The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-09-26
ported. We hail it as one step, though short
one, in the right direction.

But even this small concession to the spirit OF
the age was grudgingly yielded by the sisVehoid-
ing members of Congress. They attempted at hrst
to cucumber it with a vindctive provision, making
the act of inducing or aiding slaves in the pls-
to escape, felony punishable with fine, and I'M
prisonment in the penitentiary not more than ten
or less than FIVE years and failing in this, 'osy
generally voted against the bill.
In the Senate, September IA, the bill having
been reported from the Committee of the whole
with amendments, was taken up. The amend
ments as subsequently modified were as follows
CSC. 3. Aad be Il frth1 enacted, That If any
free person or persons within the District OF Co
lumbia, shall entice, or induce, or attempt, ny
persuasion or other means, 70 entice or induce
any slave or slaves TO run away from MS, her, or
their owner or lawful possessor, or shall IN any
manner aid, abet or assist any slave or slaves IN
running away or escaping from the owner or law
full possessor Of such slave slaves, or shall har-
Dor any slave or slaves with the intent to assist
him, her. II them, to escape from the service OF
such owner or possessor, such person or persons
shall be liable to indictment in the criminal court
of the District of Columbia and upon convic-
ton, by verdict confession, or otherwise, shall be
imprisoned in the penitentiary not exceeding five
- ''-~s - --'' TX
"SEc. 4. A,,d be 1t further enacted, That in case
snv slave nr JslaveS y1r iy'es1 7"rs''e1~l or en-
ueen w run oray, or assiS,eo lNMnlNg a~n5 iOf
harbored with the intent 10 assist him. her, or
| them, in running away or escaping from service,
shall actually run away and escape from the SER
vice of the lawful owner or owners, any person
convicted as aforesaid of such enticng, persua-
| ding assisting, or harboring, shall also be SEN
! fenced by the said court to pay to the owner
or owners Of said slave or slaves the value
of the same, to be assessed and determined by
the said court, to be recovered by execution, in
cases of other judgments.
"SEC. 5. And be II further enacted, That the said
corporations and the said levy court respectively
shall be- and they are hereby, invested with the
power, by police regulations not inconsistent
with the laws and Constitution of the United
States, to prohibit the coming Of free negroes to
reside within their respective jurisdctonal limits
| and to remove therefrom such as may come with
| in these limits contrary to such prohibition, and
to regulate the behaviour of those now residing or
who may hereafter be allowed to reside in the
same; and to enforce such removal or a compli-
ance with such regulation, by fine not exceed
| ing two hundred dollars, and Imprisonment at la
Dor for time not exceeding six months or Ell
| Their, at their discretion" -
The question was taken on concurring in each
section separately. The Sd section was rejected
as follows:
YEAs-Messrs. Badger, Barnwell Bell, Berri-
en-, Butler, Davis of Mississippi Dawson, Dick
inson, Downs, Foote, Hunter, King, Mason, Nor
ton, Pratt, Rusk, Sebastian, Soul6, Sturgeon, Tur
ney, Underwood, and Yulee-22
NAYs-Messrs. Baldwin, Benton, Bright
Chase, Clarke Clay, Davis of Massachusetts,,
Dayton, Dodge of Wisconsin, Dodge of Iowa.
Ii Grr;u ali
Hamlin, Jones, Norris, Seward, Shields, Smith,
Spruance Wales, Walker, and Winthrop-26.
Dickinson and Sturgeon were the only North
ern Senators voting in the affirmative. Benton,
Clay, Spruance, and Wales, from slave States,
voted in the negative. Fremont and Gwin, it
will be observed, voted with the North. General
Cass absented himself
The 4th section being dependent upon the Sd,
was rejected without division.
A motion made by Mr. Davis of Mississippi to
postpone further proceedings till Monday, fail
ed-yeas IS, nays 81.
The question was taken on concurrng with
the 5th section, and decided in the negative as
| follows:
YEAs-Messrs Atchison, Badger, Barnwell,
A'iAco'ociPPiI
son, Dickinson, Downs, Hunter King, Mason,
Morton, Pratt, Rusk, Sebastian, Soul6, and Tur-
ney-2o.
NAYS - Messrs Baldwin, Benton, Bright,
Chase, Clarke, Clay, Davis of Massachusetts,
Dayton, Dodge of Wisconsin, Dodge of Iowa,
Douglas, Ewing, Felch, Fremont, Green, Gwin,
Hale, Hamlin, Jones, Norris, Seward, Shields,
Smith, Sprusnoe, Sturgeon, Underwood, Wales,
Dickinson, the only Northern man voting in
the Affirmative; Benton, Clay, Underwood Spru-
ance, and Wales, from slave States, voting nay.
General Cass absented himself
The bill was then ordered to be engrossed for a
third reading by the following vote
! YEAs-Messrs. Baldwin, Benton, Bright Cass
Chase, Clarke, Clay, Davis of Massachusetts,,
Dayton, Dickinson, Dodge of Wisconsin, Dodge
of Iowa, Douglas, Ewing, Felch, Fremont, Greene,
Gwin, Hale, Hamlin, Jones, Norris, Seward,
Shields, Smith, Sprhance, Sturgeon, Underwood,
Wales, Walker, Whitcomb, and Winthrop-32
| NAYs-M essrs Atchison, Badger, Bsrnwell,
Bell, Berrien, Butler, Davis of Mississippi, Daw-
SON. Downs, Hunter, King Mason, Morton, Pratt,
Rusk, Sebastian, Soul6, Turney, and Yulee--l9.
Benton, Clay, Underwood, Spruance, and
| Wales were the only Southern Senators who
voted in the affirmative. General Cass, who had
lodged on the amendments, could safely venture
vote on the bill itself. The reporters and let
ter-writers were greatly amused at the good luck
of the General in always finding business out of
the Senate, just when q vote would have been in
convenient.
The bill was taken up Monday following, and
passed by the following vote:
YEAs-Messrs Baldwin, Benton, Bright Cass
Chase Clarke, Clay, Cooper, Davis of Massachu-
sets, Dayton, Dickinson Dodge Of Wisconsin,
Dodge of Iowa, Douglas, Ewing, Felch, Fremont
Greene, Gwin, Hale, Hamlin, Houston, Jones,
Norris Seward, Shields, Spruance, Sturgeon,
Underwood, Wales, Walker, Whitcomb, and
Winthrop-33.
NAYs-Messrs. Atchison, Badger, Barnwell,
Bell Berrien, Butler, Davis of Mississippi, Daw-
son, Downs Hunter, King Mangum Mason,
Morton, Pratt Sebastian Soule Turney, and
Yulee-l9.
The absentees from the South were, Pearce Of
Maryland, Clemens of Alabama Foote of Mis-
sissippi, Rusk and Houston of Texas, Borland of
Arkansas
On the 18th, it was taken up in the House, and
subjected to the same summary process under
which the kindred measures from the Senate had
been forced through; among many competitors
for the floor, Mr.. Brown Of Mississippi, who
stood leaning against his desk with the utmost
compOsure, as if perfectly assured that he would
obtain it, was recognised by the Speaker. He
was ready with the following amendment
I" Aed be further enacted, That if any free
person or persons within the District of Co
| iumbia shall entice or induce, by persuasion or
other means, any slave or slaves to run away
from his, her, their owner or lawful possessor,
or shall in any manner aid, abet assist any slave
or slaves in running away, or escaping from the