The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-09-17

through the proper aud nghtfal channels, We know.
and the senator knows, that we attempted IN the hrst
instance, 70 employ attorneys and lawyers IN the southern
States for The purpose OF investigating this question and
bringing 10 decision before their own judicial uibu-
nails, and that when we had failed in that attempt agents
OF our owI--most respectable and eminent persons
were employe who were repulsed from your doors and
turned away with indignity.
Sir. these are facts which no man can deny. And
neither abuse nor mpuati0n heaped unjusty upon sen
aior who may attempt array them before the country
any miserable qaibbling upon statement which may
have been brought here showing the opinions and es
mates which Others may have formed upon the subject
neither the one nor the other can do away with these no.
torous and weauthenticated facts. You cannot rail
them out Of existence They stand upon the records OF
the country; and there they will stand, perpetual
poach and rehuke those who insist that this question
shall not be brought before responsible judicial tribu
nal and shall not be tried in the ordinary constitutional
INr. BERRIEN again addressed the Senate, as pub
lished on Saturday
cienty answered and repealed the unfounded impuaons
OF the senator from Georgia One word more as 10 his
argument The senator from Georgia has not only for
gotten what occurred here yesterday but he has quite lost
sight OF the peculiar character OF the question before
He tells us that This perpetual war upon southern nstu
tons is about to dissolve the Union God forbid, Mr.
President. that anything should dissolve this Union
But sir LEI the senator remember tina, the war which is
the subject OF this controversy is war upon our nstu
lions and not upon MS \ i The right 81 ssesing ss our
which is At stake upon this issue You propose TO insert
into the pill before Us power e expei all free eooIed
persons from the DsTCt OF IOumDa on pain OF Oelng
imprisoned at labor without limit Your southern laws
authorize the seizure and imprisonment OF free col
ored sailors Is il, then, upon southern institu.
ons which is the subject Of controversy Or is il
not rather fragrant upon northern institutions and
upon sailors rights, and war OF the senator's
ging In the same manner, sir, the senator from Geor
gia, with less than his usual in examining questions
Of evidence, has omitted, in reading this memorial. to
take any notice OF the CAPTION II may have been an un
designed, but was BY no means an unimporant oms-
sion. He inmated that this memorial worth moth
ing matter OF testimony, because it contained only
the names OF people who knew nothing personally upon
this question must read the caption Of The memorial
once more: "Your petitioners, citizens OF the United
States and some OF them orners and naserso vessels
Sir, these masters OF vessels speak that which they
s sas e
persons and board their vessels. The senator
must admit. therefore, thai right in speaking OF this
ton; and it is such evidence, s as he viii in vain at.
tempt to ebu, and as he will not venture 10 treat with
IMr. BERRIEN again addressed the Senate, as pub.
Mr. SOULE. T6e senator from Massachusetts, who
has just taken his seat. Mr DAvIs,l whilst rebutng
one Of the arguments which had presented TO the Sen.
ae seemed 10 think that had mistaken the ground
which his colleague MR. WINTHROP bad vlndlcated
the preension OF Massachusetts claim or her colored
citizens equality Of rights with the white people OF
Louisiana. Imade such mistake. understood the
distinguished senator from Massachusetts who spoke
hrs, as Predlcating the claim Of his State upon tha,
which myself read this morning, and which is in The
following words:
The ctzens Of each State shall be entitled all prvi
eges and immunitcs OF citizens in the several States.
did not therefore, misapprehend the hosorable sen.
ato On the contrary, took him on thar very ground.
not with view TO enter into regular disquson with
him on that subject but to show The inconsistency OF
any Just position being assumed by any represent
ing the State of Massachusetts And what did state
stated that this clause in the constitution must have
s nos ~ s Tsh D% ho IN wss s
two Massachusetts senators TO day seem 10 understand IT,
And the first authority which brought in support OF my
own position the statute passed by Massachusetts
herself but few months after she had raufed the
stuion. What does that statute show Why, clearly,
that Massachusetts did not consider as unconstitutional
10 create distinction between coored and white PERSONS
that she authorized by law her police officers TO arrest
and to whip once every two months every free negro
who should be caught within her borders until be de-
parted for other country That s the question 10
which the honorable senator should have addressed
HIMSELF aud TO which he has taken good care not TO al
lude. My next argument, which was also lett unan-
swered, was, thai out OF the thry-one States which
compose this Union, there are no less than twenty
who claim, in their constitutions, to be vested with full
Upon Upon ibis subject went ur6er, and stated that Of
the eighteen States which were admitted into the Union
alter ths adoption OF the constitution, there not one
IL the State Of Maine be excepted, which did not bring
with her this discriminating clause between the white
and the black Yet Massachusetts suffered these
new States TO come 10, after another without IN one
single instance, raising her voice, either in this chamber
or In the oher proclaim her iavore doctrine oi abso
lutte equality, and thai enforced against any at
tempt the part OF the coming States 10 deny and repu
date Il Why, not later than q few weeks ago, while
California was pleading for admission al our bar, with
constitution containing the odious distinction, what
scrupes exhibited on the part Of the honorable
sors 10 admit nerl None none Well might, then, the
question have been considered surrendered and for
ever given up. But no Massachusetts still holds
The honorable senator from that State furthest from
me IMr DAvrsl contends that although the legislation
OF Louisiana wefe have Just represented 10 be- the
facts set forth in the certificate and letter referred by
bis colleague may nevertheless be true Let HIM, then,
prove them. challenge hun 10 the proof. | declare
Them untrue. Have not shown that they had not that
they could not have the least ioundationi And when
tdeit assertion such authority ss tba, invoked
hoe.) will the senator persist IN commencing them 10
the attention OF the Senate II he does, be has more
and holiness than supposed him TO possess He
will not insist he cannot. but am met with another
piece OF evidebcethe memorial addressed 10 Congress
BY the eminent gentlemen whose were read with
~ much pomp, and almost with kind OF triumph
Sir. would deeply regret to say anything IN the least
dspafaging Of those gentlemen II Is not pretended that
they spoke OF the facts cited in The memorial as being
within Their PERSONAL knowledge. They certainly never
thought Of endorsing their correctness l. iof one VIII
duced inem 10 lend the authority OF their word TO any
thing that could bear the least sembance OF fasehood
They deluted into the belief that there was some
ground ot complaint and they signed The memorial win
out much inquiry into the authenticy n the grievance.
which II ftced. II proves nonIng When we are told
that Massachusetts denied the means OF procuring
evidence IN the States she sought 10 obtain y, as
far a. Louisiana is concernedand can only speak for
hel deny that she ever refused access TO any afchve
any record from which Massachusetts might have de-
rived any information she wished 10 obtain on mat sub
ieef MR. be could b.