Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-02-08
CONGRESS-.
FRlpAY, JANUARY 81, 1851.
IN SENATE.

The PRESIDENT of The Senate laid before the body a
c,mmancaton from k H. Weighman, (Senator elect from
New Mexico ia relation to the OF law decar-
ing New Mexico one Of the United States upon certain
dilioas. tg t ..t aatr f1E
On motion by Mr.. PHELPS il was ordered that il be re-
fened 10 the Commi tee on the Territories
Mr. PHELPS. present petition signed by some hum
deds Of legal in the State Of Vermont which
forth the deposbe evils Of war; and urging upon Congress
the adoption Of remedy TO prevent them in which they
suggest The proprey Of passing joint resolution re-
quesng the President TO propose 10 all nations the establish
Of board for the settlement OF all International disputes
which ask may be referred TO the Committee on Foreign Re
laiions. The memorial was 50 referred .E
REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES. rs
Mr.. BORLAND, from the COMMITTEE on Pensions, to
which referred the petition Of Saie l. Floyd widow Of
Lieut. Col r. Floyd who resigned in consequence OF dis
ease contrac ed in strvice asking pensoo, submitted
po which ordered to be printed, accompanied BY bill
granting pension Sale T. Floyd, widow Of Geo. r. O.
Floyd lae lieutenant colonel in the army Of the United
States which read and ordered to second reading.
Mr. RUSK from the Committee Post Offices and Post
Roads to which was referred the of Joseph Snow
A. Banks and their associates, aking the right of and
subscription Of stock the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad
Company, submitted report which ordered to be
printed acc mpanied by bill granting the right Of way for,
and aid construction Of line Of Telegraph from the
Mississippi the Pacific ocean; which read and
ordered 10 second reading, ta hts[l taHf
Mr. JONES from the Committee on Pensions, to which
referred the documents relating to the claim Of Mrs
Emile Hooe, widow Of Capt. Alexander g. Hooe, submitted
report in writing which ordered to be printed, accom-
panied by bill for the relief of Emile Hooe, which was
read and passed 10 a second reading
THE CASE OF THE AMIsTAD.
The Senate proceeded to the consider following
pesoution offered yesterday by Mr.. mason:
Resolved That the Committee Foreign Relations be in
.rus'ed inquire into hs proPs Ct prGpaG pn y law pur
Of the 9TH December Tor the payment Of the claim there
mentioned. arising certain Spanish claimants in the
.Amsad case .u rEs.5a II gz asE
Mr. is tn ha nofip
but is directed subject which has heretofore been before
The Senate and has received action The object of iii
to inquire into the eIpediency Of paying certain Spanish
claimants the value of the negroes Of the Anistdd desire
that the facts connected with that transaction shall briefly be
made known to the Senate, in order that may know
whether this is of the subjects which may be dis
cussed referred to- and acted upon, under the usage which
seems TO be thought essential BY Senators to the security
of the country against agitation.
In the year 1917 Spn concluded treaty with the Brit
ish Government for the suppression of the African slave
trade Tha suppression take complete effect in the
year 620 and the King OF Spain issued ordinance
formty with the treaty, prohibiting the continuance of the
trade after that date and declaring that eli negroes brought
into any portion Of his dominons especially referring TO the
colonies should Immediately become free. In the year 1884,
Think treaty provide for the efectual execution Of
this original treaty entered int, between Spain and
Grea Britain, and another ordinance issued particularly
admonshing the authorities of Cuba take that the
treaty should be executed and its provisions enforced Under
this treaty every negro imported into the ssnd of Cuba
any other Spanish possession after 1920 free the time
of the importation, and entitled be protected 10 his freedom
In year 1889, few months after the pomugation Of
this last ordinance slave trader imported into Cuba cargo
Of slaves of which fifty three shipped on board the
AistGd from port Of Cuba another. These were
Gently imported negroes, and uader the treaty Free
They had been kidnapped in their land and brought into
the island contempt OF the laws Of nations and manifest
con'ravenon the treaty Their condition as free persons
not changed in consequence of this Importation They were
absolutely free. These persons said BEFORE were ship
ped on boardthe Ansad for transportation from port
another within the island 10 the Of this transpora
hon the negroes asserted The liberty which they en
tied by the laws Of nature and guaranteed by treaty. and
took possession of the vessel and insisted on being
to Africa Instead Of that the Spaniirds who claimed them
slaves but who had now their turn become prisoners
directed the of the vessel into The
negroes ultimately landed in Connecticut The Span
iards claimed them properly, snd this claim became the
subject OF judicial investigation The District Court Of The
United Saes helj in conformity with the treaty. that the
were Free and had committed offence against the
laws OF The Union An appeal taken from that decision
by the National Governm-Dt inerposng in behalf Of Spain
TO the Supreme Court of the United States by which court
the decision of the District Court affirmed and the free
dom Of the AT leans established Now the object of this
quy to ascertain whether will pay of the national
treasury for these persons, originally eenever reduced
servude-decded by the Supreme Court be free and who
afterwards returned to Africa by benevolent individuals
who took interest in their fate have deemed it my duty
TO bring these facts to the notice of the Senate obvious
if this resolution is adopted and reported upon, it will open
very wide field Of discussion sa 81 V%u
Mr. HALE Mr.. President I want to call the aen-
uon Of the Senate and of the county this striking fact
TIE has never been in the history Of this Gosernmen
any action Of this Government in behalf of slavery
It's worst and most offensive eatures-he slave trade
,st revolving characeso abhorrent the moral of
eat portion Of this country the proposition that is
before the Senate as matter Of irquiry-no one. M
- want - call the attention of the Senate another fact
There has been great c,mpromise and great settlement
every body n love with every body here is quarrel
ling no commoon, agtaion the sgi,atos dead and
buried Now what do the strength Of this go.
sfcaton the peaceful contamination Of ot, difficulties
Whenever pstion is presented coming from Of the
prescribed IL is mmc datey put to sleep IN the most narcotic
system known the Senate But when propositions ng
from another quarter and Of another characervas,y, in
inney offensive than any thing that, by any possibility
could be charged by those who supposed to be queted
presented alarm excited there is agitation
dreaded, and anatheas hurried out Herei proposition
put hands national treasury and take of the
funds of the ury that which put there BY the
labors and sacrifices Of the whole counyto do what Not
constitute mutual insure own slave
ders but it is voluntarily the responsibility of in
Identifying the traders of other countries who have gone
into the slave trade against the laws OF their country,
the solemn treaties OF their country, against the
laws Of Spain and the United States and against the law Of
cations. t-ka.
The proposition take the funds Of the nation and make
good the loss which these traders have incurred by this illegal
and nefarious transaction infinitely than would
be Tor the Government the first instance undertake
sure The slave traders because then would know what
were doing. But here call is very quietly made upon the
Goyenmen, Of the United States indemnify these traders
II they were citizens, and carried the law,
they would he hung. And have such universal pbisn
hropy and benevolence to~srds slave traders
other country hut that hands In