Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-09-21

eraton through period Two
years. We all trust all believe, that the ultimate result
Of the transfer of this foreign population to shores
be the bringing of them condition to support them
selves, and to exercise the privileges Of segovsrnment
sad commentary upon the operations OF institutions 70
say that hundred years have been enough 10 bring
these six hundred PERSONS under such favorable auspices TO
the capabliiy Of providing for their own daily wants
The next objection TO the which shall notice Is,
that it is ndscreet This think, the language
of nay honorable friend from Massachusetts, (Mr WIN
rHRoP The objection implies to the justice and
wisdom OF the ITSELF and takes issue only upon the
time, occasion, circumstances under which 1t Is proposed
1t comedies, moreover that would be proper at different
time, on some other occasion, in other circumstances
Let US see them wherein the ndiscreon consists And
first to the occasion. One honorable Senator (Mr WIN
THBor says that by supporting this occasion should
incur the risk Of losing the bill itself which is proposed to be
amended, and thus losing the abolition Of the slave trade
within the District Of Columbia. Suppose we do. What
would be the loss The amendment before you secures the
abolition Of the slave trade, for it aboshes slavery altogether
When slavery falls the trade, which only incident OF It,
will instantly But the Senator is afraid that between
the two both will be lost That cannot happen. The pas
sage Of either accomplishes the object in view.
If the amendment shall pass you will have better bill
than tie bill Of the Committee of Thirteen. II the amend
ment shall fail, you will still have the bill OF the Committee
ofThirteen. Hs
But the bill Of the Committee Of Thirteen is not put in
jeopardy is lost than lost, to already II il
had been should not have offered my proposition
amendment. The abolition Of the slave trade, indeed,
mains in the bill but conditions have been annexed which
be accepted and which compel of the free States
reject the bill tse One Of these conditions is the
ing into felony, punishable with ten years imprisonment
the act Of aiding favong the escape Of fugitive ave
the act Of harbong slave with view to aid his escape
The punishment already denounced by the law severe
enough my Judgment for act that wrong not because
it is in ITSELF but only because is declared by the
statute to be wrong The second condition which has been
annexed to the bill the comforting Of right upon the Cor
poratons within the District to impose conditions upon which
c~zl L. ILL., fhan
rc depart from in other words, prescribe free men,
who citizens Of States and of the free States
By the addition Of these conditions the bill has been
vered from law meorang slavery within the District into
law to fory slavery and prescribe free men, When tha,
done my last hope last purpose my last thought Of
supporting the bill gone. And yet this the bill which
the honorable Senator from Massachusetts, complains that
putting in jeopardy. This, sir and nothing other diff
erent from this is the boon which he says just within
grasp and which have struck down to the EARTH Sir,
when my amendment shall have been rejected this bill will
still remain. to see whether he will embrace it, and
take to his bosom. shall harbor it would sting
me to death.
So much sir for the occasion And now for the indscre-
ton, far it depends upon time and circumstances
think wrong to hold in bondage at any time and
der any circumstances think it right and just, therefore,
to abolish slavery when have the power at any time,
all times, under any circumstances Now, sir, SO far
the objection rests upon the time when this is pro-
posed beg leave say that if the present is the right
me then there be there must have been other
time when would have been would be right That other
time must be time that is already past time yet to
WE'LL sir slavery has existed here under the sanction
Of Congress for fifty years undistubed. The right time,
them has not passed. must therefore, be future time
Will gentlemen oblge and the country by telling how
far down in the future the right time lies When will
come Will it be the next year, at the end Of the mex
half century, of the next hundred years When will
be discreet bring before Congress and the people the abo
lton Of slavery in the District Of Columbia Sir, let
Senators deude themselves had the honor to submit
the Senate weeks ago proposition to admit New Mex
leo State II rejected then by vote unanimou
except my own-those who in favor Of the measure
voting with its opponents because it net the right time
They said the constitution had not been officially received
It not fit occasion. The offered an
| amendment to bill
Well sir the constitution officially received yesterday
and the Senators Of the State in waiting But New
Mexico, in the mean time had been organized Territory
and her State constitution not honoed with refer
ence There is no right time, fit occasion, for New
Mexico to enter the Union free State So, sir, it viii
be with the abolition Of slavery in the District of Columbia
The right time, if be not now, will Sir each
Senator must judge for himself Judging for myself an
the right time has Past the middle age Of life
it has happened new for the first me to be egisla
for slaves believe it my duty the people Of th
District to the country, and to mankind to restore them te
freedom. For the performance Of such duty the first time
and the first occasion which offers is the right The
people who sent me here knew my opinions and my pnc
pies on that subject If should waive this time and ths
OCCASION such is the uncertainty Of human life and Of human
events that other may offer themselves could
return to the people who sent here could before
my Maker having been here without having humby, bu,
firmly, endeavored to discharge that great obligation.
Sir, can spare word Of reply, not TO the wrechcd
mpuation that seek by this measure to dissolve the Union
OF these States but to the argument that the tse
tends to 70 disastrous consummaon. This Union is the
feebles and weakest national power that exists earth,
with twenty millions offeemen cannot bear the shock
OF adding six hundred to their number The Union stands
as have demonstrated at large former occasions, not
upon majority Of voices in either both houses of Congress
upon any measure whatever, but upon enduring physical
special and political necessities which will survive all the
questions and commo,ons and alarms Of this day. and will
survive the extinction of slavery, only in the District Of
Columbia, but throughout the world. Others may try to
save It, by concessions to slavery, from imaginary pers
shall still seek to pepeuae by rendering the exercise Of
its power equal impartial and benecent all classes and
conditions OF mankind
Mr.. BUTLER. Mr.. President, cannot suffer the
sion to pass without making few remarks in relation to
of the topics which have been discussed here in
nexion with this subject well of the provisions
Of these different bills In my view of this kind
the institution of slavery and whether the Senate shall
pass the bill which has been offered substitute by the
Senator from New York, (Mr SEWARD, or that which
ntroduced-not perhaps with the am--by the Com
mittee Of Thirteen, the effect WILL in my Judgment be
tally the for sir, s in the power Of the gen.
emen who advocate the latter bill to give any guarantees
Mat legislation will be limited to that bill 1t is not the
terng wedge that usually splits the timber into which
II is driven, but it is the sure mode ofs operation which
ders the final result nearly certain that its effect
Let us analyze the bill which has been introduced and
advocated by the Senator from Kentucky, CLAT) 1t is
bill against such persons hawk slaves for SALE under
stand il to be- therefore, against slave merchants hawker
Of slaves in market overt Now, any law be framed by
which you put down traffic Of this kind, without reach
ing further and affecting much wider interests than those