The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-07-09

omitted No, sir, il was thoroughly examined and de
lberately condemned. On the 18th OF January, IT'S
Georgia proclaimed her sentiments in regard to slavery
clear and emphatic language. Hear IL:
We, therefore, the representatives Of the extensive dis
trict q Darse In the colony Of Georgia having
inhabitants q sad dstic now reed rom hsr s,tsrs d
resolves Ye sAov tAs word hat i.usnesd ),
,y 70, ALL mAssisp. o % %sasssy % tmais ssssss ass !"
complexion, we hereby declare Misrepresentation and ab
(however the unculvated state of our country or othe
spscons arguments may plead for i)a practice founded
ties, (as well veJ dsbasng part Of our fellow
below men, and eerapag hs vytus and morals Of the
which we pray the Almighty 10 continue to the latest pos
,eriy) upon very wrong foundation We, therefore
omission Of siaYss this colony upon the most safe and
equitable footing for the master and Isl
vol, 4th series, American Archives, p. 1861
This language, If uttered in the North would be called
by our southern friends rank fanatcism. and in the
highest degree insulting to them But, sir is the lam
guage OF the representatives VI the extensive district o
Daren, ~ Georgiaof sayeholders themselves-of men
well qualified to judge OF the effect Of slavery upon the
institutions OF the country and the morals Of the peo
pie They say i II founded "in injustice and cruelty
debasing part Of felow-creaiures below men, and
corrupng TIE virts and morals OF the resto sc. Truly
sir il this be its character s the duty Of every states
man, phanthropls and Christian, oppose its extern
sion North Carolina was not silent on this snbject She
held her State convention at Newbern in August I774
and resolved not 70 import, purchase slaves imported
Of November then next Then she regarded slavery a
p!eudicial TO her interests and desired to get rid Of it.
Now, would seem. judging from the resolutions she
has sent mere and the spssehss o. her
the Union would be valueless to her withoutit It.
On the 9th OF july 1775 the Continental Congress pub
lished to the world declaration Of rights taking Up
armsa declaration beginning with sentence to which
desire TO call the attention OF the Senate and the country
il contains unlimited condemnation Of slavery II
is in the words following:
believe that the Divine Author Of existence intended
part of the human to hold absolute properly and
an nnbonndsd power over Others marked Out by his n
rghtfuy ressbe however and oppressive,
bs o. ,asse % ooons. m:n. At sss, require
body
Here, cir, declaration in terms clear and unequiv-
Staes against the right moral POLITICAL Of portion
OF the human race to hold absolute property in another
But, Mr. President, the patriotic members Of the Con-
rations alone against slavery; They did more. They
prohibited The importation OF slaves into any part OF the
conieieracy in April, l776.
to the world that great declaration of universal freedom
which forever separated the colonies from the British
Crown; and, sir, among the which mpelled the
separation find written down by Mr.. Jefferson the fol-
lowing
He (the King OF Great Britan] has waged cruel war
against human itself; violating sacred rights
offended him captivating and carrying them into
slavery in another hemisphere to incur miserable death
opprobrum u nde powers is the warfare Of the Chris.
tian King Of Great Britain Determined keep open
here should be bought and sod he has
ttuted his negative for suppesng every legislative
tempt prohibit restrain this execmble commerce.
Yes, sir; the keeping open market in the colonies
where men, women and children were sold like sheep in
the shambes TO the highest bidder, regarded by the
immortal author of the Declaration Of Independence
worthy OF place among the causes which impeed our
forefahers soemny to publish and declare that these
United Colonies are, and Of right ought to be- free and
independent STATES that they are absolved from all ale
glance to the British Crown and that all political con-
nexon between them and the State OF Great Britain is,
and ought TO be, totally dissolved" Now 10 dgress
for moment, ask, in all candor, is II not Disgrace
shame burning shame that in this city, in sight OF this
Capitol, market is now kept open where men, women,
and sold Is il time, high time, that Congress should
put an end to this accursed traffic in human flesh II is
an "execrable commerce." and the ingenuity OF man
can urge nothing in justification or exenuaton OF it,
No. cir,
"Not all that heralds rake from cofiined clay,
Nor fond prose- nor honeyed lies Of rhyme,
Can bazon evil deeds c5nsecrale a crime"
pass Mr. President, TO the proceedings OF the Con-
gress Of 1884, he first after the peace Of 1882 touching
committee OF which Mr.. Jefferson chairman, report
ed plan for temporary government OF the western ter
rtory The plan reported contained clause for pro-
hibtng slavery in the territory after the year 1900 The
clause. however for reasons shall hereafter assign was
stricken out and the plan adopted without it, The clause
again offered the 10th OF March, 1905, and again
rejected.
On the nth OF July, 1850, committee. 10 whom was
referred the report OF committee touching the temporary
OF the western territory, reported ordI
nance for the government OF the territory OF the United
States northwest OF the river Ohio. The 9th article OF the
ordinance reported prohibited slavery IN the territory and
provided for the restoration OF fugitive slaves claimed by
any OF the original States On the 18th OF July the
ordinance was read third time, and passed by
mo1s vote Thus sir slavery forever excluded from
all the territory belonging to the United States by the con-
sent and vote o every State represented IN the Congress
OF 1857.
As shall have occasion, in another part OF my re-
marks, to refer again TO this ordinances will leave u for
the present. and pass TO the federal convention OF 7s7
The members of that convention, maintain, had no
idea OF framing government under which slavery could
be extended and perpetuaicd. No, sir; far from IL
They expected the gradual dimnution and not remote
extension OF slavery, and desgnsd 10 prevent ts ex-
tension This, sir, Is apparent to my mnd, not only
from the debates the convention, and OF the coDsttu
ton iseIf but from the wellknown opinion OF many of
the leading members OF the body upon the subject and
the construction they put upon the instrument in the
State conventions called ior It's ratification The debates
an the convention show that Congress would have been
left at liberty forthwith 70 have Plohlbed me slave
the opposition OF Georgia and South Carolina. They
insisted upon the continuance OF the trade Tor twenty
years. and refused 10 come into the Union upon any
other condition. Mr.. Madison, me mber oil the federal
convention must be regarded suppose az good author
ton OF Virginia to which referred the constitution,
that he southern States lan expression then applied ex
cusvely 10 Georgia and South Carolna) would not have
entered into the Union OF America without the temporary
permission Of the slave trades and Il they were excluded
iron the Union the consequences might be dreadful TO
them and 10 US. We are not in worse condition than
before. The traffic is prohibited by our laws. and we
may continue The prohibition. need not expaiate on