt's amendment was negatived: Yeas, 82; Nays, 114.

The vote was very nearly sectional; but the following members from Free States voted in the minority:

PENNSYLVANIA-Charles J. Ingersoll-1.
ILLINOIS-Stephen A. Douglas, Robt. Smith-2.
IOWA-C. S. Hastings-1. In all, 5.

No member from a Slave State voted in the majority. The bill then passed: Yeas, 134; Nays, 35, (all Southern).

Jan. 15.-The bill reached the Senate, and was sent to the Judiciary Committee, consisting of Messrs. Ashley, Ark. Berrien, Ga. Westcott, Fla. Breese, Ill. Dayton, N. J. Jan. 25.-Mr. Ashley reported the Oregon bill with amendments, which were ordered to be printed.

29.-Said bill, on motion of Mr. Westcott, was recommitted to the Judiciary Committee. Feb 10.-Mr. Ashley again reported it with amendments.

March 3.-It was taken up as in Committee of the Whole, when Mr. Evans, of Maine, moved that it be laid on the table. Defeated: Yeas,

19, (all Whigs but Calhoun, of S. C., and Yulee of Florida); Nays, 26, (24 Dem., with Corwin of Ohio, and Johnson of Louisiana.)

Aug. 3.-This bill reached the Senate, when Mr. Badger, of N. C., moved its indefinite postponement: negatived, 47 to 1, (Yulee). It was then sent to the Committee on Territories.

Mr. Westcott, of Fla., immediately moved that the bill do lie on the table; which prevailed: Yeas, 26; Nays, 18 (a mixed vote, evidently governed by various motives); but the negatives were all Democrats, but Corwin and Johnson aforesaid. This being the last day of the The Senate had had under consideration, session, it was evident that the bill, if opposed, from time to time through the Session, a bill as it was certain to be, could not get through, of its own, reported by Mr. Douglas, which was and it was, doubtless, in behalf of other press- finally referred to a select Committee-Mr. Claying business that many Senators voted to lay ton, of Delaware, Chairman--and by said comthis aside. It was, of course, dead for the ses-mittee reported some days before the reception sion. of the House bill. It was then dropped.

Dec. 6, 1847.--The XXXth Congress assembled; Robert C. Winthrop (Whig) of Mass. was chosen Speaker of the House. President Polk, in his Annual Message, regretted that Oregon | had not already been organized, and urged the necessity of action on the subject.

Feb. 9.-Mr. Caleb B. Smith, of Indiana, reported to the House a bill to establish the territorial government of Oregon; which, by a vote of two-thirds, was made a special order for March 14th. It was postponed, however, to the 28th; when it was taken up and discussed, as on one or two subsequent days. May 29th, it was again made a special order next after the Appropriation bills. The President that day sent a special message, urging action on this subject. July 25th, it was taken up in earnest; Mr. Wentworth, of Illinois, moving that debate on it in Committee cease at two o'clock this day.

Mr. Geo. S. Houston, of Ala., endeavored to put this motion on the table. Defeated: Yeas 85; Nays 89, (nearly, but not fully, a sectional division). Mr. Geo. W. Jones, of Tenn., moved a reconsideration, which was carried: Yeas, 100; Nays, 88; and the resolution laid on the table: Yeas, 96; Nays, 90.

The bill continued to be discussed, and finally (Aug. 1) was got out of Committee; when Mr. C. B. Smith moved the Previous Question thereon, which was ordered.

Aug. 2.--The House came to a vote on an amendment made in Committee, whereby the following provision of the original bill was stricken out :

That the inhabitants of said Territory shall be entitled to enjoy all and singular, the rights, privileges, and advantages granted and secured to the people of the Territory of the United States northwest of the river Ohio, by the articles of compact contained in the ordinance for the government of said Territory, passed the 18th day of July, seventeen hundred and eighty-seven; and shall be subject to all the conditions, and restrictions, and probibitions in said articles of compact imposed upon the people of said territory, and

Mr. Houston, of Delaware, voting in the majority
as before: otherwise, members from the Free
States in the affirmative; those from the Slave
States in the negative.]

NEW YORK.-Ausburn Birdsall-1.

OHIO.-William Kennon, jun., John K. Miller-2. ILLINOIS.-Orlando B. Ficklin, John A. McClernand, William A. Richardson-3.

INDIANA.-John L. Robinson, William W. Wick-2.

Mr. John W. Houston of Delaware voted in the majority.

The bill was then passed: Yeas, 128; Nays,

71.

That the line of thirty-six degrees and thirty minutes of north latitude, known as the Missouri Com

promise line, as defined in the eighth section of an act
entitled, "An Act to authorize the people of the Missouri
Territory form a Constitutional and State Govern-
ment, and for the admission of such State into the Union-
on an equal footing with the original States, and to pro-
hibit Slavery in certain Territories, approved March 6th,
1820," be, and the same is hereby, declared to extend to
the Pacific Ocean; and the said eighth section, together
with the compromise therein effected, is hereby revived,
and declared to be in full force and binding, for the
future organization of the Territories of the United
States in the same sense, and with the same understand-
ing with which it was originally adopted; and-
Which was carried: Yeas, 33; Nays, 21; as fol-

lows:

Yeas For recognizing the Missouri line as rightfully extending to the Pacific: Messrs. Atchison,

Badger,

Bell,

Benton,
Berrien,

Borland,

Bright,

Butler,
Calhoun,
Cameron,
Davis of Miss.,
Dickinson,
Douglas,

Downs,
Fitzgerald,

Foote of Miss.,

The House refused to agree to this amendment: Yeas, 88; Nays, 114.

The Members from the Free States who voted Messrs. Allen,

with the South to strike out, were

Atherton,

Baldwin,
Bradbury,

Hannegan,
Houston,
Hunter,

Johnson of Md.,

Breese,

Clarke,

Corwin,

Davis of Mass.,

Dayton,

Dix,

Johnson of La.,

Johnson of Ga.,
King,

Lewis,
Mangum,

Mason,
Metcalf,
Pearce,

Underwood-33.

Nays-Against recognizing said line:

Sebastian,
Spruance,
Sturgeon,

Turney,

Dodge,
Felch,

Greene,

Hale,

Hamlin,

Miller,

Niles,

Phelps,
Upham,
Walker,

Webster-21.

The bill was then engrossed for a third read[This vote was almost completely sectional. |ing: Yeas, 33; Nays, 22; (nearly the same as

No civil government having been provided by Congress for California, the people of that Territory, impelled by the necessities of their political condition, recently met in Convention, for the purpose of forming a Constitution and State Government; which, the latest advices give me reason to suppose, has been accomplished; and it is believed they will shortly apply for the admission of California into the Union, as a Sovereign State. Should such be the case, and should their constitution be conformable to the requisitions of the Constitution of the United States, I recommend their application to the favorable cor deration of Congress.

The people of New Mexico will also, it is believed, at no very distant period, present themselves for admission into the Union. Preparatory to the admission of California and New-Mexico, the people of each will have instituted for themselves a republican form of government, laying its foundation in such principles, and organizing its power in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.

By awaiting their action, all uneasiness may be avoided and confidence and kind feeling preserved. With a view of maintaining the harmony and tranquillity so dear to all, we should abstain from the introduction of those exciting topics of a sectional character which have hitherto produced painful apprehensions in the public mind; and I repeat the solemn warning of the first and most illustrious of my predecessors, against furnishing any ground for characterizing parties by geographical

discriminations.

Jan. 4.-Gen. Sam. Houston, of Texas, submitted to the Senate the following proposition;

Resolved, That, as the people in Territories have the same inherent rights of self-government as the people in the States, if in the exercise of such inherent rights the peo

ple in the newly-acquired Territories, by the Annexation of Texas and the acquisition of California and New-Mexico, south of the parallel of 36 degrees and 30 minutes of

north latitude, extending to the Pacific Ocean, shall establish Negro Slavery in the formation of their state governments, it shall be deemed no objection to their admission as a State or States into the Union, in accordance with the Constitution of the United States.

THE COMPROMISE OF 1850.

The XXXIst Congress commenced its first Session at Washington, Dec. 3, 1849; but the House was unable to organize-no person re- 2. Resolved, That as Slavery does not exist by law, ceiving a majority of all the votes for Speaker and is not likely to be introduced into any of the terri-until the 22nd, when, the Plurality rule hav-tory acquired by the United States from the Republic of Mexico, it is inexpedient for Congress to provide by law ing been adopted by a vote of 113 to 106, Mr. either for its introduction into, or exclusion from, any Howell Cobb, of Ga., was elected, having 102 part of the said Territory; and that appropriate terrivotes to 100 for Robert C. Winthrop of Mass., in all the said Territory, not assigned as within the bountorial governments ought to be established by Congress, and 20 scattering. It was thereupon resolved daries of the proposed State of California, without the -Yeas, 149; Nays, 35-" That Howell Cobb be adoption of any restriction or condition on the subject of declared duly elected Speaker ;" and on the Slavery. 24th President Zachary Taylor transmitted toboth Houses his first Annual Message, in the course of which he says:

in the District of Columbia, whilst that institution con5. Resolved, That it is inexpedient to abolish Slavery tinues to exist in the State of Maryland, without the consent of that State, without the consent of the people of the District, and without just compensation to the owners of slaves within the District.

Whereas, The Congress of the United States, possessing only a delegated authority, have no power over the subject of Negro Slavery within the limits of the United States, either to prohibit or interfere with it, in the States, Territories, or District, where, by municipal law, it now exists, or to establish it in any State or Territory where it does not exist; but, as an assurance and guaranty to promote harmony, quiet apprehension and remove sectional prejudice, which by possibility might impair or weaken love and devotion to the Union in any part of the country, it is hereby

Jan. 21.-Gen. Taylor, in answer to a resolution of inquiry, sent a message to the House, stating that he had urged the formation of State Governments in California and NewMexico.

Feb. 13, 1850.-Gen. Taylor communicated to Congress the Constitution (free) of the State of California.

Jan. 29, 1850.-Mr. Henry Clay, of Kentucky, submitted to the Senate the following propositions, with others, which were made a special order and printed:

1. Resolved, That California, with suitable boundaries, ought, upon her application, to be admitted as one of the States of this Union, without the imposition by Congress of any restriction in respect to the exclusion or

introduction of Slavery within those boundaries.

6. But Resolved, That it is expedient to prohibit, within the District, the slave-trade in slaves brought into it from States or places beyond the limits of the District, either to be sold therein as merchandise, or to be transported to other markets without the District of Columbia.

7. Resolved, That more effectual provision ought to be made by law, according to the requirement of the Constitution, for the restitution and delivery of persons bound to service or labor in any State, who may escape into any other State or Territory in the Union. And,

8. Resolved, That Congress has no power to prohibit or obstruct the trade in slaves between the slaveholding States, but that the admission or exclusion of slaves brought from one into another of them, depends exclusively upon their own particular laws.

Feb. 28.-Mr. John Bell, of Tennessee, submitted to the Senate the following propositions:

Whereas, Considerations of the highest interest to the whole country demand that the existing and increasing dissensions between the North and the South, on the subject of Slavery, should be speedily arrested, and that the questions in controversy be adjusted upon some basis animosities, remove, as far as possible, the causes of which shall tend give present quiet, repress sectional future discord, and secure the uninterrupted enjoyment of those benefits and advantages which the Union was intended to confer in equal measure upon all its mem

bers;

And, whereas, It is manifest, under present circumstances, that no adjustment can be effected of the points of difference unhappily existing between the Northern and Southern sections of the Union, connected with the subject of Slavery, which shall secure to either section all that is contended for, and that mutual concessions upon questions of mere policy, not involving the violation of any constitutional right or principle, must be the basis of every project affording any assurance of a favorable acceptance;

And, whereas, The joint resolution for annexing