Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-04-15


tul remains Of the who frat reused the American people
Of their rghts-of the author OF the declaration
American Independence and of that patriot such the world
never before would again, who by hs virtue, pa
otsm, moderation and pudence carried out the design and
conducted the colonies through the struggle which established
our independence
The gentleman said when he (sIr b. pronounced his
amendment libel half of the States Of this Union, he
was virtually saying that the Declaration Of Independence
equally libel What the resolution Of the gentleman
modified by his friend from Ohio r. ScHEscK D twas
declaration that slavery, domestic slavery violation Of
cardinal republican principle. He said that that declaration
was libel hall Of the States of this Unon because il
affirmed that those States living in the habua violation
of cardinal republican principle, and he maintained STILL
But bad the geneman resolution any analogy 10 the decar
alton OF independence Did the declaration Of Independence
speak Of any Thing else than political rights When the der
caraon Of independence declared that all born equal
did to assert the untruth that all in fact
born Fqua in their moral and physical condition Did il
mean say that the idiot born equal in every respect
with the man Of genius In what they equal Equal
in stature 7 In intellect in any gift of God
The Declaration Of Independence meant to assert any
such absurdiy that II meant to that equal
in their native political rights Thatwas what it declared and
that all il declard and there ingenuity which could
torture the Declaration of Independence into having the
hottest ausion to the institution Of domestic slavery The
gentleman read long list of bright names that represented
Virginia that time in the old Continental Congress-he
of Lee who introduced the resolution that these colo
MES and Of right ought to be free and independent
Of Benjamin Harrison, Carter Braxton and other eminent
men, who participated in that movement Did he not know
that every of these that large avehod
ers-among the largest in that Staethat every of them
continued to be shareholders till the day Of their death With
what purpose them did he in here and assert that these
propounded any such declaration say (said Mr. b.
that the Declaration of independence is libel my State
Sir it is the handiwork of her nobest and most gifted
But il is little like the resolution of the gentleman from
Massachusetts, either in Its purpose sentiment as ne is like
the eminent who asserted and maintained il And,
saying that DO lot know how can draw stronger contrast
he from asker cor
if the ordinance of 1888 libel the States of the
South He chr. b. did not choose 10 repeat what he
should have opportunity another occasion TO say when
he should pay his respects that ordinance, and show all
was, is 1t contained such sentiment that ex
pressed by the gentleman.
IN the spirit in which he had referred to the action OF
the Senate of Virginia. the gentleman had undertaken to
here and cricie her constitution and TO refer the fact
that suffrage there confined to the soil and did not attach
the citizen In this he had shown precisely the same sort
information in reference her constitution that he had in
his speeches heretofore in reference the institution Of do
mestc slavery in Virginia The constitution OF Virginia
made no such restriction.
Mr.. ASHMUN ntcrposed and, the floor being yielded,
inquired Of the gentleman if the right Of voting in several
counties in Virginia incident ownership Of the soil
Mr. BAYLY replied in the negative. Not onehalf OF the
voters in Virginia owned one foot OF soil.
Mr. ASHMUN had not said they did, But he asked again
whether owning territory in different counties did not give the
the right in each county where the real estate
situated
Mr. BAiLY replied in the affirmative
Mr. ASHMUN said that was his assertion.
Mr. BAYLY continued. The ownership of the soil Che
said) gave class OF rights but onehaf of the voters Of
Virginia did foot Of land The right Of suffrage
in Virginia was not as extended would have it il
extended he desired it but il almost
universal tcoud be where there any property rec
tiou whatever.
But 70 recur to the subject Of the Declaration Of Indepen
dence The gentleman had said that creature that had
the form OF entitled to the right OF citizenship
He asked the gentleman in what State OF this Union did any
such right obtain He asked him in what State OF tins Union,
except perhaps his own, did free negroes ENJOY any nights OF
citizenship Did they vote Did they s,rye on jues
Had they the right which secured by the constitution TO
every citizen, OF going TO any State they please TO reside IN
Did the gentleman Know that although he talked so much
about negroes being deprived Of their rights by the institution
of slavery they much deprived Of every political right
in the other States they were in Virginia
Mr.. ASHMUN understood to say (Mr. b. yelding)
that there other States beside Massachusetts, IN which
the black population entitled This was the
he believed, in Democratic New Hampshire.
Mr.. BAiLY. Do the negroes vote there
Mr.. ASHMUN. Yes, and in New York.
Mr.. BAYLY (continung) undertook to say that neither
in New York New Hampshire-and he did speak from
the book did he presume be well acquainted with
their domestic institutions therow Representatives were
but be undertook to say that neither in New ok nor New
Hampshire did the negioes stand the footing win the
white There Determinations against them and
any Determinations they did enjoy all the Pr-
yeges of citizenship.
Mr. TUCK interposed and the floor being yielded, begged
leave 10 correct the gentleman IN regard to New hampshire
Free negroes voted 10 New Hampshire and he would inform
the gentleman that very many Of them intelligent and
respectable A laugh
Mr.. BAYLY continued. How many Of them had the gen.
teman the jury at the bar on the bench o.
tce Not he would undertake And they couu not
marry white woman. "A laugh And yet gentlemen came
here and told them that they free and equal IL was
the fact any where. Look at Connecticut IN the very
heart Of New England On late occasion, by on oyerwnelm
ing popular VOTE she had denied them the right oil suffrage
Look New York. Pennsylvania, to every state 10 the Union
where hey entitled the enjoyment OF the rights OF
the white and yet gentlemen talked to them about enamel
patng their slaves Go home aid he and emancpate your
free negroes When you do that will listen to you with
patience. Until you have taken the beam out Of your
own eve do not undertake to remove the mote from ours
But the gentleman, not content with referring 70 the Legs
ature of Virginia and her constitution, had undertaken TO tell
the House about her want Of prosperity and 10 recr them to
the greater growth and of other States he Mr. -
knew that this very common ideas but he undertook
say with some small knowledge Of the fact that there
not one Of the old States which had advanced in prosperity
with more steady decided step than Virginia He undertook
say that there was no in which the progress Of i'm
provement had been rapid and certain he knew some
Of the States had ouspped her The cheapness their
lands and many other circumstances which he could not
stop discuss had stimulated them into rapid prosperity
prosperity which be had enyIed them But he main
tanned that among the old States Of this Union, there
State which had advanced IN population and wealth with
more steady step than had Virginia Even Massachusetts, her
SELF with All the protection she had received from the General
Government elcyang her and depressing has larger
ratio Of representation, in comparison with Virginia. this
floor than she had in the first Congress under the Constitution
And vet with these circumstances their people constantly
going out, the new keeping up constant drain upon
a 49, - II C..sa. n. - -