The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-09-04

imprisonment; bui ills hardly probabe that they would
e2nnnae 70 DC maintained Tor that purpose alone.
should suppose that the corporate authorities must have
the right al any rate, TO prohibit general police reg
ulaiion such local Imprisonment, OF peisons OF color
this amendment IL gives 10 the corporate authorities
aforesaid the right provide Tor the punishment OF The
offence OF kidnapping either slaves Or free nex.oes do
cessity OF such PROVISION he has IN mind the
proceedings in this city, which form pan OF the dolefu
| history OF the times An unprncpled man, from the
State OF New York; has dared TO come here and in the
time decoy from their masters some four or hye
slaves, and attempt 10 carry them OH ana mas absolutely
used deadly weapons for The purpose OF enabling hm TO
carry his nefarious scheme OF abduction Can my
friend from louisiana in view OF these enomiIles ial
perceive that there Is absolute necessity press
ing, an urgent necessy-for Legislation upon this
subject, aud that harm may come IRON the poslponemeht
OF the bill even for the week 10 come. as ne proposes
/ Another secpon OF my amendment simply proposes
to allow what many believe the corporate authorities
already possess the power to grant, that is, the secur
ing 10 those persons OF color who are illegally held In
prison the right of being restored 10 liberty by ha6eas
corpus The amendment OF the honorable senator from
Maryland provides that particular courts shall exercise
this Jurisdiction have accepted this modifcauon' and
made il part OF my amendment Is i,
| Mr. President did not arise to address the Senate
have concluded what had TO say but before resuming
my seat. cannot but express the regret feel at being
compelled differ from the honorable senator from Ken
lucky upon any branch OF this subject but have the
consolation OF knowing that in the purpose of
eectng The same object SO far as the destruction OF these
slave depots in the District Of Columbia is concerned
have also the further consolation OF believing that the
OF the remaining section of my amendment and that we
only differ in relation 10 the tine and mode OF procuring
| Mr. DOWNS. Mr. President, am as willing as the
honorable senator from Mississippi be to take the
vote upon this subject at once i that could be done
would withdraw my motion If il were possible to vote
upon this bill and upon the various amendments to-day
Mr.. FOOTE. think we can
| Mr.. DOWNS happen to know that it not only can
be done to-day but that the prospect is that cannot
be done in weeks time am ready to vote at once,
but other senators moi, II know there number
Of gentlemen who wish to speak upon the subject and
who will address the Senate at length upon it,
As to the amendment OF the honorable senator from
Mississippi, do not see the necessity for defending 1t,
for did not attack it. Indeed did not even discuss
the bill, nor any OF its amendments. Probably ,
should agree with much that the honorable senator
has said and were forced to vote at once in favor
of either, il is probable that might prefer the amend
ment to the original bill bur the objection exists
to the amendment which exists TO the bl-tha it will
produce great discussion, and consume the time OF the
Senate Iii probably even objectionable in that
respect than the bill ITSELF i seems 10 me extremely
multiarous II is in fact nothing less than new sys
code OF local legislation upon the subject and cannot
hope get through the forms of legislation without
provoking extensive discussion.
MIR. FoOTE Ii the honorable senator will permit me,
will state to him that believe it amounts to nothing
more than giving TO the corporate authorities OF the cities
of Washington and Georgetown such police powers as
possessed by every other southern city.
Mr.. DOWNS think, if l understand the amendment
of the honorable SENATOR that he to the
city the municipal authorities of the District of Coum
Der powers which elsewhere exercised only BY Stale
authorities. Even that may be advisable but not
prepared take it up and pass il without looking at il
little Now, sir the honorable senator insists upon the
Importance the District OF Columbia OF our immediate
legislation upon the subject But ne should remember
that there other subjects upon which is important
that should egsate and not merely important to one
section Of the country but TO the interests Of the whole
Union II is not possible that we should do everything
now We have spent nearly the whole OF the nine months
have been in session upon this single subject of
slavery and il does TO me that we ought now to de-
vote the remainder OF our time TO the general legislation
of the country. am sorry, Mr. President, TO differ SO
widely from the honorable senator from Mississippi Mr.
Foor in other matters He seems concur with many
here in the idea that these slave depots the District Of
Columbia they called, are great enormles but
would respectfully ask the honorable every Jail
Of slave is not at liberty to send him there for
safekeepngs Such is the natural incident OF the inst-
The PRESIDENT The Chair would remind the SEN
aior that the question is on the motion TO postpone TO
Mr. DOWNS understand il So | was simply re-
plying to the argument of the honorable senator from
Mississippi, which have now done, and have only TO
say that nothing in any OF his reasons which in
clines change my motion. shall therefore ask the
Mr.. PRATT Mr. President, my colleague and my,
self State being perhaps the most deeply interested
the subject Of anydesire, of course. TO vote upon It
We cannot do SO tomorrow, as we shall both be alb |
sent attend the election which takes place in Mary
land hope therefore, that the motion OF my friend
from Louisiana will prevail desire also opportu-
nifty discuss the subject before the final vote is taken
upon IT.
red TO BY the honorable senator from Louisiana In urging
the immediate action OF the Senate upon this subject, my
the very important nature OF the propo
son thought that was sufficient argument against
such motion that OF the senator from Louisiana. In
conclusion Il wish 10 make other remark do not
concur with the honorable senator from Louisiana IN
supposng the fact to be he has staed-that in all the
slave States the ias used the slave depots are
used Washington. that they be made OF at
all by slave dealers for the imprisonment OF their slaves
Such is the Mississippi and if any such dis.
graceful regulation existed, l. for one, should be most
an xious to il abolished regret TO hear that II
exists in any of the States think there must be some
mistake in the matter think there can be such reg
ulaon any of the southern States and If there were,
can conceive nothing better calculated to BRING dis
than il would be- For myself. If the honorable senator
from Kentucky does not object, shall not object to
for the assigned by the honora
bic senator from Maryland
MIR CLAY. | cannot consent 10 the postponement /
do not think the assigned by the senator from
MARYLAND sufficient.
Mr. MANGUM | desire very much to record my vote
in favor OF this in some form. shall not be
able to do il however and hope, therefore,
il will be postponed
The question being then taken upon the motion post
pone, il decided in the negahveyeas 20, nays 27-
as follows
YEAS-Mesas. Atchison, Badger, Barnwe, Bell, Der
en Butler, Davis of Mississippi Dawson, Downs, Foote,
Houston, Hunter, King Mangun Mason, Morton Pesrce,
Pratt Rusk, Sebastian, Soue, Turney, and Yulee-23
Clarke Clay Cooper, Davis of Massachu sets, Dayton,
Dickinson Dodge OF Wisconsin. Dodge of Iowa, Ewing,
Fech Greene, Hamin, Jones, Seward Shields, Smith,
Spruance, Surgeon, Underwood, Wales, Walker, Whit