Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1850-02-01
WEDNESDAY, january %, 1856
SENATE.

Among the petitions offered were several from Off
GERS and soldiers of the last with Great Britain
asking that they might be allowed the same amount
of bounty land which has been granted to the soldiers
and officers of the Mexican war. Referred to the
Committee on Public Lands. Petitions were also
presented asking for indemnity for French spolation
prior to 1000.
Several reports of Committees were received upon
matters of little public interest.
MIR. Hunter, in pursuance of notice, asked and OBJ
tanned leave to introduce bill to repeal much of
an act approved March Sd, 1849 entitled "An act
to establish the Home Department, and to provide
for the Treasury Department Assistant Secretary
of the Treasury and Commissioner of Customs" as
relates to the Department of the Interior; which
read first and second time by unanimous consent
referred to the Committee on Finance and ordered
to be printed.
Mr.. Clay submitted the following resolution, which
lies over:
Resoiued, That the joint Committee on the Libra
r of the Senate and House of Representatives be
thorzed and directed to purchase the manuscript of
the farewell address to the people of the United
States of George Washington, if the purchase of it
can be effected just and fair terms in the opinion
of the Committee.
The Senate then proceeded to consider the motion
to print the resolutions of the State of Vermont in
relation to slavery AS these resolutions have been
the occasion of much remark and excitement, give
them in full. They are as follows:
Slavery.
RESOLVED by the Senate and House Of Representatives.,
That slavery is crime against humanity, and sore
evil in the body politic that excused by the fra
mers of the federal constitution crime entaied
upon the country by their predecessors and tolerated
solely as a thing of memorable necessity.
ResolUed, That the so-called compromises of the
constitution restrained the federal government from
interference with slavery only in the States in which
it then existed and from interference with the slave
trade only for limited time, which has long since
expired; and that the powers conferred upon Con-
gress by the constitution TO suppress the slave trade
to regulate between the States, to govern
the Territories, and to admit States-powers
conferred with express intention " to form more
perfect union establish justice, insure domestic tran
guilty provide for the Defence promote the
general welfare, and the blessings of liberty
to ourselves and posterity may all rghtfully
be used so as prevent the extension of slavery into
territory free, and to abolish slavery and the
slave trade wherever either exists under the urisdlc
ton of Congress.
Resolved That our Senators and Representatives
in Congress be requested to resist by all and every
constitutional the extension OF slavery IN any
manner, whether by the annexation to slaveholdng
Texas of territory now free, by the admission to
the Union Of territory already acquired, or which
may be hereafter acquired, without express pro-
hbion of slavery, either in the constitution OF each
new NGdIe asking dumlSelon HI "SO VI
providing for such admission.
RESOLVED further, That our Senators and Represen-
taves in Congress be requested to support every just
and prudent measure for the exclusion OF slavery
from the District of Columbia for the entire sup
preston of the slave trade the high and wher
ever else Congress has jurisdiction and generally to
relieve the federal government from all responsible
ty for the existence, maintenance, or tolerance OF
slavery, or the traffic in slaves.
Resolued further That our Senators in Congress be
1kCkSTy Tod tn
their excrtions for the speedy organization of terri
torial government for New Mexico and California,
with provision forever excluding involuntary servi
tude, except for crime, therefrom.
RESOLVED, That the Governor be requested to fur
nsh copy of the foregoing resolutions to each OF
Senators and Representatives in Congress- and to
the Governor of each State in the Union.
Approved November IL, 1849.
MIR. Phelps, of Vermont, having the floor, pro-
ceeded to address the Senate at considerable length
Mr. P. having concluded his remarks, motion
of Mr. Butler, the motion to print the Vermont reso
utions was laid on the table for the present. and the
Senate took up the bill providing for the more eff
Gent execution of the clause of the constitution rela
ting to the recapture of fugitive slaves, which wa
made the special order of the day for the succeeding
day at one O'Clock.
On motion, the Senate then adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPREsENTATIvEs.
The House occupied in the discussion OF resC
luton reported by Mr.. Strong from the ccmmitte
on elections The resolution in reference to tn
contested election in the first Congressional distric
of Iowa, and authorizes the taking of dispositions
regard to the facts of the in the usual manner
and their transmission to the Speaker of the House
The contest in this district arises from the reecto
of the Mormon vote of certain precinct, which wa
not received upon the ground that the precinct ha
never been organized, nor was properly within tn
Jurisdiction of the State of Iowa The contestant ha
received one thousand votes in this precinct, cale
Kanesville, which, had they been received, woul
have entitled him to the seat These facts are nj
disputed by the sitting member, who bases his CLAN
upon the ground that these were not legal votes.
is in order to enable the House to judge of the fac
in regard to the legality of these votes, that the d.
positions are authorized to be taken. The resoutio
was adopted.
The House then took up the order Of the day, b.
ing the resolution offered by Mr.. Venable that tt
Presidents Message on California be referred to tt
Il committee on territories and printed.
Mr. Seldom made speech arraigning the condu
il of the President in this matter
Mr. McClernand moved a substitute for the r
4 solution of Mr. Venable that the message be refe
red to the committee of the whole, and printed.
Pending this motion, the House adjourned.
THURSDAY, January "a.
SENATE. .. So s-...--...
Mr. Clay presented two petitions, one from tt
widow of soldier of the revolution asking for pc