Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-03-22

coored regiment of soldiers was in the neghbohood ready
Tor her defence could be introduced till this law was re-
Faled II ad been asked whether these regulations wele
reciprocal or wh&ther the contrary the very thing was mol
done IN the North of which Northern men complained as
being done in the South The Senator from Mississippi M
HEsDERsos had stated that if sayeownng captain visited
the ports Of New England with slaves as sailors the laws OF
and of other Eastern States would instantly ema
cpate them If such were the fact Mr. W. had never known
heard oft He knew that nothing more common than
Tor Southern gentlemen 70 travel IN he Staes having
more black servants with them He would be glad to
know whether in where slaves thus emancpated
force Of law the court which set them free gave judgment
that the should be allowed payment for the loss
services If not he should be the last to approve of such
proceeding He thought that in the Southern States where
slaves emancpaed they ought not to be turned
paupers. 70 be burden on neighboring States
Mr. W. said he should have been silent this occasion If
the subject had not been properly he and if he had not
BEEN by the Constitution constituted Judge in the case
The Southern States had rights and he wished hem
and to them in their keeping. Congress
bound to guaranty to every State coming into the Union
republican form Of Government But how BY protect
ing after organized aStae No but by revising
their constitution OF government, and Mr. W. made
Of the judges to pass upon it. As the representative Of fed
era ana balanced Union he could not consent to make
fundamental organic law of any State that he never should
return an emancipated slave his family and his
tive soil.
There another aspect Of this subject The Constu-
ton empowered Congress to regulate with foreign
nations and among the several States As yet Congress
had done nothing express opinions that Could
make State laws valid which would have been other
wise The case now before them. The two Houses
were called to adopt Constitution which made it unlawful
for free colored person visit sayehodng State for
temporary purposes of trade The question open
question, whether this inhibition constitutional Suppose
Congress should say that the slave State might pass such
guaton this regulating trade between the States under
that qualification If the Senate adopted the Florida Cons
tuition, would virtually declare such law sanctioned by
their authority. Such decision must inevitably great
influence over the Supreme Court Now Mr. W. was not will
IN
maritime States The South commended that the North had
right to introduce the question of the abolition Of slavery in this
District Yet now, when proposed to strike OBJ
noxous feature in Southern Constitution that Congress
should not be called to sanction regulation in favor Of
slavery it conened that Congress might consutonaly
act on the subject provided its action in favor of slavery
but not II Its action to operate in the opposite direction
He had supposed that the entire jurisdiction of Congress
the subject was demurred to by Southern gentlemen. Mr.
W. washed his hands from all interference in the matter
way or the other He left the Statesthe exclusive usdc-
non over their own municipal He for the ad
mission OF Florida whether these clauses were in her Cons
tnnon or out OF It, But he objected them improper
the name OF an awakening and thinking constituency, grow
ing IN numbers in wealth, in power, in influence, in ine-
gence and IN their contributions the National Treasury He
could not suffer the question pass without this expression
his sentiments
Mr. SEWER said that his impression was that Sem
ators had not read this Florida Constitution He doubted
whether the Senator from Maine had Why there
savehodng State in the Union which had mild Constu-
on as this aboat which gentlemen made such fuss How
was in Kentucky There the Legislature could not eman-
ciPae slave without paying the his value How
IL IN Arkansas his own State Mr.. s. himself could not
manumt one OF his slaves without entering into bond with
securities that he should become burden the county
No State Legislature had the right of emancpatng slave
ne Legislature of Arkansas had such power But every
shareholder IN Florida might emancpae his slave though
IN Arkansas he could not except under restrictions
How was It In Mississippi The Assembly had power
emancpate without the of the owner unless the slave
had distinguished himself by eminent service done the
Co..
sons Mr. s. had looked into the Constitutions of them ALL
In Missouri the Constitution of the State had stronger prov
sons than this osave State able pay for all the slaves
they should be manumtted. In of the counties in
Arkansas they numbered five and six to white To
talk OF the Legislatures emancpang them paying their
value was all nonsense. No Legislature could do it. But
the masters might emancpate by giving the requisite bond and
security And yet gentlemen talked here about rejecting Flo
da because its Constitution like that every slavehod
ing State in the country.
But it had been said that hard that the poor negro
who had been set free could not back TO his home to
his WIFE, This Constitution did not say All it said was,
that the Legislature might pass law to that effect, if they
should find necessary it might but it not bound to-
Mr.. regretted the this debate had taken. He
cared not hing whether the clauses were stricken out or
not, far they concerned. But what must be the
result The bill must go back TO the other House, where
there majority strong against slavery and would OF
be lost for this and this Congress The action
of the Senate would work finely in tightening the opposition
and sharpening their vision
The Senator from Maine had said that Southern gentlemen
by advocating clauses like these converted themselves into the
allies OF the aboonss whom he very happy to hear
honorable Senators characterize hypocca in their oppos
ton, and glad If the South would retain such laws. Mr. s.
entirely agreed with gentlemen to the abolitonss He
believed they the biggest hypoctes and the greatest
scoundes in this world and he especially glad to hear
gentlemen coming from the place with them bear 50 just
a testimony to their character God forbid that Mr. s.
should defend them A laugh. They had voted in way
he did not understand like ut all. They had gone for
Bey, and few, avery few of them, for Polk Increased
laughter.
As for this Florida Constitution, mild lamb
Yet the people who adopted could have foeseen the vio
lent opposition two of its clauses to meet with
from certain quarters they would have done better to keep
them out. He thought it would do very well as was
Mr. SIMMONS understood to inquire whether there
a similar provision in the Constitution Of Kentucky
Mr. SEWER replied in the affirmative. In Arkansas the
Legislature could take away his property without paying
him for it. He owned very fine saddle horse Could the
Legislature emancpac that without paying him the full price
OF II not, how they going take away his negroes
without paying him for them No aboionists thank God
could come into his Legislature and set all the negroes free
by law.
Mr.. SIMMONS thought the Senator from Arkansas had
misaPpehended the force Of the amendment He said that
this Constitution was much mder than many Of those
force in the Southern States and he had cited the provisions
Of several Of them to show this Mr. s. understood to be
the duty of Congress in admitting State to examine her
Constitution and see that contained nothing against the Con-
stituon Of the Union. said indeed that the sole duty
Of Congress to that such applying State had repub
Ecan form Of government; but Mr. 8. could find no such
clause any where in the Constitution When State was in
the Unon then Congress bound guaranty to her
republican form Of government; that all il required
But when its Constitution before il in, submitted
Congress- expressly for the purpose that Congress
nj He