New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-09-14
GOV. sEWARD'S SPEECH.
Freedom In tho District of Columbia.
IN SENATE.

Reported Tor The Tribune.
WAsHlNGTos, Wednesday, Sept. 10.
The bill for the suppression of the Slave Trade
in the District OF Columbia being under considers
tion the pending question was stated upon the fol.
lowing amendment submitted by Mr. SEWARD:
MR. BEwARD submitted the following a. &
aubstituse for the whole bill, after the enacting
clause:
trtc OF Columbia and all persons held In bondage there
In shall be free The Secretary OF the Interior snsi audi
The time that this act takes effect such damages as they
shal suffer by the passage thereof aud the sum OF two
bund thousand dollars Ia hereby appropriated 10 carry
this act into execution out OF any money In tho Treasury
not Otherwise appropriated n,.,..n
Sec g. An election aball be held In the Dls.c. OF Co-
umba ASCERTAIN whether This bill approved by the pec
Pile thereof Those who approve the act shall expIeas
lheir appreciation by ballot containing the words kor
Emancipation In the DSrct' Those who are opposed
snail vote by ballot containing the words, emsn-
cpaon In the District" All persons entitled to vote tos
any municipal officer In the District and all citizens Of tho
United States residing within the District permanently,
0hall deemed qualified to vote at snch election Such
OF This act and on public notice of eaa than three
monbs be given by Inc Marshal OF the District II
majority of the votes given Ct such ele elton sha be In Ia
yor OF this act II shall go into effect Immediately II
aory the shall be against the same hs act shall
be void and OF none effect
MIR. g. rose and said Mr President-In aub.
hitting 80 grave proposition as this, am aware
that it would have been no unreasonable demand
on the patience OF the Senate, that Of the coun-
try, to have asked for time enough to explain tins
policy of the measure, and to defend the form In
which it ia submitted. But there remain only flteen
secular days Of this session OF Congress-, and In
my Judgment the time has come for debate to
cease and action to go For this reason for
bore from debate on offering the amendment. And
7 rhaPa n1ao haCepna at m aarliaP afagA of tina
session bad discussed at large all the principles
involved in the measure. had another reason for
that forbearance. Speaking for myself alone, aud
impu.ing no prejudice and no injustice to others,
may be allowed to remark that tbs abolition Of
Slavery everywhere seems to ne just and wise
policy, provided it can DO effected without pro-
ducing injury ousweighng its benefits. Oppoa-
ton TO Emancipation in the District Of Colambis,
therefore, seemed to me to be bad cause; and ID
- the nature of bad cause to betray itself ] did
not err, then, in supposng that the opposition
which my proportion would encounter would prove
its best vindicatioH.
Influenced by these considerations l shall nos
now address myself to the broad merits Of tho
question, but shall be content with aimpy advert
ing to points which have been made during the
present debate.
TIE frst point was made by the honorable Sen
ator from Georgia, Mr.. Dawson) with the concur
renee of some other Senators, and consisted 10 tho
improper or bad motives which they saw fs TO i'm
pute TO the author Of the measure. 6ir the great
Instructor ia the art Of reasoning Lord Baconb
teaches that it ia always better to answer TO the
matter" Of an adversary than to his "person"
The imputaton Of motiven does not fall within shas
rule and therefore it falls at my feet The measure
have submitted is either right or wrong fright
no unworthness of motive of mine can desfaox
from it's merits. II wrong no purity Of mosiye can
redeem it. m
The second point Is that which has been 20 fany
argued py the honorable and distinguished gen
ator from Kentucky (Mr. CIsy VIZ tna =, 9onSr'aS
has no power to abolish Slavery ~ '1e
Columbia find that power in the C 9sa
and i. il defined by these words 10 e1otoaso
exclusive Legislation in all cases ~nssAoorer oSo
auch District NOT exceeding tsn nnes r dq .5e az
NAV by cession of particular STAKES a1a ~. .a9 o ao'
enhance Of Congress, become the seat OF tne ooT-
-. 800 NJ The United States"
Tbs Diasics Of Columbia Ia that disnlcs NOT eE-
,o.d;Da tan miles square. It has become the Seas
ceeolns ssynment OF the United States by cessio0
Of tGs stsse Of Maryland accepted by Congress Ii
of t5a very nature of the power that it lie exclz-
I've a. and applies to al caAes whatsosves whea-
AVER the District becomes In the manner deRnsd