The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-09-12

Y
| in tie District OF Columbia.
Mr.. MASON. am very desrous of voting for tn,
two sections OF the bill which have been now ngratiet
upon II upon the motion OF the senator Maryland, INT
PEARcE constituting the fourth and fifth sections OF thu
bill, with the amendments. il now stands Those two
amendments were adopted by the Senate ~ committee,
believes but they constitute now portion OF the oll
In order to effect the object move to amend the bill q.
itnow stands, by striking from il the first two sections
wish TO say a Few words, aud but few, upon this sub
| ject
The two sections which propose TO strike from the
bill are those which intended in the language Of the
day. to abolish the slave trade and in the language OF the
honorable senator from Kentucky, Mr. CLAYl ths
foreign slave trade in the District OF Columbia Now
sir apart from my own opinion upon this matter am nn
der an imper,ous obligation 70 vote against The bill Il !
should not be the pleasure OF the Senate to strike out
these secons because the constituency which repre-
sent have entered through the files OF the general assem-
oy o. xsna an eames, and soPg I r
Kentucky MIR CLAY TO say when this subject was un-
der consideration at former day, that it was but enactine
within the District OF Columbia what the law OF Vir
ginia and Of Maryland respectively when the District was
ceded by those States to the United States Now sir il
understood the senator correctly, should take issue with
The limits Of he State Of Virginia intended to effect by
legislation whatis intended to be effected by this bill and
far as am nformed having looked through the legis
law within the limits Of the State OF Maryland II was
at time the policy of Virginia TO prohibit all increase
of the slave population within her territory IL was
policy adopted in the spirit which virginia then enter,
aned OF preventing as lar practicable the increase OF
that popuation-a policy which she has been since
blind to change Virginia, think, was among the
earliest of the States, after the present constitution was
formed, and in advance OF the law of the United States
prohibiting the importation OF slaves from abroad to pro-
hib the importation OF slaves into the State OF Virginia
which came from abroad and IN 1792-the earliest act
which find affecting domestic slavery--n 1909 law
passed by the State Of Virginia declaring that do-
mosc slaves which shall hereafter be brought into her
and he kept therein Tor one whole year
together or so long as to be equal to one whole year.
shall be free" The third section imposed iae Of $500
for importing slaves contrary the act and 300 TOR buying
and selling slaves there imported The fourth section
eved, however from the penalties OF this law all persons
who removed into the State with the bona fde intention
OF becoming citizens and who brought their slaves with
them Now, sir, the policy OF this bill was IN no manner
whatever 10 affect commerce in slaves II had no such
design and no such purpose L lett slaves to stand ex-
acly where they had previously stood subject precisely
iect to- 1t did not prohibit her citizens from dealing in
them--from confning them-from treating them precisely,
any Other property, Of what kind soever The provision
against bringing slaves into the State which was intended
prevent the of slaves within the State was
equally extended 10 buying and selling slaves so brought
in, after they brought n But that prohibition was
intended part OF general policy to prevent the fur
ther increase Of the slave population. They were pro-
hibed from bringing slaves the State TO remain there,
and they were equally prohibited from bringing slaves
into the State and selling them alter they Were brought
in This was but carrying out the purpose OF that law
to evil to which Virginia as well as the SCUM
generally was subjected
In 1906 il wa. found necessary upon the part pir
gna because of the increase OF the free negroes within
the limits of the State, while it retained the policy OF
The law SO far as was nendedto to prevent the increase
of the population, TO change the penalty In 1900 i was
enacted that instead OF allowing slaves TO be brought in
against the provisions of the law to become free, they
should be sold by the OF the poor aud retained
in by the OF the poor for the ben
eft of the poor OF the county; and the penalties Tor
buying and selling slaves brought in contrary to this act
were increased from two hundred to four hundred dol
lars This law carried out the necessary policy which
devoved upon Virginia, but changed the penalties Tor
bringing slaves ino the State against the provisions OF
The law from emancipation into prvation OF property
by sale. The tenth section provides that II any slave
therein emancipated shoad not leave the State within
twelve months, he should be again reduced TO state OF
slavery.
Now, sir the provisions Of those acts, the first Of
which is the act OF 1884, which was the law oi Virginia
in 1s0i when portion Of her limits were ceded TO the
general government, intended solely to prevent The
increase OF the slave population, and The law oil l7s9
was in operation until the revsal in 1919, when the
whole policy changed from the necessity oil the car.
cumstances under which the slave population then stood
in the State In the year 1919 all the provisions OF pre-
vous laws prohibiting the introduction OF slaves into the
State Of Virginia repealed, and any slaves might
be imported which born within the limits OF the
United States, aud which had not been convicted oil
cme and changed the whole policy OF the State OF Vir
gina.
have noticed this TO show, as understand it, that
there law in the State of Virginia and never was
law 10 The sfs Of hs
lucky MIR CLAYl considers as the grievance 10 be re-
moved in the District OF Columbia-that Of dealing IN
slaves merchandise, Wnlcn ~ necessarily nCuet 10
the institution OF slavery
Sir there is one provision OF this bill which authorizes
the corporation Of the two cities OF Washington and OF
Georgetown, often may be necessary, TO abate,
break up. and abolish any depot place of confinement
of slaves brought into the said District merchandise,
contrary TO the provisions OF this act by such proper
means they may consider expedient, NC. Now, SIR,
as things stand and understand the law o this Dis
trct under standing very much expounded the other
day by the honorable senator from Maryland who sits
nearest to me- MIR PRArT1 under the existing law oil
the District, slaves cannot be brought from anywhere 10
be sold within this Distract except IRON the State oil
Maryland have been informed, upon inquiry, that the
fact is that few slaves within the last few years are
even brought into this District 10 be sold for the purpose
Of exporaon that the trade or the business which some
persons engage in OF purchasing slaves for the purpose
OF selling them again has dwinded down I'LL 1t has al
last ceased to have any existence Mr. President, none
can condemn than do the practice, which has been
denounced here and elsewhere OF dealing IN slaves
purchasing them for the purpose OF selling them again
But yet SIR the denuncaton is not necessarily TO be ex.
tended TO all those who participate in it, II cannot, and
when il arsesas it frequently does arse-under the in
stituton Of slavery ITSELF There is not slavehodlng
State that know of-l know II is 80, both IN Maryland
and Virkna-where those who engaged IN this odious
traffic do not find necessary to provide means oil Gus
tody OF their own for the slaves purchased and we dc
find the legislation OF the States aimed against that
and much may be abhorred and condemned by the
citizens OF the State odous traffic, yet is one ne
cessarily incident to the institution OF slavery; and
cannot any propnety in legisatng upon that subject
in the District OF Columbia in manner different IRON
that in which the subject is egsated upon n the adjon-
ing States, and presume in the other slave States You
can now, without let hndrance, bring slave from
for the purpose OF selling him to the people or trafcing
In slaves There il no prohbition against il of kind