The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-12-29
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
sePg1Ser b, the Rev. Mr.. TusroN.
GHkx then read the Journal Of yesterday

M4uA LUZ ~, 1870
Pgpser b. the Rev. Mr.. TusroN.
Y rkx. then read the Journal Of yesterday
III. 81 Of Illinois, gave notice OF his ntcn-
tiot to present q bill at some subsequent day.
NJ, RInLACK rose and asked the indulgence Of
The House tas make statement in. relation g a
publication which appeared il the New York Her
aid xfdiSuling the proceeding of this House, which
wat6ptFpA i. every essential particular H. object
WA alsstass N Pa6lIo MUD Aa6ii AN ~ ~.
IN .Fss. sss i i lis iasssl N u .oms
ls sHs' 8 I Z = NJ, i genera, consent,
fnd asked Mp he had been correctly report
Nd, w applying MA that he had brought forward
h 8 semselsa'' proposition.
Mr.. HALE explained, and remarked that he said
lit was either senseless useless proposition to bring
forward, thus CARLY proposition to adjourn, he did
tnot know which.
Mr.. INGERSOLL said he had nothing more to
Mr. 1. then called the attention Of Mr. Gddings to
hisremarks, rted in the ntelligencer warning
thelH younger members of this House agains. the
&" tdctics' Of an older member, abiding to him.
Mr.. GIDDINGS said he not of having
made the remark, and he certainly did not intend any
thing personal in his remarks.
Mr.. WELLER asked the consent Of the House to
allow him to bring forward bill, notice Of which he
gavesa few days ago.
Itwas objected to-.
lho SPEAk ER then announced the orders OF the
day.
TIE NEGRO MEMORIAL.
Mr.. SAUNDERS said that the laws upon this
subject were ample inevery respect. All he had to
do was to bring the subject before the judicial ribu-
nails Of this District, under writ of habeas corpus,
which would upon investigation Of the facts libe-
rate the individual, if it should appearthat he
titled to his freedom He would inform the gentleman
from Ohio Mr.. Giddings) that on certain occasion
maori vhn he knnvU tn he free hut vhO had hean
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 was 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 practical illustration of his benevoence by
following his example Let him go and pay the fine,
and, his word for it, this negro citizen would be mmc.
diately liberated, il 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 10 this day is the law Of the land
Let the subject 60 before Judge Cranch, whom he be
leyed to be humane Judge, on writ Of habeas cor
pxs, and justice would be done to him-this was all
h& asked.
Mr.. GIDDINGS said he not care to what
committee the subject was referred, SO j: was acted
upon Immediately, and the unfortunate individual
lberated He referred to the course which Congress
Mad heretofore pursued on subject similar to the
one under consideration, and hoped this case would
receive tho Same attention. 1t mattered very little
TO him whether it referred to a Select Commit
tee or the Committee on the Judiciary, in whose
judgment and libcrality he had the most unbounded
confidence; but he preferred Select Committee
from various considerations the first was, he did not
wish TO burden the Judiciary Committee any other
Standing Committee with this subject, because they
already had as much before then. as they could well
get through with. Ii far from his disposition TO
discuss this exciting question, but il was with him
one ofptinciplc, in which was involved the liberty
he felt himself bound Representative Of the free
People OF Ohio to do all in his power TO secure Ibcr
~ to this unfortunate individual, whose only crime ii
was to have a dark complexion His object was not
TO discuss, but to act upon question of such magn
tude and mportancc-in which was involved liberty
the bulwark of the American Constitution
He said the gentleman from North Carolina (NIr
Saunders) had referred to the law OF 1888 which
according to its provisions, allowed fine TO 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 fly fire years
ago. Or does he wish TO see laws passed hundred
years ago, which would bring this nation back TO
lonaI vassalagc, enforced;
He believed the people Of the District if they
were consulted, would be in favor of repeating this
obnoxious and abominable law which had been
broueh before this House previously, and examined
by shareholders, who in favor Of its repeal
Is it right just because free citizen has the mis-
fortune to have dark complexion, that he should be
sold a STARE, TO pay il fees He did not believe
the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr Saunders)
could prove his freedom, if he confined in jail
for himself he knew that he could not prove that he
was born free.
Mr. SAUNDERS explained lie said the negro was
not to be sold slarc, but for his e Ii they were
paid, and the evidence should prove that he was not
dare he would be discharged. The State of Ohio,
he believed, had law upon her statute book which
prohibited fire. negroes from residing within her u
risdiction, to which he called the attention OF the
gentleman from Ohio who affects so much sympathy
Tor this class of ee1(pns.
Mr.. GIDDtNGS continued He said the gentle
man from North Carolina evaded his question: and
he would inform him that there was no law in Ohio
which confined freemen ,phnt black and sold them
as hres for jail fees. To this obnoxious and unjust
lay he did interfere with, and his feeble efforts
should be exerted to have it amended repealed
But as to the laws of North or South Carolina, he
would not interfere with them-he had no right to
nterfsre--and God forbid that he should. We abo-
tioniss do not wish to infringe upon the constitll-
tona rights of the slave States; but Representa-
tive of freemen, he would oppose all such laws,
bearing upon their face moral turpitudc being en-
forced IN the District of Columbia This law was
stigma upon tho country.
lie did not care to what committee this subject
was referred; all he wanted was that it should be
referred, and report made upon the facts of the
case, ana the abom nable and contemplate law re-
pealed. The gentleman from North Carolina had
called upon him TO follow bis example, and go 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 toled hard for all they got were not to be
expended in jail fees to accomplish that which the
Constitution should give.
Mr.. Campbell, of South Carolina. said lie
agreed with the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Dill.
lett that this Judicial question, with which
this House had nothing TO do. Let this individual be
carried before Judge Crancb on writ of habeus corpus
a who was known to be a humane Judge, and would
deal fairly by him, although the Nacc of "nerro >
nv the laws of the District was pri,na e.,