Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-05-17

in requiring such bond this amendment PROPOSES to
exact from the owner do think there is the slight
est inconvenience imposed upon him. of which he ought
to complain.
Sir, there is one opinion prevailing-I hope not ex-
tensvey-some OF the non-slaveholding States which
nothing do will conciliae allude to that opn-
ion that asserts that there is higher lava divine
lava natural law-which entities man, under whose |
ROOT runaway has come to give him assistance and
succor, and hospitality divine law, a natural law
And who are they that venture tell what is divine
and what is natural law Where are their credentials
OF prophecy? Why sir, we told that the other day,
at meeting of some Of these people at New York, |
Moses and all the prophets were rejected and that the
name of our blessed Saviour was treated with sa-
crlege and contempt by these propagators Of divine
law, OF natural law which they have discovered above
all human laws and constitutions. Ii Moses and the
prophets and our Saviour and all Others are to be re-
eeed Will they condescend TO show us their authority
for propagatng this law, this new divine law OF
which they speak I! The law of Nature sir Look at
it as is promulgated and admitted or threatened
to be enforced, IN some quarters of the world. WE'LL
sir some OF these people have discovered another pau
sibe law OF Nature There is large class who saw
that ii man has acquired, matter whether by his
own exertlons or by inheritance, vast estate, much
more than necessary for the existence of himself and
family, who am starving, entitled by law of Ma
ture to have portion OF these accumulated goods to
save me from the death which threatens me. There
really would appear to be plausible show of rea-
| son tor this Here you, with your barns full with
your warehouses full of goods collected from all quar-
tiers OF the globes your kitchens and aundres and pam
tries all full OF that which couduces to the s,stenance
and comfort OF man; and here am standing BY as La
zarus at the gate of the rich man. pershng from hun
ger-will not the law of Nature allow me to take
enough OF your superabundance to little while
from that death which is inevitable without do it,
Why sir trace this pretended law of Nature, about
which, seriously, none of the philosophers agreed
and apply to of the most interesting and solemn
ceremonies OF life. Go to Mahometan country and
the Mahometan will tell you that you are entitled to as
many wives as you can get Come next to Christian
country and you will be told that you are entitled to
but one. Go to friends the Mormons and they will
tell you that you are entitled to none. But there are
persons In this age OF enlightenment and progress and
civilization, who will rise upin public assembages and
denouncng the church and all that is sacred that be-
longs to lt-denouncing the founders Of the religion
winch we all profess and reverewil tell you that not
outstanding the solemn oath which they have taken
oy Kissing the book to carry out into full effect all the
provisions OF the constitution OF country there is
law OF their Coda divine law which they have found
out ana nobody else has-superor and paramount to all
human laws and that they do not mean obey this hui
man law, but the divine law, of which, by some nspi-
ration by some means undsclosed they have obtained
acknowledge This is the class of persons which we
do not propose to conciate by any amendment by any
| concession which we can make.
But the committee in considering this delicate subject
ana looking at the feelings and interests both sides of
the question, thought 1t best to offer these two provi-
sons-that which requires the production of record in
the non slaveholdng States and that which requires
bond to grant to the real claimant ofhis freedom trial
jury In the place where that trial take place
according to the Interpretation of the constitution OF the
United States, hit take place any where Therefore in
order to obvlae the difficulties which have been presen
|
ing States, we propose to give the fugitive the right of
trial by jury in the State from which he fled The
statement In the report OF the committee is perfectly
true that the greatest facilities always extended to
every man OF color in the saveholdng States who sues
tor freedom. have known an instance of fail
ure on the part OF person thus sueng to procure
dict and Judgment in his favor if there were even slight
grounds In support OF his claim And sir so far is the
sympathy in behalf OF person suejng for his freedom
carried, that few members of the bar appear against
them. will mention, though in no boastul spirit that
| ! in NV ifn
person sueng tor his freedom, but have appeared for
them IN many instances without charging them soil
tary cent That believe is the general course of the
liberal and eminent portion of the bar throughout the
country. One case made an exception but it was
case where appeared fora particular friend told
MN nm or WI not appear against your negroes
less am perfectly satisfied that they have no right to
freedom; and even if shall become after the progress
OF the Ial convinced that they entitled to freedom
that in all that relates to tenderness of treatment to that
portion OF our population, and to the administration of
justice to hem and the supply of their wants. nothing
can be found IN the savehodng States that is hon
orable and creditabe to them.
MIR. President, the only measure remaining upon
which shall say word now, the abolition of the
slave trade in the District of Columbia There is,
believe, precious little OF it, believe the first man in
my life that ever heard denounce that trade was
Southern man-John Randolph of Roanoke. believe
nere mas peen no time within the last forty years. when
u earnestly pressed upon Congress, there would not
have been found majority, perhaps majority from the
sayeholdng States themselves in favor OF the abolition
committee has reported is founded upon the law of Ma
ryand as it existed when this District was set apart and
coded to the United States. Maryland has since very
often changed her laws. What is their condi-
ton at present am not aware have heard that she
has made change at the last session, and am told
that they may again be changed in the course ola wear
or OF TWO. or some years ago it would have been
thought great concession the feelings and wishes
OF the North to abolish this slave trade Now have
some OF the rabid abolition papers denounce if as
amounting 10 nothing. They do not for that And
n INV trlan dsn t,an IL
the house, allow me to say word or two with respect
to their course in relation to this measure. At The be-
ginning OF 1hls Session as you know, that offensive pro-
vIso, called the Wilmot provso,' what was the
most apprehended and what all the slaveholdng States
were most DESTROYS to get rid of.
Well SIR, oy the operation OF causes upon the North
ern mind friendly to the Union, hopes are inspired
which trust will not be frustrated in the progress of
this measure that the North least sufficient Dor
ton OF the North, are now willing to dispense with this
proviso. When three months ago. offered certain re-
solutions, ana when to these measures it objected
by way OF repoach, that they were simply CARVING ont
nay own plan, my honorable friend from North Carolina
at the moment justly pointed the essential differences
between the plan as contained in the resolutions offer
ed by me- and that presented by the committee
AT the time offered those resolutions, knowing what
consequences ard as sometimes feared fatal conse-
quences, might result from the fact of the North insisting
on that provso, by way of compensation in one, OF
the resolutions which ofered-the second one-I
stated two truths, OF law and one OF fact which I
thought ought to satisfy the North that ought no lon
ger to insist on the Wimot Provso Those truths were
not Incorporated in the bill reported by the committee,
but they exist, nevertheless as truths. believe them
both now as much as l did in February last. know
there others who do concur with me in opinion
Every Senator must decide for himself as the country
will decide for ITSELF when the question to be
considered.
Well, when our Southern friends found they were rid
OF the proviso, they were highly satisfied and shared
with them in their satisfaction If am not much mis-
taken, great majority of them would have sad If,
Mr.. Clay, you had not put those obnoxious truths
in them, should have been satisfied with your series
nT al ahox,o lof+l
Proviso, have got rid of the enactment into laws
of the two truths to which refer, but fear there are
some of Southern brethren who are not yet salts
fled. There who say that there yet the Will
nit Provso under another FORM lurking in the laws of
Mexico or lurking in the mountains of Mexico, in that
natural fact to which my honorable friend from Mas