American watchman and Delaware advertiser., 1827-01-05

a.. no,hins Of this kind in il, had himself eSh'p'eo
sipns Of that very feeling. II the gentleman VINO
had introduced the resolution would consent 10 .noo'
i(v il a, to omit the words being ci'lzeh o. any
Of the States" he would then vote Tor IT. because lie
should consider the most objectionable part OF II as
removed.
Mr.. Ward expressed his willingne" to accept OF
such modification and the resolution was mod''
fed accordingly.
MIR. .McDu6fe said he was sorry that the gentle
man from New York had accepted the modification
He thought the resolution. as il now stood, decided
ly more Objectionable than in its original form he
was, for his part, perfectly willing to extend 10 oil
citizens Of the United States, whatever their Color
any privileges TO which citizens oil the Oniteo oa'es
are Justly entitled. Whether any particular persons
are c,t,zens oil the United States, may be ques-
,ion but any one claiming 10 be citizen is enti-
lied to be heard. Mr.. .M'D. said he wished the
proposed inquiry might be Instituted upon the prih
cpes OF obvious justice. He wished II TO De un
derstood ha, willis, he would vindIcate all the rights
which he himself possessed. he was willing to allow
to others the same privilege. This was question
he said not calculated to excite sensbilily. we
do not claim to slndcate slavery wherever It ap
pears II it appears that the laws oil the Dlsttlc
Of Coombis infringe the laws ofa SIate-ii person
held to be q citizen has been imprlsoned-and MI
BIC ~ said he was free 10 declare that he inclined
TO think the question OF citizenship one which state
has right 10 determine then has an outrage beer
committed on this pc rson and remedy ought to b,
provided. Without entering into this question fur
her, he would say, that If any rights or privileged
Of citizens have been violated, they are entitled t,
pr lection from this body. He was in favor OF lh
inquiry ther fore for ,he purpose Of asoeraininl
| hat fact.
Mr.. Brent said, he WAS sorry to differ from th'
gentleman from South Carolina-he was equally
4, xious with that gentleman TO see the subject iul
II, investigated. But in order to avoid that par, O
the subject which was calculated TO produce irriia
ZION. he had suggested the amendment. The NOV
er had said, in the speech with which he nccompa
MED lis resolution, that certain colored free mai
had been imprisoned. and afterwards sold to pay hi
p ison fees Mr.. B wished TO limit the inquiry /
this point alone and not to set the Committee /
decide whether free man Of color was " q cilize
oil the United States" That was the question h
aimed to avold-becau he knew it would inevilabl
p duce much excitement in q part at least OF In
House.
Mr.. Miner said, he rose especially TO reply TO
remark made by several gentleman seeming to i'm
ply that this mster ought not TO be discussed. be
cause il created so much excitement and irralior
Such, certainly, was The effect, and MIR Nj. regret
led that it was SO The whole interests of the d..
, uic eonhdrd to our exclusive jurisdiction n
power but that of the General Government coul
operate here Slavery existed within the Distric
and The subject must be regulated by Congress.
was not only our right, but our duty. Ii was mpo.
shlc to do this intcgen,ly without inquiry and f'e
discuss This was felt to be subject Of deli
cacy no one ieh this morc scnsibly (Mr Nj
said) than himself 1t is always painful TO excl,
unpleasant feelings; such was never his wish an
it was matter OF regret with him when. in the per
tormance Of duty, such was ever The consequence
IN his opinion, every subject that i was our duty
egulate and legisate upon. ought to be consdere
prope, to be introduced here and freely discussed
without exciting pain or passion We have tn
same absolute control over this subject here ths
the States have within the limits OF their re.pec,v
soveregnties, and it was equally our duty to exer
else it II was, in fact, the case that owing 10 th
painful excitement growing out Of any motion o
the subjeci Of slavery here, it had been uterl, ne
elected. Gentlemen from neither section Of th
Union liked TO take any step in relation to il th
consequence was, that there had been no meiora
tion of the laws growing out Of the system of slave
ry here, Tor he thirty years the District had bee
under The jurisdiction of the General Government
In other states, improvements had been made
their codes had been meliorated; here, from tn
cause alluded to, they had been entirely neglected
and all the torruptions growing out Of that neglect
and the cupidty OF those who looked only To hei
private interest, were severely felt From pape
in his hand. which he stated TO be Official, Mr.. M
read an account Of the persons imprisoned in tn
Jail, as follows:
Runaway Negroes committed to the Jail Of Washingt
County, District Of Columbia from the 1st day of DE-
cember. 1926, to November 80, 1924, included
For safe keeping by their masters, from December l.
1923, TO November 30h 1924 S
Runaway negroes committed from December LIST, 1894
November 80, 1925, S
For safe keeping by their masters from Dec 1st 1894
Nov. so, 1895, II
Fifteen of the above that were committed as rInawa,
proved to be free and Of them sold for his Jail fec
and other expenses.
White and black crminals-the following number con
mtted for offences, from December 1t, 1885, to Noven
Der 30th 1894 II
And about the number for the wear following.
L., a., I,.I.r