The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-09-14

make this explanation at the disadvantage which
say attends such procedure as thai adopted by The
senator from Massachusetts The statement which was
made yesterday Is circulated throughout the Union The
people OF the city Of Savannah--a CITY comparatively
annually imprsonins three hundred coIored persons IN
abuse o t1elr rights, and without charge OF any offence
committed by them Now. sir, is only necessary to
look TO an abstract Of the laws OF the Slate OF Georga
upon this subject for the purpose Of making il entirely
apparent how unfounded is this accusation have here
an abstract OF the laws:
RESTRICTIONS ON coLoRED sEAMEN AND OTHERS
Not permitted 10 leave the vessel from the hours Of six
o'clock Ia he evening until five o'clock the succeeding
morning The dniy Of the captain 10 report particular
/ Captain required give bond with snretics for the
maintenance OF the seaman for retaining him on board oi
his vessel and for carrying him away when hts vessel de-
Daty Of captain report within tweuytour hours At
Ter his arrival % the mayor, &c any coioed psrs9ns and
give this bond under the penalty OF one hundred dollars
| for each colored person Omitted.
Vessels coming from any port In any other STATE or
foreign cony, having on boafd any free neao or person
81 o. e. ee ~ 70 y any a osnsd m
sons OF color residing on shore forbidden TO have coun'
such PERSONS going Shore liable be arrested by
the q the mayor n.endsn e any Judge ,as.es
until the Vessel is departing or until Otherwise discharged
bylaw.
on board liable 70 arrest and on conviction 70 coorea pun
ishpeIt, exceeding thirty min. lashes
Captain 10 take away such negro so brought in and
pay the expenses of his detention wnen the vessel is
ready depart and, failing to do shall be liable on coi-
Sicion 10 penaiy VI ahu not ca
ceedng three months imprisonment
I the captain refuses Or negses and The negro o. per
liable conviction TO corporal punishment not exceedng
thirty nine ashes
all persons npted from the operation oil the act
who arrive in consequence ofshpwIeck, stress Of weather
with lhe provisions Of the act within one month
The selling OF free persons OF color as slaves IS expressly
You will perceye on hearing this abstract of the laws
of Georgia. that there is no inhibition on the arrival OF
free coorcd persons-nothng which foblds their going
on shore to perform their daily work; but that they are
only inhibited from leaving their vessels at night You
will perceive that the law directs IFS penal provisions
10 The captain who takes in the seaman and not TO the
seaman himself and that there Is no provision for the
renewal of punishment from month to month, or from
two months 10 two months in Massachusetts,, by the
law read by the senator from Louisiana.
These. sir, the provisions OF the law OF Georgia
In the exercise OF that power which they possess TO make
such police regulations as are necessary for their safety,
and looking 10 the peculiar institution which exists
among them, they have passed these acts The force
and operation OF the penal PROVISIONS the SENATE VIII per-
ceve are made chiefly apply TO the captain bringing in
the negroes and not TO the negroes or coored persons
themselves They are permitted to in, aud are al
lowed 90 shore during the ordinary working hours,
and only prohibited from landing during the hours OF
the night, when their intercourse with our slaves might
be abused to purposes inconsistent with safety
Let addlor 10 not wish 10 occupy the time OF the
Senaethat the selling OF free persons OF color as slaves
under any circumstances, is expressly forbidden by the
law OF Georgia And now, SIR, upon this statement,
tust the American people, before whom this accusation
has gone, viii AZ least acqut my constituents OF the OBJ
noyiuus and unfounded charge.
Air WINTHROP then addressed the Senate. [Iiisre-
marks, withheld for revision, will appear hereafter
Mr.. BERRlEN Mr President, The .,.e senator s from
misappfehsnsion, has msrepresented The remarks which
made lar that senator is concerned, and has hen
by an illogical concluson endeavoed 10 escape from the
implied censure which he feels be the necessary result
of those remarks. Sir, have said to day what said
yesterday that inquired from the senator, at the mo-
nen whether he vouched Tor the truth OF the accusa
ton contained in his certificate, aud that he answered
that he did not There is therefore, no discordance be.
tween my remarks OF yesterday and those Of this morn
ing The record is consistent The act oi declining 10
vunch for the truth OF statement which senator pre-
in Ills chamber is one thng that Of presenting ~
without any expression OF belief or disbelief as to It's
credit until specifically inerroga,ed upon the question
whether he did vouch Tor H. is another and very different
thing No senator will fail TO perceive the distinction:
Now sir. again assert, whatever censure may be i'm
piled in the declaration, that the presentmen by senator
in his place OF a statement OF alleged facts, nnaccom.
panied by any expression OF his belief or disbelief IN the
truth Of such statement implies that he offers as one
which is, in his Judgment entitled to credit, upon the
plain and simple principle that The senator can pe pre-
sumed 10 present TO the consideration OF the Senate
that which he himself thinks unworthy OF belief.
IN that position the honorable senator stood when made
The Inquiry whether he would vouch Tor the truth OF the
facts asserted He had presented the statement as appro
pirate to the subject under discussion and that act un.
accompanied by any disavowal airmance oil its
title 20 credit Looking TO this course OF proceeding on
the part OF the honorable senator and to the false and un-
founded statement which he has presented TO the Senate
aud speaking a citizen oi GeoTgasne o that people
who are thus falsely accused-l reaim what said yes
tenay and now declare, that title OF that
be Withdrawn or removed the conviction, which
must force itself upon The minds of those who hear
be obltefaled by any observations which have fallen
from the senator from Massachusetts this morning.
Sir have not been qubbng about evidence | have
not been commenting making structures upon scraps OF
testimony, collected by those who disposed TO call into
question the conduct of the southern States upon this
subject That is the appropriate Office OF those who col
lect such scraps, and rely on them. have met the
charge OF The honorable senator by distinct unanswerable
evidence which rcners II impossible that y can be true
by showing that the laws o the State oil Georgia give no
such authority as that which has been charged TO have
been exercised and that such proceedings as those
which are alleged could have occurred under them
Now, sir how is this met by the evidence which the
senator has produced this mornings supported by long
roll OF respectable Far he II from me, sir TO raise
question OF respectabili;y with reference TO any OF
the gentlemen to whom the senator has referred: But
what do they state, and what their means OF inorna-
ton Let us see;
"On board Of that large number Of vessels accustomed
10 ouch at Charleston, Mobile Savannah, Bnd New Or
leans IL is frequently necessary TO employ Tree persons oil
color; and whereas frequently hnppens that nch persons
tax om the vessels and thrown into prison. and There
demued at thef own expense" Sc
Now, beg 10 inquire how any OF those respectable
gentlemen who have put their names 10 this paper, thus
youching for the truth OF ts declaration, could have
come to the knowledge OF the facts which u asserts
They are not persons engaged in the navigation OF these
ships, that in that capacity they could have personal
knowledge oil these facts No SIT the allegation IS un-
ques,ionaby founded on information which they de.
rved from others and the credit which IS due TO that
memorial does not, therefore, depend al all upon the
character Of these gentlemen whose names have been
read by the honorable senator but upon that Of those
from whom they obtained their Information say moth
nR OF the responsibility OF these gentlemen whose names