Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-09-21

ton taken the motives which induced or the mode adep
ed in attempting to ence II free person says slave,
Come 80 out of the District and abandon your MASTER the
! punishment is imprisonment for years at least.
Now zee how would operate in Slaves and
free persons marry The may be free and the wife
slave the may be the condition in which they
Suppose the wife says the husband "you an servude
it pains me to it. children slaves let 60
of the District" Whichever may say that to the other
has committed offence, crime for which punishment
may be inflicted by confinement in the Peneniay for
years certainly My feelings and judgment revolt against
that; would not submit TO il it is wrong 1t ofends the
moral sense Of men who stand off and look upon without
any feelings or interest at all except those humanity What
Is the offence which is committed Not larceny for does
not rank in that class of crimes ALL Those tespasses
are committed for purposes of gain money. It does
not come within that class Of offences ranked with that
OF passing counterfeit money. The attempt utter and
publish as true and genuine any counterfeit coin or paper
rency has always been reckoned the contamination Of the
crime But thought arises in the mind of parent or
child who is free and the suggestion is made to the party who
not we VIII go out Of the District and be free you make
that peneniay offence. The case is very different one
from that of who steals slave and carries him off for
the purpose Of selling him. The motive is very different
There many cases occurring the borders where man
steals slave and sells him for gain and which deserve any
degree of punishment almost which you choose 10 nict In
opinion the punishment is totally dsproportioDed Ia the
offence in the first case while in the other il can scarcev be
too great cannot vote for bill containing that provision
desire to rid the bill of it, and leave Just AZ il was report
ed by the committee II may be looked upon as an inter
ference with the domestic rights Of Individuals if any mar
black or white, who Free should any thing slave
which would induce him TO be dissatisfied with bis position
and tend to induce him to leave bis master How them can
we leave i to the judgment Of say what the mean
ing OF this loose and vague term "encng attempt to
enice The judgment would not be uniform in all cases.
One juror would consider one act attempt entce which
another would not Iwoud depend the Of feeling
and public opinion in the place where the trial might be had
whether the decision would be that the man had committed
any crime or not s loose vague, incorrect and ncon-
elusive kind Of legislation and desire to see erpuneed
ment the bill be passed The amendment be con-
sdered IN manner to make it acceptable the two
Houses Of Congress in time pass the BILL For these
sons am opposed to these amendments.
Mr.. MASON. The amendment offered by the Senator
from Maryland has tended to Develop extent least
state Of feeling in this Senate which had supposed did not
exist Il has led some gentlemen to amongst them
the gentleman from Ohio who has Just taken his sea-hat
they are not prepared, in legsatng for this District where
the institution Of slavery exists such az have
been believed to be necessary protect the masters and
es OF that species Of property Sir the sentiments avowed
and the language uttered by that honorable Senator in my
Judgment tend forcbly to demonstrate the remark that fell
the other day from honorable Senator from Georgia.
These gentlemen will force to believe that there such
incompaby between the States holding slaves and States
not holding slaves render mpractcable that they should
live together under Government They fore
ing US to believe that and nothing have heard leads
decidedly towards than the sentiments uttered by the Sena
tor who has just taken his seat
Sir all the slave States SO far am informed, certainly
the State of Virginia. find necessary policy for the
W Of their property to punish felony those who attempt
to seduce slaves from their masters and lead them to bscond
The attempts punished equally with In that State
we have found this necessary for the security Of property
And now what is said That here, the of the
mon Government where this institution PREVAILS and where
gentlemen tell that they do not intend present least
to abolish it. they refuse pass laws which Shareholders deem
necessary for the security and enjoyment of this species of
property They refuse It in the face Of the well known fact
that here during the present winter, in than in
stance slaves the property Of gentlemen here by their
them, and attempts made to them off and get them safe
into free State beyond the reach their Sir, the
Inequalities the ordinary, decent Inequalities used towards
gentlemen sent here by their constituents have been violated
and yet it is refused to pass laws which win give eecua
curiy TO those rights Of property bound within
this District. This tends inevitably bring my mind
admission Of the truth shadewed forth in the remarks Of the
gentleman from Georgia, (M BERRIEs, that all these acts
are forcing the people the South to believe that cannot
exist together under common Government have not
closely scanned the provisions of the laws Of Virginia upon
this subject but know that she Furnishes felony the at
tempt to seduce slave from his and induce him
away. But here where the Of attempts of this
sort have occurred where the law is utterly inefficient and
where this recent depedator would be unpunished unless he
had committeds crime which subjected him to the penalties
OF me laws OF Maryland, where trust he will be punished,
that legislation which necessary for the security Of this spe
ces Of property opposed did intend to say one word
this subject but could not allow the occasion to pass
without expressing these views after the remarks which fell
from the Senator from Ohio, (Mr. EwISG.)
Mr. PRATT. Nh President regret that the absence of
my colieague (Mr fEARcH,) who proposed the amend
mens under consideration, will compel few words
in reference to them assure the Senate that have the
slightest intention Of entering upon the wide field Of discus
sion to which we have been invited by the Senator from Ten
nessee. MT BELL) II this the commencement Of
session, and were to follow his lead think we might
occupy almost whole session in discussing the exaneous
matters he has brought to the consideration Of the Senate
My object rather bring ba the attention of the Senate
to the propositions which contained in the BILL With
but two exceptions far he discussion has gone
to-day, every thing has tended dve the attention Of the
Senate from the questions which rally involved in the
BILL and to bring them to the consderaoof some PROPOSE
tons which not involved all any Of the sections
of the BILL The first sections of the bill has been
reported the Senate the sections which originally
introduced by the Committee Of Thirteen Ald as have
already had occasion to explain upon previous the
exclusive effect of these ectionsthe bill which thu Sem
aor from Ohio (Mr EwING) desires to pass, and whc he
thinks perfect in tsew be to prevent citizens of MAY
slave trade does prevent the slave trade except
that slave trade may be carried by citizens Of Maryland
with citizens Of the District of Columbia.
This therefore, the great and mighty object which the
Senator from Ohio and others DESTROYS
pished. The apprehension that the amendments which
have been adopted in committee they not now rejected
by the Senate, will endanger the passage Of these
first sections is Of the strongest arguments which is
used against the amendments themselves The honorable
Senator from Missouri (Mr BESroS) the honorable and
distinguished Senator from Kentucky, (Mr. CLAY, and in
deed smos all who have spoken in favor of the principle
embraced in these amendments, but they appehensve
that they adopted here the other House will not pass
the BILL that it may endange the passage here of the two
first sections, being the bill originally proposed.
Now, the object the present third section Of BILL which
IN fhn IF