The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-09-13
AZ We have always believed that the aLoli-

E We have always believed that the abol
ton of the slave trade in this District was in
tended only to prepare for the abolition O.
slavery also therein, not only by the profcssec
Abolitonists, but by the covert ones also. TIL.
correctness Of this opinion is SO thoroughly con
, frmed by the position assumed by Mr.. DAYTON
of New Jersey, in the debate of Tuesday in the
Senate, that we republish it, in the hope of its
!. opening the eyes of all not wilfully blind
: Mr.. SEWARD Mr.. President, is il in order
now to move to strike out bill and insert anoth
err one'
] The PRESIDENT. Certainly, sir
Mr.. SEWARD. / make that motion. ! pro
pose to strike all after the enacting clause, and
s insert
''SKc. 1. Slavery shall forever cease within the
District OF Columbia, and all persons held in bon
dage therein shall be free. The Secretary of the
Interior shall audit and pay to all persons holding
slaves within the District at the time that this
takes effect, such damages they shall suffer by
the passage thereof; and the sum oftwo hundred
thousand dollars is hereby appropriated to carry
this act into execution, out of any money in the
treasury not otherwise appropriated
"SEc. 2. An election shall be held in the Dis
trict of Columbia, to ascertain whether this bill is
approved by the people thereof Those who APP
prove the act shall express their appreciation by a
the District Those who are opposed shall vote
by ballot containg the words, against emancipa-
ton in the District. All persons entitled to vote
for any municipal officer in the District and all
citizens Of the United States residing within the
District permanently, shall be deemed qualified to
vote ut such election. Such election shall be held
within six months from the passage OF this act,
and on public notice OF not less than three months,
T., be given by the marshal of the District. IL
majority Of the votes given at such election shall
be IN favor of this act Il shall go into effect imme
dately if majority of the votes shall be against
the same, this act shall be void and Of no effect.
, Mr.. DAYTON. Mr. President, the Senate,
hope will indulge me in word or two in reference
to this amendment, as it is my purpose to vote
against it. do not mean at all to refer to the mo-
tyes of the senator who has brought it forward.
do not pretend to doubt that it was done in the
belief that he was fairly discharging his duty.
desire only to say word two in reference TO the
subject-matter of the amendment itself II pro
poses the abolition Of sape,y IN the District Of Column
bia. am moi prepared TO note for proposition Of
that kind at this moment, and under existing crcuD,-
stances. The public mind has not been called to
this question. Public sentiment has not been
felt. The mind even of the inhabitants Of the
District, has not been probed upon the subject.
The Senate, standing here, without prompting,
, takes the initiative OF new proceeding, opening
a new sore at a time like this. For one, am OPP
posed to 1t. This is an important matter. 1t should
come through the regular organs--the committees
of this body. 1t should be reported upon and acted
: upon subject deserving grave Consideration
and not in this brief and unprecedented way.
cannot but see, too, sir, that the adoption or this
amendment ,coud tend To- deteat the rery bin ,chich
is before the Seafe and for that reason If there
,cere none other, ,comd oppose its passage no,o
Here is a bill which harmonizes and brings into
action the kind feelings of large portion Of this
chamber-brings to a common centre the good feel
ing of the North and the South. II promises some
thing. II promises much upon this unhappy and
agitating question. The means are before us OF
efiecng something for the restoration Of harmony
and good feeling throughout the country. But
adopt the amendment Of the senator from New
York, Mr.. SEwARD,l and you destroy all. Every
man who can use his eyes must that it will In
evitably lead to that result. / again repeat, sir
that do not think IL suspicious time, Just at thu
close OF the session, when the subject has not beer
!; sufficiently deliberated upon, and when public
feeling is about settling down, rightfuy or wrong
fully, upon the condition Of things as they now
are /, for one, do not think it wise or prudent
ut this point Of time, to open this new source o
agitation. Sir, bills have passed this chamber in
which have not been able to concur--in which
think the North have sacrificed too much But
these things are past They are gone; and let a.
uo,c endeapor to quiet popular sentiment and make
end TO the matter, at least for the present. Withou
consuming further time upon the subject, rerea
! that the proposition Of, the senator from New
York, if it is not intended, is certainly destined
: If adopted, utterly to destroy the bill we nov
considering, and to deprive us Of the benefits W
; would otherwise secure for this broad land.
Mr.. PRATT. Mr.. President, was glad L
hear the Senator from Connecticut, [Mr. BALD
VIM as well as the Senator from New Jersey
{ Mr. DAYTON, say that til would vote agains
this amendment and apprehend some Of m,
Southern friends will vote for it. Now, il
. be the object Of the North to break up this Uno
: by the passage of the amendment proposed by TIL
senator from New York, Mr. SEWARD let then
do it. shall vote against the amendment, be
! lievlng IL to be my solemn duty to prevent tina
which fear is hoped for by some gentlemen
= Now, the honorable senator from Connecticut
! MIR. BALDWIN, assigns AS his reason for his vot
what desire to call his attention to, and the at
!, tention OF the Senate and Of the country. II
will vote against the amendment of the senator
from New York to the bill under the expcctatio
that the amendments adopted here will be rejecte
IN the House, and the bill will come back agail
7 and then he passed without these amendments
What are they? The amendments are to protec
the Shareholder, in reference to his slave as pro
!, perty, precisely that senator is protected IL
reference to the property he holdsin the persona
property be may hold. ask the common con
sent Of the Senate of any one here, where is the
man who holds slaves as his property, in his
e right to have that property proteced-n hisrights
, of any description Of property, The subject
, matter ofmy colleague [Mr. .PEARcEl is to make
PUNISHABLE by confinement IN the penitentiary,
V any person who may commit a larceny of the
slave ofany owner in the District of Columbia
Can any one tell me why he who is guilty OF
!, stealing negro should not be punished equally
with the one who steals any other kind Of proper
d ty' Now, sir, in reference to this as between tho
master and the slaves, the slave has certain per
sonal rights but, as between the master and til,
, world at large in regard to the slave, the master
has right over any other kind of property
which, under the laws of the land, he can become
, the owner Of. This, sir, is the distinction which
desire the learned senator to look at. The per-
sonal rights of the slave as between the mas
ter and the slave. In reference to the slave, the
master has precisely the same rights which he has
over any other description of property that he
: may lawfully hold under the law of the land.
!, Why, then, | ask, in the name of common sense,
in the name of all that is right and just---why is
il that this description Of property should be sto-
}, len from the owner without his subjectng the
party to the penalties which he would be subjected
to if he stole any other kind of property
My object in rising, sir, was to make the re-
mark that have made in reference to the senti-
ments expressed by the senator's from Connecticut
lay1 Nnsr IL ccoIs L., IL.