The southern press., 1850-09-04


SEC. 3-Directs the plan Of survey.
| SEC. Livery white settler or occupant of the
public lands, (American halfbreed Indians in
cluded ) over eighteen years of age, and citizen
of the United States, or who shall have declared
his intentions of becoming a citizen, and who
shall reside on said grant on or before the lst Of
December, and who shall have resided upon and
cultivated the same for four consecutive years, is
granted 800 acres Of land, or half a section, if
single man, and if married man, GAO acres, or
one whole section, one half to himself and one
half TO his wife.
| Sec. 5-Grants to every actual settler, as de-
scribed in the preceding section, who shall settle
and locate himself in said territory between the
years 1850 and 1855, the amount of half a sec
ton, or 800 acres, if a married man, and quarter
section, or l6O acres, if a single man.
The residue of the bill, which is voluminous,
consists chiefly of safeguards, reservations, and
specifications of the import and limitations Of the
donations proposed.
Various amendments, chiefly Of verbal char
acter, recommended by the Committee Of Public
Lands, were considered and disposed Of
| Mr.. JEFFERSON DAVIS moved to amend,
by allowing to the President of the United States
the discretion of reserving such amount of land
at the military stations in said territory as shall
be deemed eXpedent for the purposes of the Gov
ernment.
| This amendment was advocated by Messrs.
JEFFERSON DAVIS and BADGER, as proper for the
the Government is bound to exercise in the pro-
tecton Of the people Of the territory and the pre-
servation of order.
1t was opposed by Messrs DOUGLAS, BENTON
and Downs, because it involved a discretionary
power in the military officers Of Oregon to forfeit
the property and even the homesteads Of the
oldest settlers in Oregon.
The morning hour having expired under the
discussion Of this amendment
On motion of Mr.. CLAY, the bill was laid
aside for the day, and the Senate took up the bill
for the
ABOLITION OF THE SLAVE TRADE IN THE DISTRICT
OF COLUMBIA.
OF which the following is copy as reported
by Mr.. CLAY from the late Select Committee of
Thirteen
BILL to suppress the slave trade in the Dis
trict Of Columbia.
Be enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tires ofthe United States Of qmerca in Congress as
sembied, That from and after the day OF
next, it shall not be lawful to bring into
the District of Columbia any slave whatever, for
the purpose Of being sold, or for the purpose of
being placed in depot, to be subsequently trans
ferred to any other State place. And if any
shall be brought into the said District by its
owner, or by the authority consent of its owner,
contrary to the provisions of this act, such slave
shall thereupon become liberated and free.
SEC. g .4nd be it further enacted, That it shall
and may be lawful for each Of the Corporations
of the cities of Washington and Georgetown, from
time to time, and as often as may be necessary,
to abate, break up and abolish any depot or place
Of confinement of slaves brought into the said
District as merchandise, contrary to the provi-
sions of this act, by such appropriate means as
may appear to either Of the said Corporations en-
pedient and proper And the same power is here
by vested in the county court of Washington, if
| any attempt shall be made within its limits, to
| establish depot place Of confinement for slaves
krpn oh 10 niefr toop 1ica for
| sale contrary to this act.
Mr.. CLAY explained the object Of the BILL
1t was to abolish the slave trade in this Dis
| trict. This trade consists of the purchase Of
slaves from within from without the District,
when they are deposited in depos, not for the pur-
pose Of finding masters here, but for transporta-
ton to the markets Of the South. The inhabi-
tants of this District have interest in this traf-
hc-they desire its suppression. The bill does
not prohibit the owner here from selling slave to
another citizen for his own use, nor from buying
slave for the same purpose. it is simply re-
vival Of an old law of Maryland (Mr. CLAY
read the b.) He understood there was but one
depot in this District now; such depots were re-
garded as an evil-they are private jails not sub
ect to inspection. The object of the bill was to
suppress them and the foreign or outside slave
traffic with which they are connected, a traffic of
no interest to the people of the District. As the
subject had heretofore been thoroughly discussed,
Mr. CLAY did not suppose that any heightened
debate would retard the action of the Senate upon
the bill.
Mr.. FooTE, proposed his amendment or sub
sttute for the bill. This substitute propose to
regulate the police laws Of the District, SO as to
control the ingress, and the egress Of slaves, and
of free persons of color, into and from this Dis
trct at the discretion Of the corporate authorities
Of Washington and Georgetown. 1t gives them
also the necessary discretion to provide for the
punishment OF kidnappers Of slaves and for the
protection of the rights of any free colored person
seized or confined a slave.
Mr.. FOOTE, briefly explained the object Of his
amendment.
Mr.. HUNTER, regretted the introduction of
this bill at this time. 1t would necessarily add
to the existing causes Of agitation between the
two sections Of the Union. 1t would be regarded
the beginning Of series of measures, which
must end in the abolition Of slavery in this Dis
trict. He regard ed it measure Of vital impor-
lance to the South, especially to Virginia Mr..
HUNTER proceeded to dispute the constitutionaty,
citing the cases of Grooves ps. Slaughter, and Of
Gibbons and Ogden, and others in support of his
argument. He argued also the inexpediency Of
the act, and the benefits to both races, from the
transportation of slave labor to those localities,
where it commends the highest profit. He con-
tended that the system Of domestic slavery in the
South had operated benefcially for both races.
Morally, socially, and physically, there could
not be found upon the earth three millions Of the
African race, in any thing approaching to the i'm
proved and happy condition Of the slaves Of the
Southern States. He contended that servitude,
from the earliest records, from the scup pures
among the ruins of Thebes, has been the condi-
ton Of the African race and that upon the score
ofhumanity, the domestic institutions Of the South
are established by history and experience, the
best adapted to the amelioration Of the naturally
degraded condition Of the children Of Ham. He
was opposed to this bill, because if passed, he was
apprehensive it would be followed by other mea-
tka Af.
the States.
Mr.. PEARCE gave notice Of an amendment to
the amendment Of Mr.. FooTE.
Mr.. CLAY said that the slave-trade was held
in detestation by all mankind. Legislation upon
all subjects should be governed, not by the head
alone, but by the head and the heart. He con-
tended that the save-trade in this District was an
evil. He held it, himself, in as much detestation
any man, and he believed this bill would satisfy
the North, and the South too, upon this subject
Of slavery in this District. The constitutional
power was explicit, and full, that it is beyond
the of, nd nhatr