Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-03-12
I'Syesaf y~9oUraa, Cosagress--tst Scss
IN SENATE-.Boa4ay, March z

Z of he Of
the District of Columbia
Mfr Cuthbeas who entitled to the floor first nd
dressed me senate on the pending question: giving the
reasons which would induce him 10 vote AGAINST tie re-
cePhonet the memorial In the Of his obserya-
ions he declarcd that he did share the apprelen.
slos hey by some gentlemen, that the spirit of abolition
would dangerously iSrcase and spread 10 any treat
tent throughout the country; and he EXPRESSED the
strongest reliance on tie Influences which were power
fny operating in quellng this spirit lie viewed it as
one OF foreign origin caught by coniagion from Europe
Ntf " drew comparison between the state of society
a ue state OF slavery as it existed in the British West
no'es PRIOR Ia the emancpating laws of the British Par
hanient, aud The condition, respected both of the
sHvehoidng States showing that from the absence of
these moral influences which injurously affected the
BRUSH islands, aud of that dependence and state of sub
lection in which they stood towards the mother country
the designs oil the aboonists could never be carried
into effect here. He would vote against the recen,ion
oil These memorials, the strongest measure and be-
cause ne mad been able to constitutional objections
10 such course. The clause of the Constitution re-
curing that the people should be prevented from
PcaceaOiy assembling and petiioning for redress of
grievances would be IN nowise abridged for these me-
moraiss had petitioned, and had had full hearing
Mr. e. showed that this question, which had already
PlouuGeu such an excitement in the Southern States
never nc Touched IN Congress; that policy, Justice
ana good aith well the obligations imposed by the
Constitution, demanded that Congress should never le
gSiae on THIS subject with regard the District of Co.
lunbie; and that any attempt carry their legislation
later 'nto The States would lead to the most fearful
aud ruinous consequences As there was remote dan,
ger That the schemes OF these abolionists if not put
stop TO- might produce nschies that he though he did
not pretend to iniiliby, did anticipates he urged
4
whence these memorials sprung aid putting them
down while they were yet poweress
! MI Brown dwell at length upon the excitin,
elect OF exciting speeches If Southern planter bo3
oy chance entered the capitol when the honorable Sena
.or ron oohth Carolina (Alr. Peson) addressing
the senate he would have supposed direct proposition
to slavery throughout the Union had been made
belorc Congress met Southern feelings had been great
" traAlni4ed, but had changed since this exciting dis
custom hadaken place. lie introduced by way Of al.
n'itude The ELECT of the panic discussion The ionora-
bic gentleman from Vermont (Mr swiftly had omitteS
| statement dav
oh the rejection of aboan solutions by the Ieoisla
ture OF that State He regretted the honorable gentle
man IRON South Carolina, (Ar Preston) had confined
himself to evidence furnished by aboltionists in on
position to other and better EVIDENCE Of public SEMI
'eh IN Tue North, and also that he had connected it with
! political party -
Mr. Preston dscianed any intention of rejecting
upon any political party.
mir. Brown continued. lie adyerteJ 20 tho ,t,s,
IN certain pubic prints opposed to the Administra-
ton to give 1t political bearing He thought IL did
not compot with the dignity of Senators TO o1ote from
these lbeous abolition publications and embodv them
In er speeches. TO be distribute throughout the coun.
try, and especially the South lie thought they only
gave dignity and Importance the abolition cause by
holiclS lheIr hbels. lie did not believe the whole
christian World was against the South as had been re-
presented by the gentleman from South Carolina (AIr
4 tIes.on} ne believed It an attempt made in
wade te Southern States, the North would rally 10 their
aid and lie whole christian sympathies of the North
EN- states would inpcl them the rcscue He Dire w
iine OF distinction between christianity aud fanacism
IN the South the spirit of christianity was against the
lanai cs Petitions this subject had heretofore been
received, without objection or discussion from the
Southern Represe natives and were even referred 10 the
COMMITTEE on the District of Collmba and it was
strange that Of the Southern gentlemen sheuld lac
so suddenly aroused 10 of their dignity Ii had
however been represented, that abolition was growing
10 an alarming extent But he satisfied that the
couns were exaggerated He had taken great pains to
satisfy bmseif on that point. portion ofthe Southern
members had been charged with dividing the South on
this question Those o. the South who acted with him
were pursuing the invariably pursued by the
South aud division created il was by those who
varied from that course
MIR SUi ol,,av,,d Ill -.
some days since the subject Of the spirit of abolition
in the State of Vermont had not been Understood and
Iiau 9eeh IN some manner Dsrepresented he would
Feat ms statement again lie had said, that as regarded
the section OF the State from whence he came prior 10 b
leaving home, abolition very little thought of there
ana ont little said on the subject but he had lately re-
ceiyed the information, that several abolition societies
had sprung up which had existence before He had
received information of the formation of five or civ co
cieties in his neighborhood. He believed with the
gentleman from North Carolina, ( Brown) that the
excitement had, IN some measure, been produced by
the discussion here; but he would tell the gentleman
mat his speech, It circulated in his county, (Vermont1
would add very much to that excitement To call the
respectable members of these societies vile incendiaries
ahacs ana apply TO them other such violent epithcts
would be little calculated TO soothc their feelings He
believed That great majority of the people of Vermont
thought hat Congress not only had the power TO abo-
lish slavery in the District Of Columbia but that il
was their bounden duty to do AS to the reso
lutions referred to by the Senator from North ca
rohna, (Ar. BfownO which were Introduced into the
Legislature ct Vermont, declaative of the propriev
OF a5ollsling slavery IN the District and which were
rejected, he thought that such rejection did not express
i've true State @ sentiment in the Legislature; for they
were rejected the ground of expedencv than
from any opinion that the resolutions were improper in
their tendency The opinion tat Congress not only had
the power, but that 1t ought abolish slavery in the
District OF Columbia, very prevalent in Vermont:
and Ibis opinion was not confined TO the lower classes of
society bot prevailed among the wealthy the well in.
formed, and Influential.
Mr. Hubbard thought the gentlemen of the Sopf,
were alarneS unnecessarily. They would be satisfied
hesesc Congress adjourned, with the snioiency of the
moral power ia ihe North 70 keep the spirit of abolition
IN check IL should be taken TO set az aroa
the 5000 slaves in The District Of Columbia il would not
have the effect intended; for the shareholders would be-
fore the law could 60 force, sell their slave TO the
Shareholders IN Mississippi, other sayeholding
state. u Congress should do al the petitioners askcd
II would not make slave less in the Union a would
make tie District asylum for all the runa way negroes
and free blacks ia the Union.
lie wosld be sofFy % tho blacks competing with
the free white aborcr Of The North 10 abolish siayerv
IN te District would be productive Of great mischief
lie wonld adopt the very strongest measures that could
be tsken to prevent IT, The condition Of the backa in
le South better than tie free blacks in the North
he was iB Virginia OCCASION and il was common
then for sl1yeiders IN speaking Of bad slave 90 say he
than free negro. lie spoke Of the afectionate
relations between slaves and their masters lie had re-
oo2ed pictorial representation Of slavery in the SOUTH
which gross msre lie would 90 for the
motion Of The gentleman from 3. c. (Mr Calhoun IL he
thought the better way 10 put down the Of the
, abolitonists &c did not however, think il was oad
went into argunaat az length, involviDg tic
right of pcioning, to show that it not the better
way 20 accomplish the object lie thought well OF the
: proposition Of the gsntlemln from Wassaohpsells
lhe mud cacct0al way, however, wcs TO take thet
petition aBd say 10 them i've cannot GRAFT your request
a. it woud pat in jeopardy the peace tranquility of
DE coantfy lie believed ilf sentiments Of the Senate