Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-09-07

The St.es are dsnct political en,ites-no 50 with the Dis
trict Congress cannot exercise any power mere 10
trade except under the limitations OF the consnnon
sress has The right Of exclusive legislation here u ruei oo
that is not grant Of absolute power The power given
over commerce be exercised for the purposes lot
il was given and under the limitations OF the M
But what sir the limitations upon na Pows'
II must be exercised in relation trade equally and UNIFORM
w. The history Of the Convention which led 70 ne lorna
on Of the constitution, well the spirit OF the consiu-
ton ITSELF shows that such the end or when
given that Congress must 50 govern ne =
as 10 produce regulations uniform and equal IN relation 10 the
people o the different States of this conederacy AS aproof
Of that take the very Illustration given BY Mr. webster
this case of Grover rs Slaughter could Congress prohibit
the sale Of cotton fabrics made in any OF the States within
this District Does any man believe that this would be
stutiona And we cannot prohibit the sale OF cotton
fabrics the purpose OF protecting industry here can we
prohibit the sale Of slaves long they are recognised
proery here Can prohibit the sale of slaves here from
the States Who can show the difference in principle
between the two cases How distinction be made
between slaves, recognised as property and cotton fabrics
or any other species Of property Yet presume there not
man here who would that Congress has power the
District prohibit the sale Of fabrics made within
the District ah
Let us push this thing little further If Congress has
right prohibit the sale of slave by the nhabsn of State
to an inhabant of the District of Columbia it has the right
prohibit the sale Of slave from citizen of the District
another citizen of the District and who does that
such law would at abolish slavery in effect Pass
law that slaves shall be mathematics that they shall be
subject 70 sale and transfer like other property and slavery
at once abolished.
believe there majority here who hold the opinion
that there power Congress abolish slavery within
the District But then know there large number here
who believe that Congress has such power and there
Of that number who favor this particular BILL appeal
Them they for this bill without being prepared to
admit that there power upon the part Of Congress to abo
ish slavery within the District Of Columbia OF course do
not mean 70 enter into the Of Congress abolish slave
here refer to the opinion fairgrounds upon which
IL n of he
separate chain OF reasoning belongs the subject has been
fully and often discussed by Others that do now
60 into IL for really il is not my object time and
prolong this discussion Irose only to say what believed
be due 70 the case and to be due to the rights Of the State
which represent wish deal fairly and fully with the
question do not wish to blink it, desire to meet it fully
and fairly and say now that if it proved to me
that would be constitutional to prohibit the slave trade be-
tween the States and the District would still be against it,
for Of expedency think ii would be scarcely just
say that while the people Of the District may sell their
slaves to the people Of the slave States the people Of those
States may not cell them to the people of the District But
put aside al those considerations for the present. and
now to another branch of my argument
object to this bill if there constitutional power
pass il because seems to me that seeks lay the foun
daton IN legislation OF sentiment that shall be directed
wards the abolition Of what is called the domestic slave trade
believe that there Of hardship under that practice
de- not believe that the slave trade between the States has
worked, upon the whole wrong but on the contrary,
think show that has been the Of great benefit
negroes themselves Thinking thus sir cannot for
bill whose chief object would me- be lay,
said before, in legislation, the foundation of sentiment
which should be directed against this trade between the States
know that lam saying what will shock the sense Of humane
ty of great many. know arguing against what
believe to be preconceved preiudces Yet, sr believe
that truth is my side and willing take the re-
sponsiblity Of the opinions which about to avow.
There cases Of hardship, admit growing Of forced
emigration; of hardship and of constrant in form
only amongst the slaves but the whites themselves But
60, s to the coast Of Ireland Of Germany and other
foreign countries whence many US and who will
that they would not find there Of forced emga
forced by circumstances often in
exoabe than the will Of another, that would shock the
sensibiities of the humane and the benevolent
And yet who would say that the statesman wise
man. even good man, who would seek for such occur
reces these pass law that there should be no eigra-
ton from Ireland from Germany And with regard
this form Of emigration amongst the blacks Of which
speaking. find that in the slave trade there
said before that would shock the sensbiles Of every
humane and benevolent but the principle itself bene
fetal only the white race, but peculiarly the
and shall sacrifice this class in the vain attempt
get rid Of the misery which befls the few To show how
this has operated suppose that in my State, for instance
that in Virginia, in Kentuckythe Senator'S State
the slave trade between the States had been forever prohibit
ed What would have been the effect As the population
went on increasing the price Of labor would dminsh and
should have fierce conflict between the white and the
osubsence until the price labor would
sink low furnish the means of comfortable subsistence
to all Then, the black would be found retrograd
ing, not only physically but morally And who does not
know that in such contest between the races, either the
black must perish, Mr. Randolph said, the
master must fee from his slave Take it the other way
Suppose that the slave trade had been prohibited and
that it is permitted to go What is the effect The mo-
ent that the profits Of labor sink below their level in any
of the States that moment the saye is carried to another
part Of the country, where the profits of labor higher and
where greater share of the product of his labor may be
gagged by him. benefits not only the slave but also the
white The slave who goes away not only benefits
himself but those he leaves behind He benefits labor d.
ecty not only By taking away the competition Of bis own
but by leaving in its stead capital from the country to which
he And that sir is the that the black has
made 50 remarkable progress not only physically but intel
ectuay since they have been brought into this country
That, too, the reason than any other, that the two
races have dwe together in the peaceaby and pre-
| served relations SO kindly.
may be said that it is contrary to humanity that man
should be made to enngra,e according to his own will
but according to the laws Of profit acknowledge that the
proposition stated in that way does shocking human
y. But lei US trace little fuher If you called
upon to lay down law which should regulate the emigration
OF the black race most happily and successfully could
you enact better provision than regulate by the laws of
proh In migrating IN that way he goes 10 climate which
is more congenial TO his nature society which is more
suitable to his capacity and his disposition and to country
where he receives large share the products Of his
bor In 20 dong he benefits himself. What is more, sir,
ask this is not the precise law by which white emigration is
conducted speak now Of the do not speak Of
sporadic and individual but take the and what
is the law which directs their very law OF profit
They 60 where labor will get the greatest for there
they find most for their benefit and happiness CO. The
only difference between the two is this that while both fol-
low the same laws the goes under the dctaon Of his
will and the other the caon Of the will of another
The operation OF this law certain than bene6-
cent maintain that the capacity for emigration is