The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1849-01-20
Correspondence fd'o AtlAs.
MEN AND MATTERS ~ WASHING
Stare traffic Ams Capiial-D cJdis in The House.
WAsHiNGToN. JuiI 10, 1919.

The excitement on MI Legislative suliocls
II deepGniug dnly ln The House, to-day, n
spirited debate sprung up on the motion To
,iEssHsIHiuT tir rrHtIi'if.uii OF Ar LnIt- Of New
York, in-tricung thu COMMITTEE on HE DIS
irct OfColuuihn 30 report u hill supUrefsinR
the traffic in slaves here, aud preventing The
conversion oflhc rnptJ Of the untiOn into u
slave market, The piTascuiugy of tho pre-
umhlc of 81 Colts resolution, which was Gu
grated on It by some other gentleman, has
been objected 10 from lhc first. mud the c,"de
o, ns proposition is deemed impolHic, by
remembering the ,oioi 10y which this rcsolu-
ion pissed, al opportunity h afforded Tor re-
moving all objectionable features fromit. aud
substituting a proposition HAT viii he ikely
10 pass 10y an increased MINORITY, aud that
lnny bc objected 10 very extensively nj the
South.
Pending the motion 10 reconsider, several
gentlemen Obtained the llnor-Messfs. Went.
worth of Illinois Stewart ofMichignu Lincoln
of Illinois, aud Me Lane of Maryland.
NJ, Stewart Offered brief niueudment,nu-
lhorizing the civil authorities Of the town OF
Georgetown TO act conclnsIycly Ia the prem
I ises. -
/ MIR Lincoln entered nj some length into the
question, nnd submitted n proposition which
lao said hHil been examined ny fifteen of ihr
| leading citizens of The district lie informed
tie House HAT hc was authorized lay thrsc
gentlemen Ia say thnl they were ia lbyor al
the measure lac proposed, This proposition
gives the whole control of The subject under
certain restrictions, In the civil nuihurlilrs Of
r yTu ftrEt. utttl,t f...- AaIrtinn nfn Com. fin.
qury,lo I've composed of The Sec. Of ,lrtrrns-
ury' II forTIids me TFUtfir iIT- ttirHu heiur -
IA Washington, but allows officers otgoycrn.
rueni Ia retain their slaves while here attend
! ing To their public duties; provides that all
persons held Ia service or labor in the nd,H.
c"ul States ~ ho escape iHlo the District shall
he returned to thoseto whom such labor or
fcrvicr Is due; aud finally submits the iecis-
iou otliC whole matter loIhe eligible white
male inhabitants, residents Cor one year or
morc,which lhcy may express at Ihe poll, IN
y uTBuuer Provided lur ly Law,
Mr. Lincoln read his proposition Ia mli to
the House, Bud a. the motion 80 reconsider
las prevailed. rs discussion Wiil take place
or! the floor Il IT. believed lhHt thcB T. n
large wHlorir, oftae liuusr in l.N1r Of some
such proposition; Uud 10 rs 'l-o believed dat
tbc sooner some step of thc hud !, iahcu, the
better II VIII be- tor i6U peace and union OF
tlr country. NhntcYcr mpy De the opinions
of gentlemen as to the abstract question of
slavery, aud however much thcy may hr CON
WINGED lint HEY luyc neither power uuf-right
to touch IL in the Sinics where it exists 10y To-.
cal law, II is evident there is firm cuhvir.
zion that lhc public slhve.pens ough, 60 hr %.
hated from under the national tllg az the cap
i'0i. 'rl,c hest way ofduiuE the thing - the
question. Al rcfoclug an patriotic men
mus, al once SIRE the necessity of kindness.
= conci!uton and ,orhceraucc. ltis hy- s4ca
uc5Ls, and such means ouly. IhutrAc bonds
ofour be!osed Union can be- kcp: from map-
ping usun&pr.
i is admitted, on all bands, that whatever
action rrGf rrrii1isrr. ror,rr-,-r
lion musl follow. Flis may be the ground
of compromise that viii continue. We nust
take men and the laws rs they are, not MS one
would Lave ihcn,, aud regulate our legislation
on these principles ofjusIirr and eNpedicncy
which so marked aud IGNORED The national
councils OF our fathers.