Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-09-14

are to have unjer this amendment grand election in this
District six months hence decide in favor of emancipation
against emancipation Notice is to be given in the mean
time to all the slaves in the District that their freedom or
servtude depends the result of this election ma
oy Of the shall be against emancipation, slavery
to be prolonged and perpeuaed In that event. TOO the
slave trade the suppression OF which proposed BY this BILL
will remain for the honorable Senator has moved
bis proposition a substitute for the whole BILL He has not
proposed leave any part oh BILL accomplish the great
object of putting end TO the odious and abhoen ualc
which so long brought repoach upon the American cap
al in his scheme should be voted down by the
people.
But sir is there not something in this proposition,
which contrary all the views which have been enter
tanned in regard to such measure, II 1t should Of any ume
be passed and carried through This amendment PROVIDES LOT
the immediate emancipation of all the slaves in this District
Fathers mothers children Of tender age the inrm the help
less the destitute, all to be instantly thrown upon their
own resources the declaration of vote to that effect by
the people Of the District And has the honorable senator
made the slightest provision for their condition after they are
emancpaed What is to become of them They are to DO
taken away from their The masters are to some ex
tent to be paid for Them Provision is to be made by the
Secretary Of the Interior for comPensang the propreto or
any damages which may result to them from taking away their
slaves TO the aggregate amount of two hundred thousand dol
lars But what to become OF these poor people
Emancipated instantly, without any apprentice system IKE
that adopted by the British Parliament when slavery was
abolished in the West Indies without any transition state be-
slavery and freedom, without any appropriation or pro-
vision of sort for their support or relief what Is TO DO tne
immediate condition Is there not great DANGER too Mr.
President that owing to the inadequate sum which pro-
posed for the compensation Of the masters and the utter
absence of any provision by which the damages may DC
asceaned the great of these slaves should this pro-
position be adopted, would be sold off for Southern markets
before the day Of emancipation would arrive and that this
great of humanity would thus result in nothing
but increased wretchedness and prolonged captivity to all
concerned
position in the first place. And cannot but regard it in
the next place. most unreasonable and unmey PROPOSE
ton. deeply regret that it has been brought forward in con-
nexion with this bunder the present circumstances OF the
counry-at moment when the public mind is greatly
agtaed on questions of this sort, and at moment
when endeavorng accomplish another object which
perhaps within reach, and which has been SO earnestly
desired by all who have the interests of humanity at heart
When the abolition of these accused depos for carrying
the trade in the District Of Columbia seems just within
our grasp must repeat sir, that do most deeply depore
that the honorable Senator from New York should embarass
and perhaps defeat action by proposition SO indlscee
SO dpested and mpractcabe every way that which
he has offered The honorable Senator says that the
proposition suggested by my friend from Mississippi (M
FoorE that the adoption of such measure as is proposed
by this amendment would be looked upon with the greatest
alarm by the whole savehodiDg interest OF this country
such proposition he says strikes him almost as an absurd
y And why Because there but six hundred slaves to
be emancpated here, living upon what he calls pocket
handkerchief of land Why, sir how have degenerated
Did the ancestors Of the honorable SENATOR times dear to
the recollection every American heart think of the quantity
of tea brought into the habor Of Boston, Did they stop to
estimate the pecunay value and Importance OF the duty
which was sought to be enforced Did they say to them
selves it is but little thng small cargo few hundred
or few thousand pounds chests and is not worth dis
putting about but if indeed there had been sent to us BY
the authority of Great Britain, half dozen vast ships
loaded with quantities Of tea, enough last and
postety for years to would resist but for
handkerchief foil Of will not plunge ourselves into
conflict with the mother country"
Sir, such notions not then entertained. believe
that such notions not entertained in the constituency
which the honorable Senator represents is not the Amer
lean notion that when question arises threatening the liberties
and rights Of community, to determine the force and
value Of the threat and the occasion for ALARM by the inquiry
whether the first blow falls upon large small surface
No, sir no The very fact to add, II any thing could be
calculated add alarm such would be that it
brought forward for the purpose OF enancpang six hun
dred slaves. II there what Northern friends would
consider large amount good be accomplished by setting
free many Of fellow creatures, lingering, as they would
say the chains of bondage. there might be something in
the thing itself to call for, and apparently sustain the mea-
But where there but six hundred slaves, where
there is believe there is any peculiar cruelty
hardship in their condition which marks them out signal
objects Of suffering among their fellow slaves, we may well
suppose that such measure adopted has Interior objects
may well fear that is the first blow struck upon the
institutions Of the South.
That is the ground upon which my friend from Mississippi
stated that the ground upon which all state that the
adoption of such measure proposed by the Senator
from New York; whether would lead to dissolution of the
Union not must be looked upon with ALARM with dread
1t must cast suspicion upon the movements and purposes Of
Northern friends and permit to tell the Senator from
Massachusetts, that small he may think this exercise of
power the very moment it is exercised feeling of deep
iety feeling Of profound suspicion, feeling ohosty and
alienation be produced in the minds of the people of the
South.
Mr. President when the honorable Senator takes pains
produce evidence that Congress has the constitutional
pass this law permit very respectfully to say that he
wastes bis energies upon question not material to the inquiry
before the Senate Does the honorable Senator know
that the unjust exercise Of unquesioned constitutional power
furnishes sufficient and adequate and furnish the highest
ground for complaint alarm and for resistance our
constitution, instead of framing deberave and representa-
tive republic had simply constituted all the powers Of Gov
eminent in the hands Of single ruler, that power used
by him could be said to be usurped one, would it follow
that there could be abuse of this that would produce
alarm, provoke resentment and justly be met BY resist
ance do not moot the question of constitutional power.
Permit to say that that question in my view compare
lively matter of small import in the inquiry we are now
making
past history where the exercise that power this District
again that he conounds two very different things The
worthy, may be innocent may be liable to but small OBJ
circumstances may be Of character Objectionable, though
it be the very identical power exercised upon the same
subject TO furnish just ground Of alarm and agitation,
sentiment and even of preparations for resistance.
Sir the period to which the gentleman refers one when
that anatcsm which nfects the Northern country, and
less the Western country, unknown among u.s.
The period to which the gentleman refers when pro-
positions brought forward with single view to the OBJ
which directly objects