The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-07-07
Standardization agreed to without OPPOSITE

Mr.. Marion then moved to add proviso:
:" and trovided also, that snch slaves shall
have been brought in at the same time as
their owners respectively. @-Asreed to.
Mr.. Ross observed that a former act ON
the subject Of the importation of slaves said
fhat it should not be lawful TO bring into
The u. States any negro. mulatto, or person
of color, with intention to sell the same or
hold them as slaves. The present case APP
peared to him to be one in direct violation of
chat law. Under the act of 1907, ithad be-
come the duty of the court to examine whe-
Their it was the intention of the parties to
infringe or violate the laws. After fair ex-
ANIMATION by court under a desire to re-
1ieve those interested, and failure of every
attempt to shew that they we're compelled
TO take on board these slaves, was the house
about to sit in judgement and reverse
the decisions Mr.. X. said that provision was
also made in the bill as to slaves that may
hereafter arrive in the y. s. giving a pow
er to the President of the u. States at his
discretion to set aside the law. What rea-
son could there be for enacting this law, if
che principles of the law of 1892 were COR
rect! IT it was intended by side blow to
repeal that law, he had rather see it done
at once; and not whilst in appearance we
mad such law. to give the president dis
pensinS power over it. 1t was said that the
persons concerned in bringing them in were
distressed. How distressed. Only because
Shey could not prove they were compelled to
bring them into the country. Mr.. r. said he
did not wish to irritate the feelings of gentle
men from any portion of the union that he
was sorry to see a bill introduced to unsettle
what he conceived to be available provision
enacted some sessions ago.
Mr.. -Nesvtor said he felt as much repug-
nance as the gentleman from Pennsylvania
TO touch that law but If the gentleman would
consider that this was a case of peculiar
nature, attended with similar circumstances,
he would withdraw his objection; but he
verify believed that had the legislature fore.
seen what had taken place, they would GER
taIniy have inserted provision to meet the
case which had occurred Let it be recot-
iected (said he) that the unfortunate French
men driven on our coast were some time ago
driven from st. Domingo, and were obliged
TO take shelter at Cuba. Since the COM
mencement of the war i'll Spain, Cuba has
almost witnessed the same scenes as St. Do
mingo. These people were forced to leave
the island III distress and to take what por-
tion OF property they could collect. They
Could not so to France, because no vessels of
that country were permitted to touch at the
island OF Cuba, neither could they to go the
French islands in the West Indies There
was no country open to them but America.
ne American Captains then we're forced to
take the French on board, and with them a
few body servants; and under the former
law these vessels were seized and liable to
forfeiture, our merchants to suffer the loss of
vessel & cargo, & the poor emigrants to lose
all their little property. Let it be recollected
that the law of 1902 does not interfere with
the state rights on the subject. This bill on
ly goes so far as to remit all fines and penal
ties incurred by the captains of vessels and
release the property which would otherwise
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cent merchants, who would otherwise suffer
Let us say to those unfortunates as Dido to
tEneas when he was exiled from Troy-',I
have suffered misfortune myself and there
fore know how to extend the hand of relief
to others"
Mr.. Marion said that II the gentleman
from Pennsy lvania Mr.. Ross) thought that he
had wish or intention to increase the num-
Der OF slaves, he was much mistaken The
laws of South Carolina prohibited the bring
lng these slaves or any other into the state;
yet they had been brought there and the
persons bringing them there must give sccu
rlty that they would have them carried out
OF the state. Now by the non intercourse
Jaw the state was prevented from sending
them away; they would of course remain
mere TIL the law permitted them to be sent
OF, Tor they could go no where but to France
and her dependencies, France being at war
with all the rest of the world. Mr.. Marion
SAID there were several captains now in Jail
under sentence of court for having brought
those people into the country; he submitted
TO the house whether, under the Circumstance
cs OF the case, the captains had not good
reason to suppose that they would not be sub
Ject to the penalty of the law. The law pro-
hIoitIng the importation Of slaves was of |
mighty penal nature, and different from all
other laws OF that nature, having no clause |
init giving power of remission of penalties
and this bill was guarded in such a manner |
that no evil could arise
Mr.. Macon said it was certainly true that |
the Southern country wanted no more slaves |
! he sole object of the bill was to get them :
way. However DESTROYS the people might be |
TO hold that property, there could be no fear |
OF their wanting them for the West Indies
Mr.. montgomery said it was peculiarly
necessary to pass this bill to get rid of the
immense number Of slaves brought into New |
orleans; tor every one must know that they |
were not wanted there. They were too nu- |
merous TO continue there, and this bill was
Intended to make provision for their export
alton.
Mr.. .Ne7ofon produced letter from the |
collector OF New Orleans OH this subject.
Mr. Taylor said, it never could have been
the intention or spirit OF the law of 1907, to |
increase our population in free blacks. 1t |
was not 20 set free the people of this des-
cription that the law had been passed. but
toprevent them from being brought here at
all. For even in Pennsylvania he had no |
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