Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-02-08
Tuesday, February 4, 1919.


Tuesday, February 4. 1910.
! IN SENATE.
i The CHAIR submitted communication from TIL
Secretary of the Treasury transmitting report froD
the Commissioner of the General Land Office, in com
pance with resolution of the Senate of 22d January
l54U; which was laid the table, and ordered to b.
i printed.
an enumeration of the militia of the United States
which was laid the table, and ordered TO be printed
ABOLITION PETITIONS
I Mr.. TAPPAN addressed the Senate as follows:
Mr.. President hold in my hand number OF peti
tons purporting 10 be signed by inhabitants OF Har
rson county, in the State of Ohio praying Congress
abolish slavery and the slave trade IN tue District OF
Columbia. These petitions are signed by both males
and females, in the proportion OF aooht two-tnros o.
the former and one third of the latter 1t is the
sutonal right of every American citizen to petition
Congress- for redress Of grievances; and may say
here that whenever any citizen OF ONO shall complain
of any grievance, under which he may be suffering,
within the constitutional competency of this Govern.
ment to remove, it will give me great pleasure to pre-
sent the case this body and to be instrumental in re-
moving the grievance complained Of
These petitioners do not, however, set forth what
p,rcnlar grievance the existence of slavery and the
slave trade in the District of Columbia is to them,
how thew are iniuriousy affected by it, why and
wherefore il should be abolished am left 10 suppose,
therefore, that the interest the petitioners feel in this
matter is not particular interest, arising &om any
connection with the subject matter prayed br, not
yrev 10 them specially but that they suppose the
existence Of slavery and the slave trade here griev
sace of general and national kind, which they, with
al shs, a q cas s haye % to
n Iba rqht of any citizen of this Union to pettoh
Congress- or their right to instruct their hePresen
atives here to such legislation tor thiS Distric
as will, in their opinion, best promote ,ne ,la
interest of the whole confederacy; but ! mark the
fact that the petitioners were not agreed upon te
nature extent and bearing of the supposed grievances
they pray to have rcdressed and were not prepared
assign am reason for their removal as evidence na
bc had no particular of complaint IN Inc exist
once of slavery here Living at the distance OF some
hundred miles from the District, III remote State OF
the Union and having little no intercourse with IT.
il is not to be presumed that they should be US conPe
tent to Judge what legislation would best promote the
prosperity and happiness ofthe people here, as the c
gsns of the District themselves, who are TO be more
;mne diately affected by such legislation The peu'
TONERS have indeed, right TO lnterpose their whes
or WILL as TO ouch interests as are peculiar 10 the popu-
aton ofthe District and have bearing on the gene
raj interests of the Union. This, It may be presumed,
is we'll known to and understood by them, and there
fore the conclusion have come TO, that the peuloh
ers have no particular interest in tins matter, anc
have no claus to hearing on that account, is suii-
GENTLY evident.
TO Congress the power to exercise exclusive legislation
in all cases whatsoever over this District has gwen
Congress the power TO abolish slavery and the slave
trade here whenever the people Of the District ask
safety
the constitutional Legislature Of this District, have, in
nv Judgment twofold duty TO perform-frSt as the
Representatives of the District not elected and chosen
by the people of the District but made by the Constu
ton the only law making power for it, and thereby its
constitutional Representatives second the Repre-
santatives Of the whole nation In the former capa
citv lie mower Of Congress extending "to all cases
whatsoever" seems limited only by those great PrIn-
cipes Of equality and justice which lay at the found
alton of ali our legislation; in the latter they can
exercise no powers but such as are expressly dele-
rated TO them, or such clearly necessary TO
carry into effect the powers so expressly granted =
The principles adverted to, require OF American egs-
ators that they should make the happiness Of The peo-
pie the end and aim Of all their enactments In Their rst
capacity therefore, the Legislature OF the District,
they are bound to consult the will end wishes OF Tue
District in all matters which its inhabitants
only conceive that the will of the people here should
be The governing rule for the action of Congress- IN all
matters of strictly local concern; unless that VIII de-
manded something that would be injurious to the gene:
raj welfare The reason why tia trainers OF the Con-
s,,nt;on gayo TO conspooO, hnu iocui lsrg;-
tire the mower of legislation over the District was
probably to prevent The possibility of any law beng
passed here, which might initiate against the general
interest of the Concderacy and not 10 free Congress
from the high moral Obligation, incumbent on it as the
Legislature Of the District, TO consult the wishes OF
The people Of The District and form its laws, so as best
10 promote their welfare aud happiness
But the people of the District are silent on inns SUD
/
they have heretofore demonstrated against any action
by Congress their right to hold slaves; ana would
probably again demonstrate, if they apprehended any
danger of such action. They hold that they have
clearly legal and rghtfpl property 10 and to their
saves that the Constitution of the United States pro-
tec.s them in the enjoyment of such right. Now,
whatever may be the opinion OF the petitioners as to the
right abstractedly considered, OF men to hold human
beings property, this question was settled before Tue
Constitution was formed-before this ten miles square
was ceded the Union; and Congress- as Legislators OF
| the Union, have no power over IT.
Next to the people of this District, those more i'm
edatey interested the States who ceded this Ter
rtory to the United States The cesson was made by
Maryland and Virginia, when, as now, both those states
held slaves and their right to this species OF property
was no where questioned II may fairly be supposed
| that when the cession made, it was not imagined
by any that slavery would, or could be abolished
here until il should be abolished in those States Had
such an event been thought probable the able men who
guided the counsels of those States would have guard
ed against an event so very threatening to their secu
~ and repose But these States are not alone III re-
gsrdng tile measures prayed for by the petitioners as
hostile 10 their nteresls al the States in which slave
ry held lawful consider the agitation OF thls quesoi
as full of danger and the attempt to abolish slavery
here but as first step in unjust and unconstItution
al interference with their rights. If then, Congress;
has the power to legsate for this District on this sub
ect as Ikod they clearly have such power, they have
no right to exercise this power against the will pt the
who coded the District to the Union; and against The
will Of the other slavehoding States; unless indeed
the safety of the whole Union imperiousy demands
such Legislation Of us.
4 When this coniederacy of States was formed and
even when the Constitution Of the United States wa
adopted most of the Suites held slaves. The laws O
all Except perhaps Massachusetts, recognised the
awuBess Of domestic slavery Since that time, many
of the States have entirely, and some others partially
abolished it, and it seems to me that It 49, and has ions
d,,at Of ay
an institution of the Stale Governments, matter o
mere State regulation, with which, as i exists in, o.
may be regulated by the States, the Government O
the United States having nothing to do directly, shoui'
abstain from interfering indirectly.
Such, Mr. President, is my view of the subject, as !
respects the power and duties of Congress- but there
another view which it is my duty to state. am here
as one of the representatives of sovereign State
meeting with the representatives of twenty-five Other
equally sovereign and independent States, TO exercise
etr Limit