The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-09-04

bring degree Of odium upon the District II Il a
trade sr that has been denounced OF less for the
and lameDied citizen OF Virginia who believe nrst
Drought ~ 10 public notice. and again and again. from
ume 10 Tune by the denunciatons OF other persons.
10 not my purpose, as said before, TO go into any
elaborate argument upon the subject prove the popr.
ely oil The abolition of the slave trade which foreign
| 70 Inc people OF the District of Columbia ! think the
hng mas bten sufciently discussed and considered My
obIect is 10 economic the time of the Senate, as has
already been sufficiently espasssd upon There are one
or two uninporiant amendments which beg leave TO
propose, sir and then | will let the take lis
course
| In the first section il is provided
That il shall be lawful bring the District of
Columbia any slave whatever tor the purpose Of being
sod for the purpose Of being placed depot DO sub
seqnen,y transferred to any other State place,
After the word place propose TO introduce the words
ITO be sold as merchandise believe that would be The
construction OF the law it stands but il would be bet
ter to have il inserted.
The que slon being taken upon the amendment, it was
agreed To-
Mr. c. moved further to amend the bill by substu.
ng me word Levy" Tor county, and inserting the word
county aiier washington" and the word "jurisdic
onaP between "its and ''limits in the second section
SO that SAID section should read as follows:
sEo 2 Ana BE- Further enacted, That il shall and may
ing'on and Georgetown from time time, and often
may be necessary TO abase break and abolish any de
District merchandise. contrary the provisions this
act by such appropriate means may appear either of
power is hereby vested In the levy of Washington
county, If any attempt shall be made within its urisdic
for slaves brought into the said District Merchandise,
sale, CONTRARY 10 this act.
Mr., FOOfE simply rise TO offer an amendment to
the bill The Clerk will discover that the printed form
here have agreed to modify, the suggestion OF the
senator from Maryland upon my left, [Mr PEARoE,l in
the manner proposed in this manuscript Near the end
OF the bill have also accepted amendment Of the
aor from Georgia, also nearest me, [Mr BERRIEN]
wish both read as parts OF my amendment:
Strike out all after the enacng clause and insert The lo
lowing;
That from and after the the approval Of this ac
the corporate authorities of the city of Wa hngon for that
part of the county OF Washington lying and south Of
Rock crssk ard The corporate authorities of Georgetown,
for that part OF the county of Washington lying north and
west OF Rock creek shall have power, within those limits
respectively TO regulate by law the ingress and
from, the District OF Columbia OF people OF color, whether
lc slaves and regulate the residence OF all persons
OF color now residing hereafter TO reside within the said
goes to reside within the said limits respecvely and 10
enforce all such regulations and prohibitions by suitable
penalties imprisonment al labor, and expulsion beyond
SIC And De It further enacted That the said corporate
first this act shall power reg
uations and pass such laws may be expeden and
from The District of Columbia of Slave free negro
theretrom, and TO punish by fine, MOI exceeding -
mon jail. by corporal chassement any individual
individuals who my be convicted Of having forced, or
attempted to oice the laws of those corporations,
respectively, any Tree negro, or OF having kdnapped or
abducted, or of having attempted kidnap abjpcr,
\.
SEC 8 And be ii further enacted That in cases WHERE
there good ground believe, and where
liens shall state under oath that he has believe
that any coored person has been brous into the District
OF lumbia and held slave, who entitled free
dom, that coored has been placed in custody
conhns through error, that any person
about be from the District Of Columbia as a slave,
who is entitled freedom, them and in either oil the said
.. oer :, s s pyas Of the W ~ Of
hafas corpus shalt be extended such party with
Of Bringing the poni at issue and The facts Of the case be
fore Judge o the circuit Of the United States for The
District OF Columbia who shall decide according the
laws OF the District OF Columbia, and discharge from
tody or lnprsonnen or remand to custody or iHprson-
ment, in conorny with the evidence, the facts and laws
10 the that all laws regulations made by The
poate authorities Of the city OF Washington under The pro
visions OF this shall subject revision Of Con-
gress, and II not disappoved shall remain in force.
Mr. F resumed. | do not rise for the purpose of
explaining this amendment II seems TO me not to need
explanation Ii treats this whole subject proper sub
ect ior police regulation and delegates the requisite
power to the corporate authorities OF Georgetown and
Washington TO enable them to regulate this whole sub
lect IN such manner as may most conduce to their own
welfare and safety subject 10 the controlling authority of
the Congress OF the United States | am decidedly OF
opinion that the power necessary at present tor the
OF the welfare Of the people OF this District
for securing their important property interests as well as
for the purpose OF obtaining the great object just enforced
in hearing by the honorable senator from Kentucky,
Mr. CLAY may be safely conded to the corporate
authorities OF Washington and Georgetown the people
most interested in these things II seems to sir most
discreet that the exercise OF the power contained IN this
amendment should be given TO them will say nothing
in explanation OF the amendment more than have al
ready spoken. understand the honorable senator from
Virginia Mr. HUSTER] desires to be heard m opposition
the bill II he shall become satisfied that this amend
ment that propose will have the effect OF curing those
evils which he speaks OF existing IN the body oil the
bill, shall be very much grahed at receiving his sup
port TO the bill Otherwise trust the Senate VIII mann
Test disposition to come the Of tie amendment
and sustain IT,
MIR HUNTER addressed the Senate at length against
the bill His remarks having been withheld for revision.
will appear hereafter .
Mr. PEARCE. ] have prepared, Mr.. President, an
amendment the original bill, which was intended TO
remedy the defect in the law II now exists shall
offer IT, however, because the amendment OF the
from Mississippi IL before the Senate, and de.
sire to perfect that amendment The Senate will recol
eci numerous seduction OF negroes IRON the ser.
vice Of their during the last two or three years
II is known that the aboiiioniss OF the North have IN
some instances raised large sums TO be appropriated IN
deirayn the expenses OF those charged with the abduc
ton OF slaves Funds raised by them, not only Tor
the purpose Of aiding them but even OF paying the penal
ties which the law imposes on those convicted oi
this crime The law in force Is the act OF Maryland
OF 1885, and the only penalty which that law enforces
against the person WHO shall violate the rights OF citizens
in relation TO this species Of property in this District by
assisting the escape OF slaves, is two hundred dollars
Every body must how inadequate that penalty is, and
that il cannot work sufficiently effectively; that II furnish.
ca no proper and adequate punishment for offence OF
such magnitude important to the interests OF society
The State OF Maryland has long since modified that law,
and made the penalty of the offence imprisonment IN the
pententary and the amendment which propose to offer
10 the original bill prescrbes such penalties as seem to
me TO be proper.
Before offer that however, propose to offer an
amendment to the amendment OF the senator from Missls
spp The sections OF that senator's amendment
II 49,. ttrl