Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-09-07

meuts which have bean offered to The bill by INV sndI from
Mississippi and Maryland amendments relating to tie trial
Of the question Of freedom and such matters to multi
rous subjects Of great importance requiring perhaps egs-
aton do think they ought not to be embraced in this bill
Here we have had single object before Ill tho time and
the question h whether at this late period Of the session We
shall embrace other and various SUBJECTS amounting almost
code for the black race here, bond and free think
should not But do not mean 10 dwell on the matter.
shall feel constrained TO against the amendments though
should be inclined to vote for them in another form. W
Mr. BUTLER Mr.. President, do not intend to detain,
the Senate but happens to fall to my lot chairman Of
the Judiciary Committee get great deal Of information
to the population of this District upon this subject of the
number Of free persons Of color coming here Sir more than
half the time Of the criminal court is consumed in trying
them They here idle. They nuisance, and
greater nuisance will unhesatngy say, than that which
has been indicatedhe slave pen. This monstrous nu
sance, 30 far the number Of crimes concerned Many
Of these people make good servants great many Of them
vagabonds and given to all kinds of vice. have merely
risen to make this statement
Mr.. PRATT. Mr.. President it seems to me that very
much more importance has been attached to the
der consideration than merits It's object It's sole object
as the distinguished Senator from Kentucky says abo
ish the slave trade In the District Of Columbia Now, de-
ny that under the existing law the slave trade exists in the
District OF Columbia; and therefore the sole object Of the
measure under consideration is do that which it requires
no law to do 1870 q a3
The subject which embraced in the present bill has been
looked 70 throughout the country Of momeous
sequences so much 50, that the convention which met at
to be dissolved It has been considered question Of so
much Importance that the Legislature Of Virginia have in
strucet their representatives upon this floor that Congress
shall pass any law aboshng the slave trade in the District of
Columbia, the Of the State shall be directed
vene the Legislature for the purpose Of taking into consdea
ton the Of the remedy necessary them TO take
will read the legislation Of Virginia which refer
Congress the United State. abonx ayey e Y s1s
trade ia the Dsrct Of Columbia direct attack upon the
Institutions Of the Southern States, be resisted at every
Resolvea That, the Of passage By Congress
q the Wmot pr0yso Or any law abol:hng avery the
Commonwealth is requested Immediately convene the Lee
slature Of this State should have adourned consider
the mode and measure of redress" sht
SO that have here the Nashville Convention and the
Legislature Of Virginia, originally interested Maryland is
in the territory which ceded by her for the purpose
Of forming the District Of Columbia, regarding this very
important measure
Mr.. President, the Senator from Kentucky, and others
have spoken ef the "horror Of the slave trade Dis it exists
here desire to ask the attention Of the honorable
Senator from Kentucky-for have referred to the laws
which govern that trade here which do not think he has
examlnedto the law which governs that SUBJECT that every
body may the extent Of the evil which actually be
remeded by the bill under discussion Every Senator is
aware that the territory which composes the District Of
Columbia was in the year 1900 coded by Maryland to the
United States and that that portion lately retroceded v
gnia was coded to form, with that which remains the
seat Of government Of the United States Now Congress-
by cotemporaneous act passed in 1901, directed
T h The laws in the State Of Virginia they exist
Columbia which ceded by the said State the United
States and by them for the seat gov
ernmen and that the laws of the State of Maryland they
exist shall be and continue in force that part Of the
said district which coded by that State the United States
and by them accepted as Aforesaid
We have, therefore, the starting point in the examine
ton and investigation of this subject the fact that by the CO.
tenPoaneous act Of Congress- made after the by Ma
ryand and Virginia of the territory which was to compose the
District OF Columbia the laws of Maryland and Virginia,
coded by those States.
The next step in the progress of this investigation will be
to ascertain what the law Of Maryland which, by this CO.
act OF Congress- made the law Of this part
Of the District of Columbia upon the subject under discussion
Now, the act of Maryland Of 1896, chapter 81, the
existing law Of Maryland put in force in this part Of the Dis
tct Of Columbia by this act Of Congress- passed in 1901
The Maryland law of 1895, chapter 67, enacts t n
aThat shall not be lawful from and after the passage of
this act to import bring into this State, land WATER
any negro, mulatto other slave sale reside n
s State; and any brought into this State slave
s1a Be- ape G hs e s
@Resas bringing such slave within this State and a
So that under the first section Of this act Of Maryland Of
l796made the law Of the District by this act Of Congress
1901 which was the law of this District anterior 10 its
ceson and which declared by act Of Congress to con-
nue as the awno slave could be introduced into this part
Of the District either for sale residence upon the penalty
Of becoming free, if so introduced.
Them by the second section Of this act made law
full for any citizen Of the United States living without the
District of Columbia, coming the District for the purpose
OF residence, to carry with him slave which he might
own That was the law in reference Maryland, and of
course made the law with reference the District Of CO.
umbia SO that citizen of the United States who might
desire to move to this part of the District Of Columbia
privileged to here, and bring his slave here he intend
I'D to reside master could only bring his slaves here upon
The single condition that be citizen Of the United States
coming here for the purpose Of permanent residence Then
comes the third section of that act which provides
That nothing herein contained shall be construed enable
person or persons removing aforesaid sell dis
Of any slave slaves imported by virtue Of this act
their unless such persons shall have
SALE pit in cases OF disposition by last will testament
and dspos ton by law for bona debts upon
ntestacy.'
So that when they introduced in virtue Of the second
section Of this acand that could only be when thew were
brought by citizens Of the United States for the purpose Of
actual resdence-hey could be sold unless the party
having got here for the purpose Of redsuce shall have ac
ualy resided here for the space Of three years. qf
This then, Mr.. President the law Of Mis- part of the
District Of Columbia, first established by the law If Maryland
1885, and continued the law of the territory ceaed by the
Of Congress of 1901 It is manifest them and Me hon
orabe Senator from Kentucky must admit it. that under this
law
mr. CLAY shook his head
Mr. PRATT. The Senator shakes his head as If he denies
H. Now defy any body deny successfully this PROPOSE
lion that under this law OF MARYLAND the slave trade could
exist in Maryland no slave could be brought from any
other State into the State of Maryland the purpose being
Sold aF'5e
Mr. CLAY. Let me ask the Senator question. Would
not the law Of Maryland allow slave be carried from
frederick county, in Maryland Baltimore city, and put in
depot here
Mr. PRATT Undoubtedly One citizen Of the State Of
Maryland can sell to another citizen Of the State of Mary
nd Axrzll~.~ 49,