Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-05-04
Mr. Hale in the Senate,

PRoTEcTIoN OF Property IN THE DIsrRicT--GREA1
ExcrrEMENT.
We are indebted to Houstof,a Report for the fol
Senate
Agreeaby to notice, MEsIf1GE a1ked leave to in
troduee bill fSs the fiossSEqE Property il. ia
District of Coumba-Inaking any city, town, or cor
porate place, liable for injuries done BY mobs
Mr.. HALE.-l wish to make a single remark, in or
der to call the attention of the Senate to the necessity
of adopting the legislation proposed by this bill The
bill itself is nearly abstract Of similar law now
in force in the adjoining State of Mnryand and alsC
in many other States Of the Union. The necessity fo
the passage of the bill will be apparent to the Senate
from the facts which probably notorious to every
member Of the body. Within the present week, largt
and riotous assemblages Of the people have takcl
place in the District and have not only threatened t.
carry into execution schemes utterly subversye to al
law, with respect to the rights of property, but hav
actually carried these threats into execution after hay
ing been addressed upheld and countenanced by mel
of station in society, whose character might have LEI
us to suppose tina, they would have taken differen
course, and given wiser councils to those whom the
addressed. 1t seems to me that we have approached
time, when the decision is to be made in this Capt.
to whether mobaw or Constitutional law is to reipl
paramount. The bill which now propose to intro
duce, simply makes any city, town, or incorporate
place within the District liable for all injuries done t
property by riotous or tumuituous assemblages
Whether any further legislation on the part of Con
gress will be necessary time will determine. But
may be permitted to say, that at the present moment
we present singular spectacle to the people of th
country, and to the world. The votes of congratula
ton which this Senate sent across the Atlantic to th
people of France their deliyerance from thraldom
have hardly ceased, when the supremacy of mob-law
and the destruction of the freedom of the press arc
threatened in this Capital of the Union Withou
further remark move that this bill be referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr.. BAdBY.-l rise for the purpose of giving notice
that whenever that bill shall be reported BY the com
mitteeif it ever should bel shall propose to anenc
1t by section providing sufficient penalty for the
crime of kidnapping in this District | was struck b,
a remark made by the Senator from New Hampshire
lie adverts to the reocngs Of the people of this coun
try at the events now in progress in Europe, anC
thence nfers that the slaves in this country are to be
permitted to cut the threats of their masters. shal
certainly, Sir attend to this subject.
Mr.. HALE.-Ho avoid misrepresentation purpose
y abstained from saying word in regard to anything
that might be supposed to lie beyond the which
it is the object Of this bill to meet I did not make
the most distant allusOn to slavery. RETAINED from
it purposely because wanted to present 10 the cou
sidegaton of the Senate the simple questions of the in
tags efsi.s a, ms the lights &c nranartv, unem
3 ID
by the honorable Senator from Alabama. shall ac
cordinyy unite with that honorable senator in favor
a law against kidnapping. Because, if am correctly
informed by individuals upon whose testimony / ma,
place the most implicit credit, Of the most outrage
GUS cases OF kidnapping was committed within sigh
OF this Capitol. No longer ago than yesterday AM
that, in the of individual having in his poke
an injunction issued by the highest judicial authority
IN this District TO restrain all persons from molestinl
-. Al.
bly, seized, moi only without law, but against law-no
only in utter neglect but in fragrant contempt of thu
most sacred guaranty of the Constitution his out
rage perpetrated within the limits of the city, il
the very neighborhood of the Capitol. will, then
go with the senator from Alabama, heart and hand, il
the adoption Of any Legislation for the prevention o
such outrage; but must say that that is very foreign
to the object of the bill which have introduced.
Mr.. BENTON.-Therc is some very pressing bust
ness awaiting the action of the Senate and do not SCI
that the remarks which have been made applicable
to any motion pending at present. May ask if Their
be any question pending?
| THE PRESIDING OFTICER.-The question is, Shal
the senator from New Hampshire have leave to intro
duce his bill?
Mn. CALHoUN-What is the bill?
The Secretary then read the bill.
Mr.. CALHoUN-I suppose no senator can mistak
the object of this BILL and the occurrence which has e
W lLs lICOuuCIlOn Dir II seems tat gentlemen nav
at last to believe that the Southern people an
Southern members have lost all sensiblity or feelin
on this subject. | know to what this leads. | hav
known for dozen years to what all this was tending
! When this subject was first agtated, / said to m
friends, there is but one question that destroy ti
Union and our Institutions and that is, this very sav
question, for choose to speak of it directly. | sal
further, that if the thing be permitted to go on, an
the Constitution to be trampled on,-that if it wer
allowed to proceed to certain point it would be be
yond the power Of any man Or any combination of me
to avert the crisis.
have for so many years raised my voice on thi
subject that have been considered the almost exclu
sve defender Of this great institution of the SOutE
upon which not only its prosperity but its very exist
ence depends. had hoped that younger members
who have come into this body, who represent portion
of the country at least much interested as that fror
which come, might have taken the lead, and reeas
ca me rom Ihe necessity Of ever again speaking @
thus SUBJECT trust that We will grant no leave to in
troduca this billthat will reject It. and that if an
thing be referred TO the Committee on the Tudiciar,
1t will be to make penal enactments to prevent thes
atroctesthese piratica attempts on our own rivers
these wholesale captures-these robberes of sevent
odd Of our slaves at single grasp. Delay is danger
GUS on this question. The crisis has come, and w
must meet it, and meet it drectly-and will add W
have ample means to meet it.
Mn. WEsTcoTT.I am not going to make a speoc
on this BILL for the simple reason that intend afe
few observations, to move to lay this motioh,-fo
leave to introduce the bill-upon the table, and as
for the yeas and nays.
Mn. CALHOUN.-The bill is not vet introduced.
Mr.. WEsTcoTT.-The Senator from New Hamp
shire asks leaveto introduce the bill, and move /
lay it upon the table,
Mr. CALHoUN.-Betler reject it. trust we vii
meet it directly and reject it.
Mr. WEsTooTT.-I did not understand the Hon
Senator from South Carolina; but, now that do, an
perfectly willing to adopt the suggestion.
Mr. CAIHoUN.--I would greatly prefer to meet the
motion directly aud reject it
| Ma. DAVIS, of Mississippi.--The Senator from s
Carolina has remarked that be expected that some
younger member Of this body would notice the motor
Of the Senator from New Hampshire to introduce
bill, the purpose Of which is the protection Of incend
aries and kidnappers / hs1e only to say that it il
from no want Of accordance in feeling Nth that hon