Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-09-21

rayed hare Of the sectional questions between the North
and the South.
The substitute offered by Mr. SEWARD was then rejected
as already published.
The bill having been reported to the Senate the question
stated TO be coacung with the amendments made
in Committee Of the Whole
Mr.. CLAY rise to express the hope that the Senate
will with the Senate acting in quasi committee
these amendments and that they will leave the bill in the
state in which was originally reported have Just heard
with very great pleasure, Of the passage in the other House
of of these measures, 1.-THE Fugitive Slave BILL the
bned effect Of the whole Of which hoped, and be-
eve will restore in great degree the concord and harmony
of the country This is the only one remaining of those
measures and its object known too throughout the
sion as being simply to abolish the slave trade in this District
trade consisting Of the traffic in slaves belonging the
District, but brought here. If the amendments which
inserted in the Committee Of the Whole be adopted in the
Senate, apprehend that the effect will be that we shall pass
no bill at all Iapprehend that the effect will be that
shall neither suppress the slave trade in the District nor
vide those additional laws which supposed to be
prevent the enicement away Of the slaves or the
of free people of color in this District And this result
apprehend, though hope shall be mistaken, will be the
those gentlemen who opposed to the in
terdicon Of the slave trade concuing in the with those
gentlemen who opposed the other provisions of the bill
whereas, if the two separately introduced
have of doubt but they would both pass For the
proposition the object of which to prevent the encement
Of slaves and regulate the condition of free persons
color there would be an undivided Southern vote together
with few Northern votes and for the bill to suppress
the slave trade shall have believe, the undivided North
vote with eight ten votes from the South The
separation of the measures therefore, will lead to the
Of both measures il introduced in separate bills while il they
be combined together the effect will be to lose bob to lose all
That being the of the CASE trust all those Senators who
DESTROYS Of nterdicng the slave trade in the District will
vote against concurng with the Senate In quasi commits
In the amendments proposed.
Mr. President ii has been frequently said 10 the Of
the debate on BILL that slavery will itself pass away in the
District. So II will sir and am very glad Of it. With
regard to the slave trade ALSO is said TO be less active than
it formerly and think that is also the fact But when
go hundred miles from this place the North, the
nifty Of the slave trade here is the leading theme Of CONVERSE
ton have heard many Northern gentlemen say that the
idea Of the existence Of such trade within the District was
calculated agate and excite and produce those feel
ings which ali DESTROYS Of aayng at once than almost
any other subject connected with these agatng questions
hope therefore, that may limit ourselves to the object to
which attention has been directed throughout the session,
and that shall not introduce here matters which have
already given rise 70 proacted debate and which may give
rise to still further debates With regard making further
provision prevent the introduction Of free people Of color
into the District and further provision also for the enforce
men of the laws Of the District against the encement away
with but object the introduction Of provisions with these
objects into this BILL when the effect will be to prevent the
passage of any law on either of these subjects
The further consideration Of the subject then postponed
till Friday On that day, however, in consequences Of the
death Of Mr.. NEs, the bill was not taken up.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER Ia, 1850.
The subject being under consideration and the ques-
ton still being agreeing to the amendments made in
Committee Of the Whole adding three additional sections
the bill, the debate was continued as follows:
Mr.. BADGER. desire to say word, which intended
to have said day before yesterday when way to enable
my friend from New York take up and pass the deficiency
appropriation bill do not concur in the suggestion Of the
Senator from Kentucky that the Senate should disagree with
the Committee Of the Whole in regard to this amendment
On the contrary, think it is proper and think it
important that the principal amendment least which
made to the bill the motion of my friend from Maryland,
Mr. PEARcE should be retained In the first place, if there
could be any objection to lacking any two together
have shown this session that such objections do not weigh
much with me, but think it is obvious there be OBJ
lection to putting these two propositions in the BILL
The bill originally brought into the Senate proposes to
abolish the foreign slave trade, it is Called this District
and am perfectly willing to concur in abolshng that trade
see no reason why it should not be abolished, and think
L s perfectly proper that in connexon with the abolition Of
the slave trade within the District these propositions
the rights Of shareholders here should also be
tanned At the time when this subject brought original
under the consideration of the Senate, when the different
which suggested by the resolution of the Sena
from Kentucky for the paccaon Of this disturbed and
disturbing question first under consideration Of the
Senate, myself and presume other members of this
body wee entirely unscquanted with the existing state Of
The laws in the District Of Columbia for the protection of
aveownes against those who seduce and assist their slaves
to escape from them had supposed that there
eecua and stringent provision against such offences in this
District but learn from the Senator from Maryland,
who proposed these amendments that there punishment
for the offence under the laws of the District except fine
Of $780, This is entirely inadequate and totally insufficient
afford any just sufficient protection for the owners of
slaves here, whether residents scournes Events have
taken place during the present session OF Congress which
have shown that the danger that such offences will be
mtted is not distant one that il 10 not usory but that it
is present and is imminent. Such offences have been
mitted than during the present session, and
have reason, therefore, to believe that similar offences will
occur hereafter. Whie then, am perfectly willing 10
unite with Northern friends in aboshiDg this traffic within
the District do not why It is not perfectly proper, just
and reasonable that the amendment which has been adopted
by the Senate in committee should be retained in the BILL
Indeed, without undertaking to express an opinion how far
think the amendment in the bill material and essential to it.
think its exclusion would be evidence, to greater
less extent Of very unendy feeling towards the adoption
Of proper and efficient for the security Of slave
property in this District If be stricken out, if the
Senate refuse in the amendment if the
here to be left without any adequate provision for their
protection hereafter should regard it. in the existing state of
things constituting strong objection to voting for the BILL
With the amendment should have the greatest pleasure in
the world in voting for it for have sympathy WITH no
desire to continue indeed have the greatest horror further
to continue the traffic to which the first section refers.
Mr.. HALE In looking at the fifth section Of the bill as
amended, difficulty suggested to my mind as to what
should become Of the free negroes to send off whom
laws Of Maryland and Virginia. free negroes prohibited
from coming reside within the limits of those States Well
this fifth section gives the corporation levy court power to
prohibit the coming in Of free negroes to reside within their
usdictona limits and to therefrom all free negroes
that neglect refuse to comply with the ordinances made or
that may be made, touching such residence prohibition
above mentioned 1t is entirely uncertain what these resc
andc there will tho