The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-01-25


all these applications for the purchasing of relics
nothing better than apeculatons On the patriotism
= S hs s CLAY .ad . far !. hi. paper was con-
ocfned, he did not think i had been hawked about
the Capitol. He hadnade the motion without hay
ing spoken 70 any one.
Mr. BORIAND said the paper had been offered
iorsale at Me Capitol Hewould not be surprised
sale the sacred bones Of Washington.
The question was then taken, and the resolution
was passed.
The orders of the day being the bill making fur
Their provision to carry into execution the clause OF
the Constitution relative to fugitive slaves, it was
then taken up and read. NJ
Mr.. BUTLER said he felt, when introducing Al
bill to enforce article Of the Constitution, after
what had taken place in the Senate, as il he were
introducing subject Of discord IIs regretted the
necessity of the bill. In the Louisville Journal re-
ceved this morning, he read that there was about
\ 1000 worth Of property taken from that State
Constitution, that amount was lost forever. He did
not doubt but a similar amount was lost to Vir-
ginia, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Missouri; so that
about three or four hundred thousand dollars
year was lost 10 the slaveholding States. R
He intended to discuss this question entirely as
constitutional one. He was sure that, at the time.
Of the adoption Of the Constitution, this article was
intended as d requirement on the States in which
fugitive was found, to deliver him up and so IL
was considered till within short time. -Four or
five years ago, there was no more difficulty in en-
ploying a constable in the city Of New York or
Philadelphia TO aid master in the recovery Of his
slave than there would be ia the city Of Charles
ION. gg6s n fas sirfn s,f4 y, ite ,ssilssa ,,T
BY the Legislation Of the States of Pennsylva-
mia and New York in relation 70 the subject,
the masters of slaves, who went there to recover
their runaways, were, In point of fact, prevented
from ever doing The act of Pennsylvania, OF
| 1876, had already been decided to be unconstitu-
that State and the States Of Connecticut, Massa-
chusctts, New Jersey, and other free States, had
passed laws in direct evasion Of that decision to de-
| feat the Constitution.
| Pennsylvania has passed a law whereby the right
Of master to take his slave is recognised. But it
makes it penalty for any man to do any thing
tending to breach Of the peace The effect Of this
law is, that if man goes to Pennsylvania and finds
his runaway slave the magistrate tells him that he
has right to take his slave, but he also tells the
slave If hands laid on him the master becomes
liable to imprisonment for an assault and battery
if he take two or three with him, they all liable
for riot and if he enter any dwelling to seek his
property there, he is made liable for forcible en-
try. The effect of all this is, that the master is
placed in prison and the slave is set free. 2sl
The laws of Connecticut, Massachusetts,, Rhode
Island, were stated as being acts which prohibited
any officer, or judge, or keeper OF prison,
from aiding or assisting any master in recovering
his slave under certain penalties.
| He did not know if Maine had any laws upon this
subject; but if her representatives on this floor
any indication Of the public feeling there, not
much could be expected from her. One OF those
4
personal opposition slavery in the abstract to be
wholly in favor Of all measures intended to operate
| against the South.
i The State of Ohio was the next But he could
| not ascertain what her laws were. The sentiments
1 of her representatives well known. One Of
| them, in a resolution, declared that when called
upon to support the Constitution of the United
States, he would do SO with mental reservation
never to support this clause relative to fugitive
slaves, considering it absolutely null and void.
Mr.. CHASE asked to whom the Senator referred!
Mr.. BUTLER. To you, sir.
Mr. CHASE said he never offered such reso-
luton, voted for such a resolution. He
never would offer such resolution, nor would he
ever vote for such resolution.
! Mr.. BUTLER said that the resolution was i'm
puted to the Senator and it offered. in lS43, by
the Senator at public meeting. He had made the
statement on the authority of the newspaper.
Mr. CHASE thought the Senator should have
some better authority for making such charge
than mere statement in the newspapers.
Mr.. BUTLER said the papers had imputed the
resolution to the Senator from Ohio. There was
4 such aconnexion now between those who figured
in the papers, and the conductors ofhem, that they
were better authority than was supposed.
The Legislation Of Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana was
admitted not yet TO have reached the point OF OPP
preston. But they had done nothing to aid the
South in recovering their slaves All the legisla-
ton of the free States evasions of the Const
tuition and of the decision of the Supreme Court in
the Of Prigg The State of Pennsylvania.
He did not hope that the legislature of the free
timents and feelings Of those whorepresented those
States here that the South had hope of receiving
Justice at their hands. This bill was TO secure TO
the South certain relief which was guaranteed them
! by the Constitution.
Mr.. b. alluded to the manner in which slavery
had become the topic of debate. II was owing to
the accession of new territories. He bad supported
the war, had voted supplies; but had opposed the
war when il became evident that it was for con-
quest. He knew that the acquisition of the terri
tories would be an apple Of discord, and that u ac-
quired, the South would be excluded. The North
had by its majority, had through the ballot boz,
scaled the fate Of the South equality in the af
fairs Of the Goyernmentor Of its possessions From
the time OF the adoption of the Constitution up to
| within few years, the South had majority; was
| that majority ever exercised TO wrong or opPress
| the North Never In the with Mexico the
South had furnished her quota of men, The south
ern regiments had done every thing that men
could do. They bad fought as well as northern
regiments. And yet the South was excluded from
an equal share in the territories conquered. He
admired the conduct Of General Scott, who in the
moment when victorious and enthusiastic army
were covering him with garlands as a leader,
when his country and the world were filed with
his glory, had quietly laid down his command
at the suggestion Of the Government and returned
home. This done at a moment when, IL de-
sired, he could have with his army taken posses
sion Of the territories and marked out n dominion
for himself The country owed him tribute A
column should be erected 10 him. Suppose those
southern regiments had been disbanded In Califor-
mia, as stevenson's and other northern regiments
had, would any man suppose that the southern men
would have allowed themselves and their friends at
home TO be excluded from taking their property
tbercY But how different was IL with the northern
men who were dsbandcd there, The first thing they
do, upon the country being taken, L. 10 forever
olude from IL those who fought under Scott, and
conquered the very soil they denied TO
tread. The present was the time for the South 10
take her stand and insist upon guaranty being
| given that the constitutional rights Of the South
should not be further infringcd. In short time
Minnesota, Nebraska, Descret, California, and New
Mexico would be applying for admission into this
Union. II was tho duty Of the South, before they
admitted this power which would forever crush
them, 10 insist while they had still strength
than they ever would have again, upon something
| 70 protect them for the future.
In conclusion, be said tho South would adopt az
her motto that which appeared on tho seal Of tho
State Of Georgia" Equality or Independence"
Mr.. CHASE said he bad been alluded 10 on scv.
eral occasions. He no reason why any Senator
should be selected especially object Of attack,
unless II was from the reason that by his scnti-
msnts be was cxcluced from the two great parties
OF the Union. II was, perhaps, because he stood
alone, and, unlike others, had great party 10
defend him. The Senator from South Carolina had
few days ago referred TO a letter written by him
that letter he had written 10 the Speaker Of the Le-
Qislaure OF his State lie scrtinents were the