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

sion that unless that amendment can now be smended
saall feel constrained 10 against it, voted against
because il prepared Than The FIRST ano because
II contained principle winch could not sanction al all
With these preliminary remarks beg leave 10 state to
the friends OF the pending smendm nj what will vote
tor, and what think onghto be done believe. 10 conse
9uencr OF what has taken place ~ reference to the re-
q slave n nss we aass
nadequacy Of penalty for the offence that we ought to
do something with regard 10 it, Now. here is the lessla
Years which has been adequately and properly consider
ed by the authorities OF that State. and believe IL has
worked well There are three offences punishable by
the laws of Kentucky upon this subject These three
offences are punished separately BY different degrees
OF punishment, The offences being graduated accord
ing % THEN magnitude When state these offences
clear discrimination between each, and the .appro-
praieness Of The punishment applied to each 3, the
his master and has been taken Out OF the State into
another State or foreign country That offence being
completed the law o. Kentucky Furnishes il BY mprson
men In the penentaTy for not less than two nor more
than twenty years. The second offence consists in per
suading slave TO abscond that is to leave his master,
run away, and conceal himself in the neighborhood.
This offence being completed, the individual offending
subjected to fne not less than fifty, nor more than five
hundred dollars There is, them third offence which
that of persuadng slave to abscond eope but failing
in the attempt to induce him leave his master This
offence il punished by the arrest OF the offender and by
requiring him to give bond and security for good beha
the offences all commingled together, and without
any discrimination, are put in the same section, and all
made penentary offences That is the great objection
70 the amendment il stands. Upon more reflection,
therefore, though voted for the amendment the other
day, shall now vote against II, unless II can be A~ended.
II the section is amendabie, would propose 10 ike i
tncky II does to that this act OF the State OF
Kentucky, with such verbal alterations will make il
applicable to the District, will give rule TO 90 by,
against which there be reasonable objection Let
me read, sir
"Tha. II any person having lawful Or cSor Of claim
9, q ana % escans 70 psr
without the limits of the State of the other States
assist making Of furnishing forged pass Of freedom Or
any other forged purpoing 70 be deed Of emanci
to berate any slave shall in any aid or assist
such slave in making his escape from such owner
SCISSOR another State foreign country, every person
offending shall, conviction be enced confinement
in the jail penitentay Of this Commonwealth period
not less than two years, than twenty years"
You perceive thai TO constitute The offence, there must
be the enticng seducing and the fact connected
with it. that IN pursuance OF such entcng or seducing,
the slave did go of the State OF Kentucky into another
State foreign country To complete the offence all
these things must suggest to the friends OF this
measure that which | have read as an amendment OF
which they avail themselves by changing the Ian
guage to make il applicable 10 the District of COL
umba If they shall prepare amendment OF that sort,
under the consideration OF the facts which have been re-
Gently brought to notice, shall feel constrained 10
vote for il amendment of this bill shall not offer
il, but bring il forward merely 10 show what think
ought to be done, and how the present amendment
stands.
With regard to the second amendment offered by the
senator from Maryland, it contains principle which
could moi su stain al the time it was offered and the more
have thought OF It the more repugnan IT Is to me. II
says:
" That the said corporation and the said levy court.
specvey shall be- aud they hereby invested with the
power 10 prohibit the con,ng Of free negroes reside
within heir respective urdctonai limits, and TO remove
therein, who shall neglect comply with laws and
dnanes made, TO be made touching such residence
comgliance with ,uch ordinances by fac and mprison
menf a. labor or either, at their discretion"
Now, you perceive that this section operates on free
negroes who may have been born and raised in the
munlty hire operates upon class who may have been
here twenty thirty, forty years Now, sir what right
who shall fail to comply with its ordinances into
another State, thereby imposing u,on others worthless
description of population readily perceive how
may he proper to prevent paupers and vagabond pUpu
laon that ought not TO be received into any society from
coming and acquiring settlement among those with
whom they may wish hereafter to reside All civilized
communities have passed laws to regulate this matter
The old English law and law provides for the
removal oil iaupers 10 the place whence they came TO
prevent their acquiring settlement as TO become en-.
iiuet 10 support ftoSthe community where they have en-
tered But surely that is very different thing from the
passage OF Jaw which will allow the driving out OF the
whole Of particular class who have been born and raised
and doacied ia the place for forty fifty yearstorn-
ing them out OF their homes ana sending them of into
other countries, upon allegation that they have violated
an ordinance OF The corporation where ,heyare.
have made these remarks because OF the position
assumed the other day but before take my seat will
say few words more The discussion we have had for
the last three or TOUR days proves thing clearly
thar all the which have been passed, and all
that may hereafter be passed. will not stop agitation upon
The question OF slavery so long as gentlemen from The
North, Who like the mover of the proposition which
was negatlyed the other day, Mr. SEwARDl rise in
either house Of Congress and offer propositions TO abol
ish slavery the Distrct OF Columbia, 10 change The
laws on the subject OF slavery as they exist here
trust sir that these which have been passed
will IN their ultimate effect, operate upon the minds
OF the people, both in the North and In the South as
produce better state OF feeling than that which has
heretofore existed hope that harmony and peace may
be the result OF these measures; and believe that their
tendency, with exception, Is 10 produce that des
rable result But while believe all that, while hope
tor all that see, this question of slavery IN the
District, those who disposed TO agaie precisely NJ
the gentleman from New York mas done this occa
sion. And, sir, nowthsta ding the OF the
speeches. and all The CALCULATIONS which took place last
Saturday night noiwIth standing the declarations in
every quarter that peace and harmony had taken the
place OF iactous contention and dsunion--we have
in the discussion during the last four days this
chamber, that the same still exist which
hereafter be touched, and reproduce all the exciting
aud agitating scenes through which have passed
during this session. am one OF those, sir, who,
am sorry TO say it, have bee0 published in the
papers OF the District-especally in whose editor
usually possesses much courtesy-as having voted |
favorably 10 disunon and civil war, because could not
consistently with my convictions and feelings OF duty,
vote Tor the Texas boundary bill The language Of the
editorial is this: |" In Judgment therefore, every
Texas boundary bill and oihers) tending 10
civil war" gave that vote after proper investigation
OF the subject, AS thought gave upon conviction
gave IL because thought il right 10 vote as did