The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1845-02-13

Jared 10 asow such sentiment. A member of ths
! Legislature Of Virginia, from his own county voed
lor the gradual emancipation Of slaves bui now
member IRON the same county, who should eIDtess
himself favorable TO such proposition would never
dare set his foot on Ito soil again. Wherever this
agitation prevailed, II only tended TO make the con
dition Of the slave worse and discontinued aud I'm
happy, and the master was rendered miserable by
the pretended friends Of the slave. He had heard
intelligent slaves Of the South say that these ag
tators were their worst enemies, as they in truth
were.
MIR. y. IL. MORSE, Of Maine, did not intend IN
| address the Committee, and would not now saw
word were II not for the observations Of the gentle
man from Virginia. The remark from that source
that he was not distinguished for his
was as much as to say, You don't know ANYTHING
upon the suoJeet-you don't understand it-you
have no right here 10 bring forward such proposi
tion.-Ihs was the long and short of il. IL was
something according 10 the gentleman, which he had
no right even to touch, but II was to be left TO the
distinguished" gentleman from Virginia who was
alone competent 10 grapple with the subject lie
(mr' Morse) plead guilty 10 the charge but if he
was nol II dId not deprive him of his rights as re-
preventative OF ninety thousand people OF the East
inns gave hin as much right TO speak and act as
couiu DC claimed oJ the gentleman himself from his
own section OF country, He did not know bafore that
Democracy made such wide distinction on mi. aoor.
ana was not that II was in accordance with mod
eInDemocraey 10 give oue member Of the House right.
which were denied TO another They all stood IN
TINS particular, on the same footing-and therefore
hau a tsh' 70 move ~ relation TO any subject which
might come before them; and the day was far distant
when he would be driven from his position by DENIM
Citations from that gentleman, or any other As 10
ms coming from the extreme East he did moi know
how mat should deprive him Of his rights for these
were not 10 DC determined by sectional regulations
ana no" 'hat the Constitution of Florida was laid
before them, he was bound 10 give II that coDsiJera
ton which It's importance demanded to exercise nj,
| own Judgment he was bound TO call on the gentle
| man-(tbe distinguished statesmanr) from Vitgi-
MA, to ascertain what did ami did not suit him. (Mr
| Morse he must judge for himself and this he did
"hen' "ithoul consulting with single individual, he
drew up the amendment which was now pendng ia
| Committee When he concluded his remarks,
| MIR. CllNGMAN briefly expressed his opinion
mat people, IN forming their Constitutions shoulJ
Judge Tor themselves TO what would best conduce
TO their happiness. The only question for Congress
10 determine was, was the Constitution Of Florida
as now presented, Republican in the sense designed
| by the trainers of the Constitution Of the United
States?
MIR. DOUGLASS doubted whether it was in the
power oil this Government TO impose restrictions on
any State admitted into the Union for as soon as
Territory came in State, all letters we're broken
at once, and she put footing with the orgi.
nal States. lie affirmed that the people Of Illinois,
whom be- IN part, represented, had right to estab-
lIsh slayery-but she never would do so-and there.
lore he doubted the proprley Of telling Florida what
she shall or shall not do. She might pass whatever
laws she pleased provided they were not yloative Of
the Constitution Of the United States. There were
some portions of the Constitutions Of Iowa and Flo
rlda to which he might inlerpOse some objections ;
but he waived them, concedibg cheerfully that the
people had the power Of framing their own form Of
Government
Mr.. ADAMS inquired of the gentleman whether,
If there was secuon n The bill to prevent a citizen
Of Illinois from going into Florida whether he would
vote for itl
Mr. DOUGLASS replied that such prohibition
would be null and void because il would be in dero-
! CATION Of the Constitution of the United States He
would therefore have no objection to vote for a bill
! which contained a nuty.
Mr. ADAMS again asked the gentleman if he
would vote for bill which contained such a pruvi-
sion.
Mr.. DOUGLASS responded. utilities have no
fears for me-
Mr. ADAMS said that the section Of the constitu-
ton of FLORIDA, which gave the Assembly the power
TO prohibit the discharge OF free negroes and muattOes
from vessels in any port Of Florida would be prec
iy similar TO lnhibltIng citizen of illinois from 60
| ing INTO that State.
| Mr.. LEVY, the delegate from Florida, addressed
The committee and in the course of his remarks, he
said that according the treaty with Spain made on
the part OF the United States by the gentleman from
Massachusetts, Mr., Adams) Florida was to be ad
mitled on the same footing of the original States.
| Mr. ADAMS. And according to the Constitu-
ton Of the United States.
| Mr.. LEVY. II would not be in the power Of the
Government, by treaty to override the Constitution
| of the United State and Florida could not be admit
ted but 10 accordance with the provisions eff that in
strument
| He spoke until the time 10 which the debate was
limited when the committee proceeded to vote.
After several amendments were proposed and re-
jec ed that of Mr. Morse mentioned above was dis
agreed to-ayes 81, nays 81.
| Mr.. PRESTON KING submitted an amendment
in effect to separate the bill under consideration and
take the question that part relating to the adms-
sion OF land, (thereby excluding Florida) But the
amendment was rejected-ayes 81, nays SO.
Messrs. MORSE, Of Maine, and CASWELL,
proposed amendments, but they rejected.
The committee rose, and the Speaker resumed the
char, when
Mr.. C. JOHNSON moved the previous question,
which was seconded-yeas a. nays not counted
| The amendments of the committee concurred
in-that striking out The proviso that East Florida
may be erected into State hen it shall contain thr
ty five thousand inhabitants, by vote of 1913 to 49,
The bill, after goiug through the preliminary sta
ges was read third time and passed.
And the House adjourned.
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