The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-02-13
THE DIFFERENCE MORE AGITATION.

read with interest.
TIE DIFFERENCE - MORE AGITATION.
One Of the first petitions presented for the re-
peal of the Fugitive Law was introduced by Mr.
Cooper Senator from Pennsylvania lie took
care to disclaim sympathy with the object of the
petitioners bat thought they should be trcaeI
with respect His motion to refer the petition to
the Judiciary Committee passed without dissent
A few days afterwards, Mr. Hale presented SIM
liar petition, and, avowing his sympathy with the
prayer, moved the same reference but there is one
rule for Shareholders and their allies, and another
for Free Soil men. MIR. Whitcomb moved to Law
the petition on the table and to the table it went
On the same day, petition in favor of coloniz-
ing free blacks thereby removing one source of
peril to the institution Of slavery, after speech
from Henry Clay, its presenter, was respectfully
referred to one Of the standing committees but
every day since then, anti-slavery petitions, no
matter what the FORM have been summarily laid
upon the table
Then followed resolution, submitted by Mr.
Mason Of Virginia, proposing certain instructions
preliminary to recognition of the insolent claim
Of the Spanish slave traders of the Amistad. for
the value Of the negroes whom the Supreme
Court Of the United States ordered to be dis
charged, on the ground ascertained beyond all
doubt that they had been fraudulently imported
into Cuba, in gross violation Of Spanish laws
Repeatedly has the House of Representatives by
overwhelming majorities, pronounced the claim
utterly invalid but the Spanish Government,
with tender socitude for the interests of slave
trading pirates, still presses the claim upon our
Government and the Slave Power sustains it.
Mr.. Mason, who has signalized himself az the
author of the slave-catchng act, becomes the adj
vOcae of the Spanish slave traders against his own
country, attaching more consideration to their
claims than to the decision of the Supreme Court,
inclined as that tribunal is to favor the preten-
sions of slavery. The Senate would have best
consulted it's own dignity by laying the resolution
on the table, but it always vOuchsafes respectful
hearing to any proposition, no matter how mon
strous, provided it emanates from the Slavery
Party. The resolution was passed Baldwin,
Chase, Hale, Hamlin Upham, and Walker, the
only Senators voting against it. Mr. Dodge of
Wisconsin, who never cast a wrong vote on the
slavery question, before his late reelection to the
Senate for six years, voted for the resolution.
Frequent elections for Senator's would do much
towards enabling them to resist the Devil.
The latest instance of Senatorial respect for
slavery pretensons occurred in the Senate, Feb
ruary g.:
"Mr. Atohison presented the memorial Of Mar
garet Drew, resident of Plat county, Missouri,
asking indemnity for slave that absconded while
In the employ Of the quartermaster of the United
States army at Fort Lesvenworth, which he
asked to refer to the Committee on the Judiciary
" Mr.. Hale. would suggest whether that had
not better be laid upon the table. | am beginning
to grow excited. | move to lay it upon the table
1.-The motion was not agreed to.
Mr.. Dayton move that it be referred to the
Committee of Claims
Mr. Atchison. | see no reason why ii should
go to the Committee of Claims. 1t presents a
question of law and that is the only question in
1t. Ii Is simply question whether there was any
negligence on the part Of the quartermaster and
the other officers at Fort Leavenworth. by reason
Of which the negro ran off, and whether there was
neglect in giving her information of his escape. 40
that he might be recovered. If this were the
state Of the case, and it transaction between
individuals, presume there would be no difficulty
about it, for she would have a right to recover in
any court in the United States The question in
this case is, whether such q state of facts is suf-
cient to make the United States responsible and
prefer that it should 90 to the Committee on the
Judiciary
"The question was put but it was found that
there was no quorum voting
AFTER few words from Mr.. Butler, Mr..
Atchison withdrew bis motion to refer TO the
Committee on the Judiciary, and 1t was referred
to the Committee Of Claims
"Mr Hale. ! present a petition, signed by
some eight or nine hundred inhabitants of the
city Of Lynn, Massachusetts,, legal voters and
Others asking the immediate repeal of the law for
the surrender of fugitive slaves which move to
refer TO the Committee on the Judiciary
have no opposition to provoke discussion
upon it, except simply TO elicit the reasons why
petitions from side on this subject are received
and all those from the other side are rejected2
"Mr Clay. | move that it be laid on the
table
"The motion was agreed to.
MIR. Hale also present a petition from the
legal voters Of the town of Danvers in the county
of Essex, Massachusetts,, in which they ask Con-
gress to enact alaw exempting them and all others
having tender consciences upon this subject from
all participation in carrying into effect the fugi-
tive slave law and from the pains and penalties en-
acted in said law for the nonperformance of its pro-
visions. They then give their reasons why they
ask this exemption, and say they feel panied to
know that sufficient numbers have so far CONQUER
ed their prejudices as to be willing, for the paltry
compensation set forth in the law, to be set like
bloodhounds upon the track Of the painting fugi-
tive, to wrest from him the richest boon Of
Heaven, and thrust him back into bondage one
hour Of which is worse than ages of that from
which our fathers rose in REBELLION TO free them
selves. They inform us that the denomination of
Friends are exempted by law from bearing arms,
and they are confident that no body of men can
have greater repugnance to arms than they hon
estly entertain towards the provisions Of the fugi-
tive slave law. | move its reference to the Com
mittee on the Judiciary
"Mr. Clay. move that II be laid on the
table
"The motion was agreed to, and the memorial
was laid on the table,
These petitioners pray against a law which
they hold to be scandslOus, oppressive, and afro
ciOus but their prayer is contemptuously re-
jeoted.
Let us see what special claim this memorial
from Missouri had upon the respect Of the Sen