Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1807-01-05
Proceedings Of Congress,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
! Nedaesday, December 81.
r aoucllded.

IN IN = voysge 10 Africa, takes away 81
excuse for oommisting a crime on su sl'-
impulse. Bus If the person be under tns
impression thatis IS 40 crime, cannot @ ses
wsar difference the time tor rsfe cIIop
would make. 81.
But how will this fearof death defer
him out of the reach ofyour law Wneu
carryiipg his slaves 10 The Spanish serfito,
ries beyond our lines. Where the tear O.
dsasl when he BELIEVES punishment w
nor be inflicted when a man dare inform
bit AZ the risk of his life. Les Il De re-
memhered now say. there's no man VII
dare 10 inform !; it WILDE more than ne
I life is worth. He does not there CONSIDER
il crime he is SO educated aud SO Dc
lieves.
A high crimr-but do the people where
the law IS To be executed, consider q
crime They do not, aad the law VIII no'
be executed.
Sappese, 10 the year 7o3, when there
was an insurrecsion in Pennsylvania, there
was ssroag law against lnsnfrectlon
would ask the gentleman from fennsyi2a-
na, Mr.. Smile, whether ne thinks the law wv
could be executed in the tour dissatisfied
counties. II could NOT; because they did
no, consider themselves criminal. Ii Is SO
IN this case in the southern states.
Macy 10 the ssoushsrn states dsprecase
slavery as an evil. great evil, ard hs'eaf-
ter to be, perhaps dangerous, but NOT
crime. Few indeed consider It crime
A No 4iori.y consider il neithsr anevll nor
crime. Ask most Of oar planters who
are slave holders whether they conslder
slavery an evil, or crime, and they will
tell you no.
The honor of your country, the honor
and glory of your statute book What no.
nor, TO see i. thus hooored, aud the Law
daily violated before yous face.
Mr.. Ely. One remark the gentleman
speaks OF slaves being brought inso the Spa
nish territories near US: Bur WHO will such
be? Not American citizens. Or,n Ame.
rlcan clrizens, are they not ever after liable
TO this punishment when found in the u.
S.
The holding of slaves douos consider
crime !; our forefa,hers in Newffla od
held slaves. Ba, the going atses Them
aud bringing them here Is quite aaoiher
thing.
But, it is no crime to go afterthem !!
What punishment then shall be Inhicted
They will deserve noar: they most not be
fined nor imprisoned, gentlemen may aa
well tell az.
Mr. Holland. Some gentlemen may
conslder the Importation of slaves an In
moral ac. but let Us suppose the language
of HE importer to be, /" have bro't these
persena from land of slavery | found
them slaves, ia oppression, ignorance aud
misery, and | have brought,hem away. to
exchange their masters, TO better their sifu-
alton, TO improve shem, render them more
usefulso others, and themselges more hap.
py. considerno,hing immoral 10 this !;
bu, you have made law furnishing me with
death: who of you i. so immoral. Of has
SO li,tle honor or feeling or justice, as to
inform against me, and bring me to the
gallow. 20 None would inform.
Some gentlemen have quoted scripture ;
but they should remember that the scrip.
ture, in variety of places, would be, a.
gsinss them.
Mr.. S.auntoa: Those who receive the
stolen negroes, are equally guilty and the
purchaser partakes with the thieves.
Mr.. Dwight. The general reason given
against the punishmen, of death, is, tha
tits disproportioned TO the offence. Hence
many gentlemen. endeavor to lessen the ma
ture of the offence. BY some, It's hardly
considered as an offence. If the gentle.
men have reason to fear, as they say they
have. aud as they doubtless have, some
fsturesremesdous consequences that may
arise from the increase of slavery. should