The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-12-29
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
EnInAy Dec 30 LA,

Mr.. BIDLACk rose and asked the Indulgence OF
the House to make a statement IN relation to
publication which appeared in the New York Her
aid, rdicung the proceedings of this House, which
was untrue in every essential particular Ills object
merely TO dsabuse the public mind upon this sub
iect.
Mr. WELLER gave notice of his intention at some
future day TO present bill.
Mr.. ca lNGERSOLL rose, by general consent.
and asked Mr. HALE il he had been correctly report
ed, by applying to him that he had brought forward
a :" senselsss' proposition.
Mr.. HALE explained, and remerked that he said
II either seaseess useless proposition to bring
forward, thus early proposition TO adjourn, he did
not know which.
MIR. INGERSOLL said he had nothing more to
Mr.. |. then called the attention Ct Mr.. Giddngs to
his remarks rep rted in the lntegencer, warning
the I" younger members" of this House against the
iaciies'' of an older member, alludng to him.
Mr.. GIDDlNGS said he was not aware of having
made the remark and he certainly did not intend any
hing personal in his remarks
Mr.. WELLER asked the consent Of the House to
allow him TO bring forward bill, notice of which he
gave few days ago.
Ii was objected to.
The SPEAKER then announced the orders Of the
day.
THE NEGRO MEMORIAL.
Mr. SAUNDERS said that the laws upon this
subject ample in every respect. A II he had to
do to bring the subject before the judicial trbu-
nails Of this District under writ Of habeas corpus
which would, upon investigation Of the facts libe
rate the Individual If il should appear that he
titled to his freedom. lie would inform the gentleman
from Ohio MIR. Giddngs) that certain occasion
negro, whom he knew to be free, but who had been
imprisoned advertised TO be sold for his jail fees
for having into the District in violation of the
law; paid the fine amounting to some two or three
dollars, and he Immediately liberated and re-
stored to his freedom; and he called upon the gentle
man from Ohio 10 come forward and give TO the
world a practical illustration Of his beneyolence by
following his example Let him go and pay the fine
and his word for it, this negro citizen would be imme
dlaely liberated, if there should appear evidence
TO the Judiciary that he was slave The burden Of
proof however, falls upon the "negro" and not upon
the prosecution which this day the law Of the land
Let the subject go before Judge Cranch whom he be
leved to be humane Judge, a writ of habeaS
TtS, and justice would be done 10 him-this was all
he asked.
Mr. GIDDINGS said he not care to what
committee the subject was referred, so il was acted
upon Immediately and the unfortunate individual
liberated. lie referred to the which Congress
bad heretofore pursued on n subject similar TO the
one under consideration, and hoped this case would
receive the same attention. 1t mattered very little
10 him whether IL was referred 10 a Select Commit
lee or the Committee on the Judiciary, in whose
Judgment and liberslity he had the most unboundcd
confidence; but he preferred a Select Committee
from various considerations the first was, he did not
wish TO burden the Judiciary Committee or any other
Standing COMMITTEE with this subject, because they
already had as much before then, as they could well
get through with. IL FAR from his disposition TO
discuss this exciting question, but II was with him
Of principle, in which was involved the liberty
of an American cZen-a native of NrgnIa-and
lie felt himself bound Representative of the free
People OF Ohio to do all in his power TO secure ber
iy to lhis unfortunate individual, whose only crime II
TO have dark complexion HIS object was not
TO discuss, but TO act upon question oil such magn
lude and mportance-in which was involved liberty,
the bulwark Of the American Constitution.
He said the gentleman from North Carolina (Nlr.
Saunders) had referred TO the law of 1893, which
according TO its provisions, allowed fine 10 be paid
in tobacco. Does that gentleman wish the people OF
the District Of Columbia TO be governed and control
led by tins law, at this enlightened day Does he
want them bound down by laws passed hiy fire years
ago, Or does he wish TO see laws passed hundred
years ago which would bring this nation back TO CO.
lonal yassalagc, enforccd'
lie believed the people Of the District, Il they
were consulted, would be in favor of repeating this
obnoxious and abominable law, which had been
brought before this House previously and examined
by slave-holdors, who IN favor of its repeal
Is Il right just because free citizen has the mis-
fortune TO have dark complexion, that he should be
sold q ,iart, TO payl ii fees lie dad not believe
the gentleman from North Carolina mir Saundcrs)
could prove his freedom, If he confined in jail
for himself he knew that he could not prove that he
was born free.
MIR. SAUN DERS explained lie said the negro was
MOTIF be sold STARE but for his ee, IL they were
paid and the evidence should prove that he was not
a Stare he would be discharged The State Of Ohio,
he believed, had law upon her statute book which
prohibited free negroes from residing within her Ju-
risdic,ion, to which he called the attention Of the
gentleman from Ohio who affects so much sympathy
for this class OF persons.
Mr.. GIDDINGS continued He said the gentle
man from North Carolina evsded his question: and
he would inform him that there was no law IN Ohio
which confined freemen irhit, black, and sold them
as ares for jail fees To this obnoxious and unjust
law he did interfere with, and his feeble efforts
should be exerted 10 have IL amended or repealed
But as TO the laws Of North or South Carolina, he
would not interfere with them--he had no right 10
interfere-and God forbid that he should. We abo-
ionists DO not wish to infringe upon the constitu-
tona rights Of the slave States but ~ Representa-
live Of frecmen he would oppose al such laws
bearing upon their face moral turpitude, being en-
forced IN the District Of Columbia. This law was
astgma upon the country.
lie did not care 10 what committee this subject
was referred all he wanted was that il sh uld be
referred aud report made upon the facts OF the
case, and the abom nable and contemplate law re-
pealed. The gentleman from North Carolina had
called upon him to follow his example, and 90 TO the
marshal and pay this fine which would secure the re-
lease Of this unfortunate individual but he would IN
form him that the bone and muscles Of the reemen OF
Ohio who tocd hard for all they got were not 10 be
NP'Huou lH jan itto W aCCOHnpllsn lnaN WINCH hlc
Constitution should give.
Mr. CAMPBELL, OF South Carolina, said he
agreed with the gentleman from Alabama mir. Dill
leu that this was Judicial question, with which
this House had nothing 10 do. Let this individual be
carried before Judge Cronch, on writ OF heobea corpus
who was known to be humane Judge, and would
deal fairly by him, although thesfacc Of "negro,
ny the laws Of the District, was prima fa
cit that he was slave, and the onus pro
band the burden Of proef-rested upon him e
regain HI, liberty, which could be easily done, f hc