The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-04-10
THE NATIONAL ERA.
For the National Era.
HON. GEORGE T. DAVIS.

The Hon. George T. Davis has just been eject
ed a member Of Congress from the 9th Congress
sional district of Massachusetts,. lie succeeds
Hon. George Ashmun. | see that he is claimed
by many Wing papers rs a friend Of the Admin
israton and that his election is generally spoken
Of as an Administration triumph. This is mis-
take which must be peculiarly trying to the feel
ings of Mr. Davis and of his friends and for the
occurrence Of which, when the record evidence to
the contrary is so abundant and well known, it is
difficult to account Mr.. Davis occupies q posi-
tion of much more decided and unequivocal hos
tility to the Administration, and its schemes than
Mr.. Scudder or even Horace Mann.
As early as 1898, Mr.. Davis took decided
stand in favor of immediate emancipation.
have before me newspaper account of the
organization, in that year, Of an Anti-Slavery
Society in Franklin county, Massachusetts, The
account states that George T. Davis read the call
for the Convention, and was elected one of the
Secretaries. A Constitution was adopted, the
second article of which declared the object Of the
Society 10 be "the entire removal Of Slavery from
the United States" The third article pledged
the members TO labor for the abolition of Slavery
in the District of Columbia and in the Terrific
ries Of the Union, by all constitutional means"
One Of the resolutions adopted declared that
slaveholding it exists in the United States, is
sUi, and ought at all times to be regarded and
LIVaNNu 10 HuNu AuOAhVI ICbOluNlOu ucClhiOu
" that immediate emancipation would be without
danger TO our white population" OF the Society
thus formed, Mr. Davis was elected Treasurer.
On Tuesday, October 2, 1895" A Convention
of the young men Of Massachusetts, who are the
friends of immediate and universal emancipation, :"
was held at Brinley Hall in Worcester. An account
Of that Convention officially published in the
Boston LIeTaiOr, edited by VIM. l. Garrison, is
now before me- quote from this official record :
George +. Davis, of Greenfield, was elected
President pro TEN.
William Bassett, of Lynn, was chosen Secre-
tary pro TEN.
1.-THE Committee to nominate officers reported
and the following gentlemen were elected:
President, George T. Davis of Greenfield
Then follow the names of ten Vice Presidents
and three Secretaries
Among the resolutions adopted are the follow
ing:
Re,o1uld That the man who sits still in Con-
gress and permits our rights to be trampled
upon and our lives to be threatened by Southern
slave.drivers, in silence does not faithfully rep
resent the freemen of free Massachusetts,
RSo1ced, That the Senators of this Common
wealth Dan6eI Webster and John Davis, did so
conduct, when that infamous threat of death TO
any AbOlitOnist who should set foot in South Car
olina uttered on the floor of the United States
Senate that we regard their silence, on that &C.
clsion, with the deepest indignation and that we
wish we could say Of both, as we can Of one, dis.
tinguished, but not born in Massachusetts,
" ResOlued, That the people of the United
States and their representatives in Congress, are
morally bound to abolish Slavery in the District of
Columbia and National territories, and to pro.
hibit the interstate slave trade
"ResoiUed, That all legislative exactments ar
raging the civil and military power of the nation
against the slave, are an outrage on humanity,
violation Of morality and religion, and therefore
null and void and that we will never return a
fugitive slave into bondage, nor bear arms to
keep him from his inalienable rights.
" RsSOlUed, That it be recommended to the peo-
pie of this State to petition the United States
Senate, praying them not to advise and consent to
the appointment of any person as a minister from
this country to any foreign Court who is n slave
holder, because such representatives degrade the
American name and character abroad, and make
republicansm Il Kissing and by-word before
the civilized wOrldo
Resolutions were also passed respecting " the
visit Of our dear friend George Thompson TO this
country" cordially inviting him to return to this
country and assuring him that he shall receive
the support and cOuntenance of the whole body
of the young men of this Commonwealth, now
represented in this Convention" And the Secre-
tary was instructed to forward n copy Of these
resolutions passed which have not noticed; but
there was nothing in any of them to weaken or
take from the point pith of those given above.
VIM, l.. Garrison and Wendell Phillips were nc
tive participants with Mr. Davis in this Conven-
ton.
In October %, ga meeting of the I" Frank
lin County Anti-Slavery Society was held at
Claremont Mass an official newspaper account
of which is now before me Elijah Alyord was
~ na. AL tho~a
Vice Presidents; with Secretary, Treasurer, &c
Mr. Davis was also appointed Il member of the
business committee.
At the afternoon session, the President being
absent, Mr. Davis presided. The business com
mittee, of which Mr.. Davis was a member, report
ed series of resolutions which were adopted.
Among them was the following:
Resoiped, That abolitonists ought to with
draw all Christian fellowship with Shareholders
On motion of Mr. Boies, il was
ResOlUed, That we will vote for no man for
Congress, who is not in favor Of the immediate
abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia |
Of the internal slave trade and opposed to the adj
mission of any new slave State"
Mr.. Davis was a member Of the Massachusetts, |
Senate in isi0, and was made chairman of a |
special committee upon the subject Of slavery In |
that capacity he made "A report accompanied with
were as follows:
"Whereas domestic slavery exists in the Dis
trict of Columbia, under the express authority
Of Congress- &c.
R@OiUed That Congress ought to exercise its
acknowledged power, in the immediate suppress
sion Of slavery and the slave trade in the District
Of Columbia.
"And whereas, by the Constitution of the
United States Congress has power to regulate
commerce with foreign nations and between the
several States of the Union, in the exercise of
which power Congress in the year sos abolished
the foreign slave trade and whereas a domestic
slave trade, as unjustftble in principle as the
African slave trade and scarcely less cruel and
inhuman in practice, is now carried on between
the several States Therefore,
ReSoird That the domestic slave trade ought
to be abolished by Congress without delay.
Resolved, That no new State ought to be ad-
mitted into the Union, whose Constitution shall
tolerate domestic slavery.
RcsoIred, That our Senators in Congress be
instructed, and our Representatives requested, |
70 use their utmost efforts TO give effect to the |
foregoing resolves"
Aud the Governor was directed to send the |
resolutions to Senators &c. The report, signed |
by Mr.. Davis ably and forcibly urged the pas |
sage of the resolutions
The same year, MIR Davis as chairman of a |
committee, reported to the Senate bill repeating
the predxisting law of Massachusetts,, which for
babe intermarriage of white persons with ne
gres, Indians or mulattoes Through the per-
sonal exertions of MIR. Davis, this hill became n
law, and to Mr.. Davis is due the credit of having
wiped out from the statute-book this last relic of
the old slave code of Massachusetts, From the
very able and convincing report Of MIR. Davis,
accompanying this bill, which report is now be-
fore me, should be glad to make some extracts,
in further illustration Of Mr.. Davs's opinions
but fear that | am already trespassing too much
upon your patience.
Think that no further proof can be necessary
to show that Hon. George T. Davis was an early