Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1848-05-11
Slavery Discussion in the U. S. House of
Representatives,

Representatives,
APRIL 20.
Mr. Palfrey rose to a question of personal privilege
of a member of the House.
| Mr.. Palfrey then read the paper which he held in
his hand, as follows:
Whereas common report has represented to men,
bers of this House that awess mob has assembled
within the District of Columbia on each of the two
nights last past, and has committed acts of violence
setting at defiance the laws and constituted authori-
ties of the United States, and menacng individuals of
this body and other persons residing in this city,
Therefore,
Resolved, That select committee of FIVE members
be appointed to inquire into the facts above referred
to- and to report the facts, with their opinion whether
any legislation is necessary OR expedient in the pre-
misses land that they further have leave to sit during
the sessions of the House.
! long debate took place on point Of order Mr..
Broadhead, of Pennsylvania, appealed from the deci-
sion of the char-but many members, especially from
the South, mlnitesting disposition to come directly
to the question, the appeal, motion of Mr. Bayly,
was laid on the table. The question then was on the
preamble and resolution of Mr. Paifrey.
Mr.. Venable obtained the floor 1t was with ex-
teme and deep reluctance, he said that he felt himself
compelled to approach the discussion of the question
which had been thrown before them to-day. He saw
the South prosecuted, tainted, harassed, held up to
odium to the world-continually held up-untii he
had received from his own district and section of
country urgent appeals Are to be made odious,
are our institutions continually to be dragged before
the public, by the fanatic and the hypocrite to aunt
and sneer at and are dearest rights to be aband-
, oned by those who represent us? Is there no man
from the South who will stand up and say to them
, what should be said? Yes; in his humble way he
would vndicate the rights and maintain the cause OF
those who had sent him here; and he would fail
to rebuke fanlticsms and denounce hypocrisy in the
man, and in those who acted with him, who said he
wanted to keep the knife of the slave near his masters
throat and that when the slave fees to Ohio, and
# there Stays his master in attempting to reclaim him, he
would call him clever felow and that there nc
h law there to punish him. 1t libel upon the in
stitutons of that state He had examined the laws o.
Ohio, and he found, that if man did lawful act, ant
another killed him when engaged in it, they called
him murderer The Constitution of the United
States provided for the retaining of fugitive slaves
and the Supreme Court of the United States had de-
# cded that that clause of the Constitution so far exc
cuted itself that the master his agent had RICH
pursue his slave and retake him. IT, then, the slave
killed him, he killed him doing lawful act.
!, lie had heard that member of this House had vol
" unteered his services-had gone to the jail for thu
= purpose of throwing the weight of his character ant
$ influence, and talents, in defence of men who hat
W pundered the in the district of their slaves
" and were caught With the negroes in their posses
- sion
bluulllSS uohCu W UC pClIllIleu W ShJuluS
the floor being Yielded said, if the gentleman alluded
q to him. he would say unhesitatngly-it was due t.
the gentleman from North Carolina that he SHOULD
il say to him. and the House, and the country, most dis
tiRcty that he did visit the prison Yesterday. He dix
J., so in the character of man, as well as member o
~ this House; he said to the keeper of the prison. who
- so far as he knew behaved entirely gantlemany tina
he came there to say to those men who ncarcer
atcd under this charge that they should have
provided for them. The keeper of the prison hear
y every word he uerred-that he had brought with hin
h gentleman who would serve as their COUNSEL that h.
did it for the purpose of protecting their legal rights
&c so that upon their trial they might have the laws
if the land dealt out to them they were to other PEG
!; pie; that he was persuaded no illegal violence wou
# be used For that purpose and from his own prompt
~ ngs of humanity, he had visited them to give then
W this information. Now let gentlemen say what the
20 please.
Mr. Gayle. Was the genteman's object to rewart
these men and approve their courses? Or was mer
l. benevolence, to defend men who could not defen
:, themselves?
: Mr. Giddngs was glad that the gentleman from A
,. labama had pnt to him that question. He had gon
# there to say to those men that mob should TAX
their lives; that his influence, and the aid Of counsel
- and the law, save them from barbarous mob H
had gone there from the promptngs of humanity; h
had never seen or heard OF them, or known anything
of them before.
e the gentleman from Ohio two questions, and that tn
a gentleman would give him, as far as he should find
- convenient categorical answer; the first was, whe
ther he justified those slaves, who had lately made
II attempt to escape from their in the district
10 Columbia, in that attempt?
% Mr.. Giddings, addressing the Speakerl Have
the floor to reply9
;, The Speaker. Does the gentleman from North Ca
10 rona yield the floor to the gentleman from Ohio9
NJ Mr.. Venablc assented.
N Mr.. Giddings said, to the question which had bee
put to him, whether he justified the slaves who ha
G left their masters in the district of Columbia, IN pu1
~ suit of their liberty he could have no hesitation
- answering before an assembled universe He hell
n did our fathers in l776 that all men are born equt
and that to protect their rights to life, liberty, and tn
NJ pursuit of happiness, governments are framed anon
sb men. Now, believing that mankind, as they can
Il from God equal, he had ever been taught by
nv iathers-and here he would say to the gentema
from North Carolina Mr.. Venablel that he (Mr. G
70 boasted not that his fathers fought for liberty WI
did not the gentleman himself fight for it? Before
assaied him, (Mr. G,) let him put himself rectus
,od cluId.
his his Mr. Houston of Delaware, rose to point of G
40 der
-o1 Mr. Giddings begged not to be interrupted I'm
i; he had finished the answer to the genteman's que
Tho ton.
A'S The Speaker The gentleman from Ohio will gi
Int way; the gentleman from Delaware rises to point
~ order
'0H Mr. Houston stated his point to be, whether, up
hat a preamble and resolution stating that member
this House had been menaced by persons out of Il
the House, for his participation alleged participate
in certain civil and criminal transactions, it was CO
potent for his friend from Tennessee to put the OUT
Int ton to the gentleman from Ohio whether he jus
n this act?
Jew Mr.. Giddngs. l take no exception to the gu
Wv ton