The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1850-02-22

Msg. cAAY,S SpEECu.
cnNc aungD FROM rouaru PAGE.

lulioa | will add onIya single observa.
ton, that when The bill comes up to br
finally acted on. | will vnle most cordial
,ly aud heartily for it,
Mr.. DAVIS, Of Massachusetts VIII
the honorable SenllDr permit me to in
terrupt h;n for a mnmenll want to say
one word in behalf Of the State of Massa
chdseus, with his permission.
Nj. CLAY. Certainly, certainly.
Mr., DAVIS. have never, although
most likely he may have heard the apol.
ogy stated by the honorable Senator for
passing the law to which he has refer ed;
but, an The contrary. have always uu.
d0rstnod that the law which Massachu.
seIts had for restorin.. fugitive slaves,
was because the courts below. as they un.
derstood il. had pronounced their law
unconstitutional That is the ground
which they Took whether they were wise
in the legislation they adopted | shall NOT
undertake 20 say, Bat wish to say one
word in regard to The mission, as it is
termed byihe honorable Seuatorfrom Ky,
to South Carolina.
If | call the facts io my recollection
correctly they are these. We arc the
owners Of much shipping We emplny
many sailors. aud among them we en-
pioy free colored men, men whom we in
Massachuselts acknowledge To be ciri
ztns of the United States, and citizens
Of the commonwealth. aud entitled to the
rights Vt citizsns. These citizens were
taken from our vessels when they nrriv-
ed IN south Caroline. aud were hehl in
custody ill the vessel called again. This
our cilzsn complained of. whether Justly
or uujuslly, lln, it was an encruachmrnt
in the first place, upon,he rights Of cIi.
szsns. and in the next place. that it was
great Inconvenience To men engaged in
commerce. II remember rightly. and
think do. the State OF Massachusetts au.
,horised its Governor, to propose at the
expense of tho State, to some suitable
aud proper persnn, who was citizen of
South Carolina. to test the right to hold
her citizens in custody in this way, in the
courts Of the State, ~ IN tho courts nf the
United States. III remember rightly, that
was declined by ono or more citizens of
South Carolina. Then the mission to
which the honorable Senator relsres,
was instituted, and the termnaliOn of il !
believe he has correctly stated.
wish itto appear that Massachusetts
haJ NJ aggressive purposes whatever.
but simply wished that the judiciary
sbonld decIe Tho question existing be
tween them. Sho wanted uolhing more,
she asked nothing more.
Mr. Clay. Mr President, hear with
much pleasure this explanation, have
been informed, however, by an eminent
citizen of NJ issachuselis, whose name
IL Is unnecessary To mention -he is not
member of this body-thal the molves
for tho repeal Of these laws. or for the
passage uf these laws. or at least one of
the mnlves, was the treatment of MIR
Hoar in Charleston. However, | am
glad to hear that it proceeded from anolh
or cause, and that is what conceive to be
misconception of what the true opinion
oi the judges Of the Supreme Court was
When the lrue exposition ofthal opin |
ion comes Ia bo known in Massachusetts.
] trust that the Legislature Of that State
will restore the laws facilitating the 70.
cSyery of fugitive slaves aud which she
repealed in consequence Of that mibcon.
ce2tion
Mr.. President. have good deal Ia
say. aud | shall therefore pass from the
consideration of this seventh resolution
withtho observation, which believe
have partly made before, that the most
stringsnt provision upon this subject
which eau be devised. will meet with nv
hearty concurrence aud cooperation in
the passage Of tho bill which is under tho
consideration Of the Senats, The last
resolution declares
"Thai Congress has no power To pro.
hibii or obstruct tho trade in slaves be
tween the slaveholdng States; but thar
the admission or exclusion of slaves
brought from one into another of
them, depends exclusively upon their
own particular laws"
This is a concession, not, | admit, OF
uuy real constitutional provision, but u
concession fiom the North to the South
Of what is understood, | believe, by n
great number at the North, To ne con
sliiutional provision lf tho resolution
should be adopted, take away the decis.
ion Of the Supreme CouT Of tho United
States on this subject, aud there is grea'
deal. | know. that might be said on both
sides as tn tho right of Congress 10 regu
late trade helween the States; but think
the decision Of tho Supreme Court has
been lodnded uponthe correct principles,
aud trust II will forever put an end To
the question whether Congress has or has
not the power to regulate the intercourse
aud trad1 in slaves between the different
States.
Such, MIR. President. is the series of
resolutions which. in an earnes, and nnx
ious desire to present the olive branch Ia
both parties flhis distracted. aud at the
present moment unhappy country, | have
Thought il my duy To offer. OF all men
upon earth am least attached tn any pro
dnctions Of my own mind. No man up.
en- earth is more ready than | am to sur