The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1850-10-16

e"a'' hot aDoIish the freedom of sDeech mr. n
. Tue press. They are the restrictions whicl
>, are Contained chiefly in the amendment. !,
v the constitution. There may possiblv h,
o some IN the body of the constitution itself
d put mere Is no restriction, and cballeng,
n Tue production Of restriction if there he one
~"'ch fes'falIis the exercise Of the power o
n""e'ess over trade, foreign, alien TO IN.
p's'riet, and IN which the District has not p
: particle Of interest.
or, repeat Il, the power oe Congress
over lie District is the power Of eps alton
10 all casfs whatsoever And vet the arpu.
"'eh' against The power is, that there are ca.
ses. ana this Is one Of them, in which the
irglsia'l'e power Of Congress cannot be ex.
erci,ed. II there be such cases, ,hey are TO
DO i"und IN the limitations which must h.
P'oouced nhd shown 10 be applicable 10 the
P""ef. Dut there are 10 sucn limitations In
'h's case. l 'hInk, therefore, that the pow.
or OF Congress over tho subject Of the slave
trade ~ the District cannot be oue,,i,o.d
he truth Is that Congress has pu, the ,rsds
mere, as has been shown by the Senator from
mary iand hr. Pfsu.) II was by an enact.
mentoi Congress hat this sia, trade stole into
the District, and has continued to eyi., here
And is II possible to maintain tba, Conote.s
Is lncompeleh, to repeaI its owa laws. or to
pass an enac tineui he effect of which will h.
to abroga,e The eli CT Of those laws! No.
sir.
with regard 10 the question Of the abol
non OF slavery, repeat, have alws,s put
u upon The ground that, IN good faith towards
Mar, land, ne ought not White the institution
exists there TO disturb it within the District.
po' III reference TO this particular question
OF introducing slaves for sale within the Dis.
it'c'' 50 tar from acting in opposition to what
was The ancient policy Of Mary land, in pro
hib'lins and suppresslng it, we act in precise
Conformity with that policy. Her law. al
the time OF the cesslon By her Of this District.
as hi. been repeatedly shown, declared that
any slave brought within the State should be
Tree. Ihat was the law of Mary land, at tho
ilne the Dislfic, was ceded BY that S;a,e to
the United States.
My Honorable friend from Virginia (Nr.
Mason,) and another Senator, | believe, YES.
ierday spoke Of the embarrassment which
they felt in determining ahe her 10 vote for
The ball abolIshine the slave trade 10 he DIS.
lr'ct' or for the smendmen, offered by the
Senator from New York, (Mr. Seward, J a.
oohshing slavery in the District. Why, {
nat IS the difference between theml The
proposition ohried by the Senator from n.
York Mr.. Seward, has for its ohjec, the
'nlre and immediate abolition of slavery
within the District Of Columbia. The bill
which vas reported by the committee Of TLir
cen does not touch slavery within the DIS
ret OF Coulmba. 1t does not deal with ltat
NJ. 1t deals with different suli.ct. The ,
,ul reported by The committee declares by
'naciment that II would be violation Of law .
o introduce slave here to be sold here =
Well, what is the provision Why, tina, if a ii
lave, IN contempt Of the legislative authori. #
V is introduced here what ,hall be done -
hat shall be done what was done formerly ;.
n both Virginia and Mar, land lha, the :.
lave shall be Tree 10 Consequence of his il. !,
ega introduction. Gentlemen choose 10 re. ;,
ard This as species Of emancipation it is !,
10 such thing II is penslty inflicted on the .,
wncr o: the property sor violating the law ;,
I The land, aud introducing a slave here in =,
OF the express enactment OF VI
he law. II is not only a penalty, but this is
referred to other penal forms, because ii is ),
nore suitable, because it is more appropri :,
te, because II is more eh-ctual IN prevent. -
ng that slave trade which i, is the object of =,
he bill before the Senate to in,e rdic, And -
Is IN conformity with the experience Of the >,
"o adjoining States, when they had provis. =,
'Ds IN Their respective laws upon the subject. .,
care not whether, rs was said by the Sen. .
tor from Virginia, (Mr. uason,) the object =, -
those laws was 10 prevent the augmenta. !,
on OF particular race, or what was the oh. "
ct. But the law of Virginia and Maryland =
as that any slave brought into these States n
hould be, and was, free from The date Of his >.
production. And we can do the same thing !.
n1er power which | contend is eaua! to ~
rat in respect TO this District, because it is -
n exclusive power to leglsa,e in all cases =,
hatsoeser; aud there can be found no mi. ,r
'uon. no restriction upon the power in any Z,
art ot the constitution. in reference TO the :.
Ibject before the Senate. ~
| do hope that the honorable Senator from ~
'irginia will confde little more in his own /
over Of discrimination. lf he would have q;
nat confidence in his capacity for dscrimi. RI
alton to which that capacity entities him, m
nd would apply it to the subject before the ~
one bill for abolishing the for. ii
ign slave trade here, and the other propo. n,
lion to abolish slavery here--he would per. q
Give the great difference between the two h,
,easures. c,
Sir, do not mean at this time TO dwell ur
'neer on this subject, for am really desi. la
Gus that we should hasten to a decision up. vo
n it, and dispose Of it according to the sense tr
ia majority of the Senate. What has been ia
into the bill at the instance and &c
n the motion Of the Senator from Mary land. to
Mr.. Pearce,) will come in review before The h,
'enate when the bill shall have been report. Of