The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-09-20
A Res ute not a Rsprieve-Abolition OF
Slavery In the District.

0laVoIy III Tue Oi5tilCt.
81 am not prepared to vote for proposition of
that kind at this moment, and under existing CIR
cumstances. AIR. Dayton, in Senate, last geek
The time has arrived when, according to the
confident predictions of political prophets, : the
song of the turtle was to be heard in the land,
for 'the healing measures" have passed both
Houses and what is the result : Pending their
passage there was a temporary lull of the angry
elements, for the coalition was so cunningly de-
vsed,a and the danger oftkng the responsibility of
alyzed the tongues of many who now exultingly
proclaim that the passage of these measures, in
stead of extinguisling their "agtation," has only
furnished it with additional fuel and famed North
ern f;lnaticism into fiereer hLme. Behold,
these exclainl, "what our agitation has already
accomplished! California is Free-soil, and the
whole Pacific coast ours, and ours alone now
and forever the Wilmot Proyiso is ncor-
porated into the body of the constitution of this
new Empire, not cngraitcd on it--New Mexico
has already proclaimed her adhesion to that sa.
cred principle-Utah cannot do otherwise, with
the Free-soil States beside and around her-Tex-
as has sold out $4,000 square miles Of slave soil,
to be converted into Free-soi-the slave trade
in the District of Columbia has been broken
down, and the slave pens shut up forever
and for all this what consideration does the
South receive! Why Fugitive Slave bill not
worth the paper it is written upon, as your own
prints tell you-superseded by I" the higher law"
and aliirmatory only of Constitutional provs-
ion, which has been and will be disregarded-
and the privilege of paying the greater proper
ton of the purchase money to Texas Is not
that glory enough, and gain enough, for single
session-and is an agitation so profitable to be
discontinued, until some politician who needs
the votes of both sections, shall be elected Pres
dent! The South will submit to anything ex-
sept the odious, the execrable (name of the)
Wilmot Proviso. The Barnburners have been
taken back into full communion in New York
SO down with the slave power
''No pent up Utica contracts our powers,
This whole unbounded continent Is OURS"
Such is the real sentiment that now animates
the Free-solers, though not embodied in the ex-
act words--for all of them, except the rabid
Abolitionists, are cunning enough to echo the
can't Of compromising Southerners, who part
with the oyster, and exutingly display the shell
to their fellow citizens, rs the substantial evil
lence of possessing still the article in dispute.
Mt ~ - Al.
nay be, and disposed to content themselves for
he present, Gas Mr.. DAYTON was) with the fruits
already acquired-the Impotence of others, who
EAR that the very rear-guard Of the Northern
will get ahead of them in this Abo-
ition movement, prompts them to take another
step, more open if not more dangerous than any
yet taken.
Pending the passage of the Bill abolshing
the Slave trade in this District, Mr. SEWARD
n hot haste presented his amendment to abolish
slavery also therein. 1t received five votes, the
regular guard and two new allies, Messrs. UPHAM
md DODGE. Much cutlery was made about the
nsolence and the wckedness of this move at
-he time, and it was solemnly declared to be the
asst expiring effort of a defeated faction.-
Nell--una:countable as it may seem to the
prints that are not sectional" nor national, but
,nly selfish, the dead has arisen, and in far greater
strength than before its interment by the Ma
ional Undertakers-for on Tuesday last the
same proposition was renewed by Mr.. HALE and
obtained nine votes to whom Mr. UPHAM may
De added, judging from his previous vote, making
en- rotss for the immediate abolition of SLAVERY
n the DiStria of Columbia. That there may
De no misrepresentation, or suspicion of misstate-
nent on our part we quote the record. The
proposition came UP on the second reading of
he annexed bill, presented by Mr.. PRATT, pro-
riding for the punishment of persons entcing
slaves from the District
The bill was then read a second time, and con-
dered as in Committee of the Whole. 1t is as
ollows:
BE il enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
entatres of the United States of .4nerica in Con-
.ress assembled, That If any free person persons
within the District of Columbia shall eniice or in
luce, by persuasion or other means, any slave or
slaves to away from his, her, or their owner
,r lawful possessor, or shall in any manner aid
lbet, or assist any slave or slavesin running away
,r escaping from the owner or law full possessor Of
such slave or slaves, or shall harbor any slave or
slaves with the intent assist him, her, or them to
escape from the service of such owner or possessor
such person or persons shall be liable to indict |
nent in the criminal court OF the District Of CO.
umbia, and upon conviction, by verdict, confess
ZION or otherwise, shall be imprisoned in the pen
tertiary for any time not exceeding five years.
SEC. 9. Ind be IL further enacted, That in case
my slave or slaves so induced, persuaded, or en-
iced to run away, or assisted in running away,
II harbored with the intent to assist him, her, or
hem i'll running away, or escaping from service,
shall actually run away and escape from the SER
rice of the lawful owner or owners, any person
convicted as aforesaid Of such enticing, persuad-
ng, assisting, or harborng, shall also be SEN
enced by the said court to pay to the owner or
owners Of said slave or slaves, the value Of the !
same, to be assessed and determined by the said
court, to be recovered by execution in cases of
other judgments.
Sec. 3. Ind be ii further enacted, That each of
he Corporations OF the cities Of Washington and |
and the Levy Court Of Washington
county, respectively, shall be- and they are hereby
invested with the power, by police regulations
not inconsistent with the Constitution and laws of |
he United States, to prohibit the coming Of free
negroes TO reside within their respective jursdic-
ional limits, and to remove herefrom such as may |