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

SUPPRESSION OF THE SLAVE TRADE.


SUPPRESSION or THE SLAVE TRADE
The Senate having under consideration the bill to sup
nra. The slave trade in the District OF Columbia the de-
baie was continued as follows:
Mr.. SOULEN Mr.. President, do not wish to inter-
shs nor viii detan The Senate at any length on the
subject which calls up During the course of debate
Yesterday repeated ausions were made TO the legislation
Grating thither from other States, and the manner in
which that legislation was enforced which require from
me some words OF explanation. The honorable senator
from Massachusetts. lr W,sraspp i referring to
10 pace in my hands this moTnns, as the authority on
which rested the information which he communicated 10
Tue Senale That may not misslae the terms in which
,be information is conve, ed in that letter. beg leave to
read from it those lines which concern New Orleans;
"Why few years since, (says the writer, speaking of
arrest oil col red trson) took place daily AZ New
Yes hundreds have nesp at ous Or ships sky feet RON
"a. soil Of Louisiana, ci te waters OF the Uated States
sh,pp,aster and have uared between New Orleans and
Liverpool for yrars and have seen cooks Stewards
masters Of each uiepaiy, whose duty was and has
been have hem aken TO prison. And Il Is doae now in
every instance OF Tree coiored man going into most ports
south Of Chades,on."
Such are the wrongs imputed to New Orleans in that
letter. Sir, is not my purpose to enter into an elabo-
rate discussion OF the consttutionaliiy OF the power
claimed BY southern States 10 egslae over matters
Intimately connected these with their peace and
tranquility. | shall but briefly advert to il hereafter.
Nor will il be necessary that SHOULD say anything oi the
abuses the a rant abuses, which have rendered indis-
pensaAe the exeTtion OF that power II were, might
content myself with stating that they are OF nature
very much like that OF which reminded the other
day, by the recital OF the triumphant parade OF runaway
slaves which vas beipg exhibited. while we were dis
cussng here these ag2ing topics, in places where the
least regard the constitution might have insured more
protection 10 the tights Of the masters from whom those
slaves had been stoen in open daylight and indeed in the
midst OF crowds assembled in convention 10 witness the
spectacle.
Il is known by whose agency and through what kind
OF emssaes such slaves thus taken away from their
lawful proprietors and with view to the correc-
ton Of The abuses which those things originated. that
the stringent laws SO bitterly complained OF and de-
nounced were enacted and IN some few instances brought
10 execution.
The power thus exered by the Legislatures OF two
three OF the southern Saies aseailed not only on the
ground Of It's but that Of the gross
cruelty which il is alleged marks in most cases It's appi
cation and the Clause in the constitution ls invoked
which says that cizens OF each State shall be entitled
TO all the privileges and immuniiies OF czens OF the sew
DO moi know but that il might be enough for 10
peat here, what my honorable friend IRON South Caroi
ma said on iome OCCASION, IN that peculiar style Of his
which impars much cogency 10 all has remarks; and
that Is, thai until be shown that citizen OF any State
has been denied any OF e pruaeges and immunfies ac
corded 10 citizens pt c0ad0.s OF the States where
these laws oh enforced, the objection has
point. and falls TO the ground.
Sir, il that tue honorable senator who started
this oblecon, might have found the TACT that The
suunon was lfantd for lie l0nt government Oh States
which, with the snel exception OF Massachusetts,
were all aaueh0diBg SAFES. sufficient motive 10 doubt
that II could have entered the minds oi Iis trainers 10 take
away from those States all power of discrimination be-
tween the which composed their population, and
10 place them on iootng Of perfect equality. That
Massachusetts herself dreamed oi so cOnsung the
provision quoted from the constitution. Is most apIa,
rent from the fac that, but few months after she had
accepted the common compact and when her sages were
s fresh with the spirit which had breathed In the coun-
ella that framed il, she passed law which, in my humble
aaa k.do daGa f.f burn La
thai passed on the same subject IN any OF the
sa,e States Here s that law il bears date l7ss. and
provides that all negroes not citizens oil any State 10
the Union, but resident here are required TO depart IN two
monls, they may be apprehended, whipped, and or
deed TO depart The process and punishment may be
renewed every two months"
governments Of this country but The isolaed opinion Of
Massachusetts, declared in the legislative enactment
just read expressive OF the construction which has al
most invariably been placed on the constitutions, proys
construction which twenty four States, out OF the thirty
Que which constitute this republic placed upon It, as their
constitutions discriminate between colos and races 20 lar
nto ADMIT 10 the higher privileges OF citizenship only
rhde male persons. And OF the eighteen new States
ibai were admitted into The Union since iis constitution
was framed, | can hnd but one (the State oi Maine)
which has the discriminating clause in her funda
mental law Ali the others presented themselves 10 Con-
grss Tor admission with that clause Ia Their consttu-
ton California heref, whose accession TO the United
%o. - no be uaoa wss 20 warmly
her representatives in this aud in The other end oi
lbe Capltol-CaDfoInia cams 40 win this obnoxious
Clause 10 her constitution; and for the SALVATION oi my
sou cannot Tecolec that she, no more HAN her pre-
etdlcg sisters, ever opposed on thai ground.
br President, do wish too long on the
tshce he Senate. nor to arrest by TOO lengthy ds
QUESTION this part OF the subjects the vote so anxious
cooked tor BY the friends OF the bill upon your liable
dese however place before the Senate, ere am done
with H. another sutbory. showing that the dsciimina-
hon between races aud colors was not limited 10 tue
Stale constructions but has been sanctioned by the wis
DON and policy OF the whole country. That authority .
no Iess than the law oi Congress approved January ~
llS5 being An act 10 establish unli0fm rule oi naiu
razsilon, and which provides thai none but "a Jfet
ras moe prison be admitted 10 become ei.izsn q
The United States.
cvtDe the facts stated in the letter from which
The honorable senator from Massachusetts read on yes.
ter6ay and to The legislation which they said
TO have oceu red am happy thai have Il my power
TO lay such isets before that senator will enable bIm 10
eorrect the mlsapHehenson under which be evidently
iabors, and 10 quie his pblanhrupc scruples take
upon my self that tie forth in the eef
ae unounded and untrue. SIR, they cannot have oc urre
under the laws force Louisiana; the people OF New
Orleans are TOO orderly and we'll behaved to suffer such
soss violations oil those laws within that c the fact,
stated would imply will say, without lear OF contradc
ton, that there place in the whole Union where the
police !. active in protecting The stranger, and 10
seeing that Justice be done 10 hm. We scorn there al
thosepeity p,iudces which unfortunately prevail 10 sucf
adeporabe exieot other places, aud we tender to h
stranger who VISITS still surer protection than mat
,ne law-lhe thied Of warm heart ard o an unauecet
hospitality Sit. such ,hings a. those described IN in
e'itr would mol be tolerated single day, nor slDg
houf lhty cannot have happened; they have not hap
Fhea; anu ,here ~ not, am sure, shlpmasier wh'
would endorse ihtm, except The whose sgnaur
they are made to appear. That the Senate may Judge
the degree o credit winch they deserve il will suffice
a tha inn