The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-09-05

Of law aboshng slavery, or any law aboshins the
State is required nm ediaely to convene the Legislature OF
luis sIae, should have adjourned to consider the mode
and measure OF redress.
So that we haN the Nashville Convention and the
legislature OF Virginia originally interested as Mary
ana Is now IN the territory which was ceded by each
lot The purpose OF forming the District OF Columbia
taking such interest in this measure.
now Mr. PRESIDENT the honorable senator from Ken
lucky ana Others here have spoken OF the horrors of the
slave trale as exists here and desire 10 ask the
attention OF the senator from Kentucky and 10 refer him
to laws which govern that trade here but which do not
think he has examined. ask his attention to the law
which governs that subject now, for the purposa of
showing to what extent the evil is to be regulated by the
bill under consideration Every senator aware that
the territory which now composes the District OF CO.
lumbia in the year 1900 cecd by Maryland 10 the
United States, and that portion recently Tetroceded to
ernnent OF the United States Now, sir Congress- by
cotempoaneous passed in 1901 directed that the laws
of Virginia, 'as they now exist shall be continued in
force in that part of the District of Columbia ceded by
said State The United Staes and 'that the laws OF
the State of Maryland, they now exist shall Be con-
tnued inlorce IL that part OF the District which was the
point in the Investigation of this subject the fact that BY
the cotemporaneous act OF Congress, Immediately after
the cesson by Maryland and Virginia OF the territory
which compose the District Of Columbia. the laws
of those two States declared 10 be in force in the
District.
The next STEP sir in the progress of this investigation
will be TO ascertain what the law of Maryland
which, by this cotemporaneous act of Congress, was
made the law Of this part Of the District upon the subject
the existing law of Maryland put in force in this part of
the District of Columbia by the act OF Congress passed
1902. Now, sir, that law enacts
That shall import bring the State
sale or to reside within The said State should any person
be brought in contrary to that provision he was TO be Tree
The I'd section then. sir Of this act Of 1895, made the
law OF the District Of Columbia BY tie act Of coagrsss Of
anterior to the cession and which declared by the
act OF Congress to continue the law provides that
slave could be introduced into this part Of the District Of
Columbia for sale or residence penalty Of being free
IL they were so introduced there for sale residence
By the I'd section OF this act il made lawful for any
citizen OF the United States living without this District Of
Columbia, to come to the District Of Columbia for the
purpose OF residence and to carry with him any slave
which he might own That was The law in reference
to Maryland and, OF course made the law in refer
to the District OF Columbia Therefore, the citizen
OF the United States is privileged, i he desires 10 re-
10 this part of the District of Columbia he is priv
eged here, and bring his slave here if be intends
to reside Now, ask the attention of the Senate to the
third section OF the act They can only be brought upon
that single condition, that he citizen of the United
States, who here for the purpose of making per-
manent residence, and came with his slave Them this
Sd section provides "tha nothing herein contained shall
be construed as topevent any person or persons
moving as aforesaid, from dlspOsing OF any slave or
slaves imported by virtue of this act provided hs shall
have been an actual resident! for three whole Year. pre-
by the second section of the act and the only way In
which they could be brought in by citizens Of other
States by coming here for the purpose of residence
They then could not be sold unless the party when
coming here had actually resided here for the space Of
three years This, then, MIR President, was the law Of
law Of Maryland of 1896, and the act of Congress made
that law OF 1896 continue the law the people OF the
territory ceded as 1t before existed 1t is manifest hen
that the honorable from Kentucky [Mr. CLAY1
must admit that under this aw-he shakes his head
if he denied it'll defy any to deny successfully
this propostonthat, under the law OF Maryland. the
slave trade could not exist in Maryland No slave could
be brought from any other State into the State of Mary
land for The purpose of being sold aas1a
A. T,IA ID - AZ
question Can you, under the law Of Maryland, carry
slave from Frederick county, and put him In depot at
MIR. PRATT Mr. Presiden:, undoubtedly. One cit-
OF Maryland take him there to sell another
Mr.. CLAY. And carry him there for the purpose of
Mr.. PRATT, (resuming) Does the senator from
Kentucky intend to prohibit citizen of GEORGETOWN
Of the 70 o III.
bill does not prohibit that say, sir, that what he has
designated the foreign slave trade could exist in
Maryland under the law of Maryland. say that the
citizen of other State could bring his slave into the
State Of Maryland for the purpose of having his slave
sold say that the citizen Of Maryland could not 20 to
another State and buy slave. and bring him to Mary
land for the purpose OF residence or for sale Now.
the distinguished senator from Kentucky Mr.. CLAYl
asked me whether citizen OF one county in the State
might carry his slave another county for the pur
pose OF selling him. OF he could; would il
be in the power OF the State legislature to prohibit it,
The State legislature would not have the power 10 pro-
hbit the citizen of the State going from county to
another with personal property for the purpose Of dis
posing OF II,
l Mr CLAY Mr. President, if the senator will allow
me, will show him al his misconcepon, NJ
least my conception OF the laws of Maryland. The laws
of aryland were extended 10 the District What was
the result OF that extension oil her laws after the sepAra-
ton from Maryland Whatever may have been done
in the Disrc, of Columbia prior to the extension and
prior TO the separation may still be done. slave could
be brought from Frederick county TO Baltmore and put
in depot for the purpose of subsequent transportation to
New Orleans The law of Maryland, being extended TO
the District authorizes them to be brought from any po
ton OF Maryland into this District for the purpose Of
being put into depot, and 40 with Virginia. 81
Mr.. PRATT, (resuming do not deny the proposi-
ton; and il therefore said that there no State
the Union which had scinta of interest in the ques-
ton, other than Maryland II is the STAKEHOLDER Of Ma
ryand alone whose slave be brought here for sale.
and this is the very proposition TO which desiring to
bring the attention OF the Senatehat there il no other
people the people of Maryland who interested
this trade The slave of any OF the people Of Maryland
can under the existing laws be brought here Tor the
purpose of residence. But The senator s mistaken IN
supposng this under the act OF 1885, They are aunor
lied to be brought here from Maryland not under the
act of 1885, but by the act Of Congress- TO which AK the
particular attention OF the Senate II ~ that oi 1lAy .,
iso2 II will be found in the collection OF the Disanct
laws page 35 refer to the 7th section OF the act
SIC Ard be further enacted That no part Of the awS
of Virginia or Maryland declared by sct Of Congsss
passed the day of FebrusIy, thousand
eight hundred and one concerning the District Of Coum
bia TO be in within the said District, shall be
then within or them the said District in the
way was practised prior 10 tho passage Of the
above -recitcd aot
Here the act OF Congress. not the act Of Maryland, 40
the distinguished senator supposes authorizing that which,
after the cesson by her OF this part OF the District OF Co