The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-05-23
DERATE IN TIE SENATE-PROTEC-
TION OF PROPERTY IN THE DIS
TRICT OF COLUMBIA.

DEBATE N TIE SENATE-PROIEC-
TION OF PROPERTY IN THE DIS
TRICT OF COLUMBIA.
An exciting debate took place in the Sen
alto on thursday, the 20th ult. upon tho sub
iect of slaverv-tle result OF the recent at
temnt of slaves TO escape. Mr. Hale, OF New
HAMPSHIRE, asked leave to introduce bill for
the protection of property in the District OF
Columbia-nakiLg any city. town, or corpor-
ate p!sce liable for injuries done by mobs. In
making this requc:s, Mr.. Hale stated that the
bill was nearly an abstract ola similar law now
in force in MARYLAND and many other States.
Its necessity, he said. would be apparent TO ev-
ery Senator, from the facA that during the
wees, large and riotous nssemblages had taken
place in the District, and bad threatened to
carry into effect schemes utterly su v'rsl,e
Of law and the ri oats Of property. AT thu.
moment (said Mr.. lIsie(we present singular
spectacle TO the people Of this country and to
the world. The votes OF congratulatIon winch
this Senate sent arrofs the Atlantic to the peo-
ME of France, Oh their delivrrancc from thral-
dom. have hardly ceased, when tho supreme
cy Of mob law ard the destruction Of the free
dom Of the Pres. are threatened in this Capt.
tai of the Union
l.
[ rise for the purpose Of giving notice that
whenever that bill sLal! be reported by the com
mittce-if it ever should be- shall propose
70 amend it bv section providing sufficient
penalty for the crime Of kidnapping in this Dis
trict. WAS struck by remark made by the
Senator from New Hampshire. lie ndverts
to the rejoicing Of the people OF this country
at the events now in progress in Europe, and
thence infers ,Lat the slaves of this country
afe to be permitted to cut the Threats of their
masters / shall certainly, Sir, attend to this
subject.
Mr. Hale in reply said that in his remarks
he had purrosely absiaincd from making the
most distant allusion 10 Slavery, because he
wished TO present TO the consideration OF the
Senate the simple question of the integrity OF
the law and rights Of property, uncm6arrass
ed by other considerations. As to the law i>r
kidnapping, lie should unite with the Senator
from Alabama in favor Of IT. Because SAID
he) if am correctly informed by individuals
apna whose tcstion1ay place the most I'M
pli..t credit, that one of the most outrageous
tasas of kidnapping WAS committed within
sight of this Cartel, no LONGER ago than yes
ter,lav. and that too in the case OF an IndIvldu
nj having in his pocket an injunction issued
hv the highest judicial authority in this distrc,
10 restrain all persons from Inolestlng him.
Yet. in violation Of this Injunction he was for
cibly seized. not only without law, but against
11w-not only III utter neglect, but IN fragrant
contempt of the most sacred guarantee OF the
constitution. ] his outrage was perpetrnfcu
within the limits of the city, i'll the very neigh
horhood of the Capitol. l will, then, 20 with
the Senator from Alabama heart and hand IN
the adoption Of any legislation for the proven
ton of such outrsees; but must say that that
s, very foreign to the object of the bill which
have introduced
Mr. Calhoun said:
| suppose no Senator can mistake the object
of this bill. and the occurrence which has lea
TO its introduction Now, Sir. am amazed
that oven the Senator from New Hampshire
sho1ld have so little regard for the laws and
the Constitution of the country, As tointl'oduce
such bill as this, without including IN IT me
enactment of the severest penalties against DC
atrocious ACT which has occaSioned this excite
ment Sir, gentlemen ii would seem have at
last come to believe, that tine Southern peo-
pie and Southern members have lost all sensi-
hility or feeling on this subject. | know to
what this leads ] have known for dozen Of
of vears TO what all this is tending. When
this subject was first asitated, said TO my
friends. there is but one question that can de
stroy this Union and our institutions, and that
Is. this very slave questian, for choosc to
sneak of It directly. ! SAID farther, that the
only way by which such result could be pre-
vented, was by prompt and efficient action,
that if the thing was permitted TO 90 on, end
the Constitution TO be tran;p!od on-that II It
were allowed to proceed to certain point 1t
would be beyond the power ofany man or any
combination of n:en TO prevent the result
We are approaching that crisis. and evidence
of i, presented by the fact, that such bill
upon such an occurrence, should lie brought IN
to prevent the just Indignation of cur people
fieu, wreskinz their vengeance upon the atTc-
cious perpetrators of those crimes or those who
contribute to them without denunc'ation o.
the cause, that excited that Indignation.
cannot but trust that do not stand alone IN
these views.
Ibsve for 50 many years raised my voice
upon this subject. that have been considered
almost the exclusive defender of this great m
stitution of the South, upon which not only lis
prosperity, but its very existence depends. !
lad hored voungar members who have cone
into ;hit belv, 10 represent portions OF iLe
ecu tv at lcat much interested as u a,
n w,-ei Ice.la, n,ieht nave taken the ieaa