The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-05-21
THlRTlETH CONGRESS-.
FIRST SESSION.


THlRTlETH CONGRESS-.
FIRST SESSION.
House OF Representatives.
WAsHINGToN, May 10 1S4s
THE SLAVE AGAIN
In Committee of the Whole, the bill for the relief of
the legal representatives Of Benjamin Hodges af
ter few remarks by Mr. Chapman, by a vote of 80 to
So ordered be laid aside to be reported to the House
with recommendation that it pass
1t will be rccoeced that last week this bill was de-
bated, report of which appeared in the Herald The
claim is for slave who was carried away by the Bri
fish at the close of the last war and under the treaty
government appropriated money and deposited it into
treasury Of tn United States to pay for this among
other species of property.
bill for the legal representatives, Of Cornelius Man
ming, similar in principle taken up to day; when
MIR. DicKEy Of Pennsylvania delivered his views in
opposition to the BILL insisting that the constitution
does not recognise slaves property and that the de-
cson Of the Supreme Court in the Of Groves vs.
Slaughter, sustained this assertion, notwithstanding
what was last Saturday insisted upon by the gentleman
from South Carolina.
MIR. BURT reiterated his arguments, and maintained
that the Supreme Court never gave such decicion.
DISSOLUTION OF THE UNION.
Mr. STEPHENs of Georgia. said that the question had
nothing to do with the question of slavery it was sim
ply whether the applicant was entitled to indemnity
under the treaty of Client which made provision for
the loss OF slaves and other private property The SUI
preme Court has never decided that there proper
ty In slaves He would ask Of the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Giddings) whether he desired to see the
Union dissolved.
MT. GIDDlNGs-l nave no hopes fears OF threats
about dissolution of tho Union. Every schooboy
woman, and girl in Ohio would laugh to hear about
dissolution of the Union You can't kick the slave
States fromus. They would cling to the plank while
the pillows rolling Don't know that the slave
States are dependent upon us for their existence!
Mr. SrErHENs-I made no threats, INDUCED in no
threats; made none; intimated none. You shall
not put such language in my mouth put the ques-
tion-Do you desire dissolution Of the Union? The
him what he means by having no hopes! have made
no threats; but tell him my hopes dim, dim al
ready, as to all good results from perpctuating this
Union. IL the gentleman those who act with him
wish to dim these hopes let them not go too far He
will see whether not know our rights and,
knowing, dare maintain them'' and all WHO calculate
and count that wo will not, will be deceived
Mr. GiDDIScs.Wil the gentleman permit mc-["No,
dent" Ego on u ..ag.n
collect # am not in error that the gentleman
nouncod that the Union already dissolved think
that heard such an announcement from hiE How
does he dare tell to tho House and the country that
nothing binds us together! tell the gentlemen who
sympathise with him. that their conduct calculated
lead to dissolution of the Union If this not what the
gentlemen wish, do not know Their in all parts of
the country wings well democrats who ardently
attached to this glorious Union, made by fathers
and they will die by it. They do not sympathise with
the gentleman from Ohio. Some few agree with him;
but that the many desire to pull down tho glorious
structure Of liberty do not believe. None who would
do so can be found in Pennsylvania New York, Mas
sachusetts to any great extent They are bound to-
gether band Of brothers. The question of dssou-
ton Of the Union is gotten up for Interior
But it is for the committee to decide whether the app
cant in the bill before within the provisions
of the treaty of Client. would go before the const-
New Hampshire or Ohio (MIessrs Dickey Tuck and
Gddings) and ask them whether, according to the
tain, wherein provision made for slaves captured
we should withhold the money from claimants ]
would not be afraid to address Ohio, Connecticut or
Massachusetts constituency. / would ask them
whether we would do right not
Mr. DIcKEY.-l would say that If the gentlemen de-
sired me totake money away from those who were
provided | do no oh
Mr.. Observation-Disclosures will my constituents.
should consider myself rougue if did But the gem
self before his constituents
Mr.. DIcKEy-l wish to explain.
Mr. SrErHESs--You had better explain Laughter ]
Mr.. DIcKEY-Whilst would not take money belong
ing to other claimants for those not entitled to It,
neither will take money from the Treasury to pay
Mr.. SrErHENs-That is not the question 1t is whe-
Their we shall take the money which the British have
provided to pay the claims of those for whose benefit
it was placed in the Treasury.
Mr. DIcKEY-ls not the money already appropriated
to claimants under the treaty and is not this case
not enticd TO any money, either from the Treasury
Mr.. SrEPHENs-T say no. There is surplus of
$l!oO from the money paid into the Treasury by the
British government 1t will not take dollar from
your Treasury andI say that the only question is
whether the claimants in the bill before entitled
to participation of this fund 1t has nothing to do
with slavery in the abstract in the concrete II
been settled by John Quincy Adams himself.
Mr.. DIcKEY-l did not say that 1 would not pay TO
Y.
Mr.. SrErHESs-Then you have given up the qucs-
ton.
Mr.. DIcxEY-No.
Mr.. STEPHENs-I know that the gentleman cannot
stand on that ground.
Mr.. DIcxEY-Thc gentleman must not misrepresent
what stated, Qaughter) neither he nor any other
Laughter). There a report made to this House in
former Congress this very question which asserted
that this claim did not come within the treaty
Mr.. SrEPHESs-The gentleman wants to get of on that
ground Suppose the report made; suppose com
mittces have reported that the claimant is entitled
the money; what will the gentleman say. (havng
doubts what the committee said,) when he is told
that three committees reported in favor of it would
go before his constituents and ask whether they who
hang their doubts
MIR. DIcKEY-I suppose that my constituents would
say that the doubts great that the bill ought
be recommitted to ascertain the facts.
Mr. SrEPHENs-I do not know that they would doubt
as to facts ] believe that the ground taken by the
mia (Messrs. Tuck Giddings, and Dickey) was that
they will not vote to pay for slaves property Has
the gentleman from Pennsylvania abandoned his
ground! wish to say not only to democrats but to
wings of the North the constitution is to be valued
call them to pause before they embrace the doc
trines of the gentleman from Ohio, Nlr Giddngs) the
gentleman from Massachusetts, (Nlr Palfret and the
gentleman from New Hampshire (Slr Tuck) who does
not proclaim himself whg those whose object at tn,
commencement Of the session to defeat the
organization OF the house ! ask the wings OF
the North and the South whether they will
attempt to fraternze with them! wish them to un-
derstand have no sympathy with them II the wings
of the North will give themselves up to these gentle
they must take the consequences If they feel rs
did the patriots Of Massachus Georgia and the
Old Dominion. and other parts-if they catch the
principles of our revolutionary siresthey will f nd
and the wings of the South shoulder to shoulder IN
every coming contest. On the of the princi-
Piles, rs defended and advocated by the wing party !
believe the Union depends. Where is the will ng
to give them up II the day comes, will ask my
wing brethren whether the principles of the Union
not worth more to them than the principles of the
gentleman from Ohio, and those who act with him, and
whether they will not hold to the broad platform
Mr.. LAIN spoke few words in favor of the bill
der consideration.
Mr. EVANS thought that the committee had heard
enough Of this subject and he moved that the bill be
reported to the House with recommendation that It
pass.
Mr. G.. J. ISGERsoLL, however. read the article from
the treaty Of Client to show that the money appro-
prated by Great Britain for negroes other
property
On motion Of Mr.. Cocxr, the committee rose, and he
submitted resolution. which was agreed to- terminal
ing the debate on the bill in five minutes
The House again went into committee
DEFENCE
Mr. 1y,Cu of NcwH a,ne a ,ich