How we cite our quotes: (Act.Section.Line)
Quote #1
The United States, in consideration of said establishment of boundaries, cession of claim—to territory, and relinquishment of claims, will pay to the State of Texas the sum of ten millions of dollars in a stock bearing five per cent. interest, and redeemable at the end of fourteen years, the interest payable half-yearly at the treasury of the United States. (Texas.Section 1.6)
How do you stop Texas from invading New Mexico and taking back some of its claimed territory? Pay it off. Texas had just finished fighting a war with Mexico over its southern border, so they weren't going to be very happy with its new government adjusting its western border.
Quote #2
[…] no member of the legislative assembly shall hold, or be appointed to, any office which shall have been created, or the salary or emoluments of which shall have been increased while he was a member, during the term for which he was elected, and for one year after the expiration of such term. (Texas.Section 9.1)
In the midst of all the talk about slavery, it's easy to forget that part of the Compromise of 1850 sets up territorial governments for New Mexico and Utah. Clay and Congress make it a point to throw in an anti-corruption measure to make sure that legislators in these new lands are in office because they want to be, not for the cash they can get.
Quote #3
[…] no law shall be passed interfering with the primary disposal of the soil; no tax shall be imposed upon the property of the United States; nor shall the lands or other property of non-residents be taxed higher than the lands or other property of residents. (Utah.Section 6.1)
This clause is a reminder that the Compromise was also dealing with westward expansion, which people were excited about because of its economic opportunity. Westward expansion gave ordinary folks a chance to own land and build up a little nest egg of their own. Taxing non-residents at a higher rate could discourage westward migration.
Quote #4
That the marshals, their deputies, and the clerks of the said District and Territorial Courts, shall be paid, for their services, the like fees as may be allowed to them for similar services in other cases […]in all cases where the proceedings are before a commissioner, he shall be entitled to a fee of ten dollars in full for his services […]; or a fee of five dollars in cases where the proof shall not, in the opinion of such commissioner, warrant such certificate and delivery, inclusive of all services incident to such arrest and examination, to be paid, in either case, by the claimant […] (Fugitive Slave Act.Section 8.1)
One of the North's objections to the updated Fugitive Slave Act, other than it was immoral and brutal, was the way that fees and compensation were distributed. Slave-catchers were paid more when the person they brought in was taken by the slave owner making the claim, and still paid even if the person turned out not to be a slave after all. Putting this monetary motivation out there set up a system that encouraged people to go after Blacks in the North much more aggressively to get the reward money.
Quote #5
[…] it shall not be lawful to bring into the District of Columbia any slave whatever, for the purpose of being sold, or for the purpose of being placed in depot, to be subsequently transferred to any other State or place to be sold as merchandize. (DC Slave Trade.Section 1.1)
Slaves were expensive to buy, but helped plantation owners build huge wealth by providing free labor on a large scale. The large slave depot in Washington was a place very much connected to this southern wealth machine, but the Compromise of 1850 very deliberately shut it down. Between this and the Fugitive Slave Act, the Compromise both hurt and helped the slave-based economy of wealthy southerners.