The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-03-06
THE NATIONAL ERA.
CONGRESS-.
CONGRESS- SECOND SESSION
FRIpAy, FEBRUARY 81, 1851.
SENATE.


The President of the Senate laid before the
States, in answer to a resolution Of the Senate oil
the 18th instant requesting him to lay before the
Senate any information he might possess on the
subject Of a recent forcible resistance to the ex
ecution Of the laws Of the United States in Boston
and what means he had taken to meet the occur
renee, and to state whether any additional leeis
lation was necessary to meet the exigency of the
case, and to more vigorously execute the laws
This document was published in Saturdays
paper.
The message having been read by the Secretary
Of the Senate
Mr. Clay. have listened with great satisfac
ton to the reading Of this message of the Presi
dent. Its general tone and firm resolution an.
nounce that he will carry into effect the execu
ton Of the laws Of the United States. IL ought
to be, and | trust will be, satisfactory to every
impartial and candid man in the whole community
There Is only one regret, if were to express any
that feel think the marshal of Massachusetts:
ought to be dismissed aud have very little doubt
although not authorized to say anything on the
subject, that the President is subjecting his con
duct to that scrutiny which will enable him Il
come to a satisfactory conclusion as to the point
Of duty whether be should or should not dismis.
him. intend, after few remarks, to make g
motion with respect to this message.
Mr.. Hale am not disposed to allow this case
to pass without letting It he understood, by al
who feel any interest in knowing, how stand
upon this question am glad that the document
which has been read has been sent to US for one
reason, and but one. 1t satisfies me most cOnclu-
sively that the President thinks and feels pretty
sure that he is rendering his administration ridic
ulOus, and that his proclamation has done it; and
he sent US long labored essay, as understand
it, to vindicate the propriety Of what cannot oe
Yindicatej The idea Of the President OF the
United States Issuing formal proclamation, call
ing upon all the naval and military force Of the
Government to hold themselves in readiness, and
all officers and good citizens, everywhere, to de-
fend this great Republic against handful OF ne
groes in Boston | do not know how it strikes
Others but to my mind II Is ridiculous in the ex-
treme and | am determined, as far as am CON-
eerped. will have no part nor lot in it. Any
body that wants to magnify this into a great af-
fair, has my full consent Why, sir, the Presi
AK ,... es1c 1yc3 waited till he sas ~ -SS..--
ton upon the subject but he tells US that be sends
this-he is in such hot haste-upon a newspaper |
account Of statement Of one Of the officers,
which be sends also but which account is contra
dcted by others, and by telegraphic information. |
The President then is in such hot haste, or those
who advise him are, to put this thing before the
country, and to have the Republic prepared to re-
sist those negroes, who are now scouting in the |
blind alleys Of Boston, TO keep out of the way Of
the constables there; he is in such hot haste to
put this Government in proper attitude of de-
fence although there are in the population Of
half million within the sound of the bell on the
old State House perhaps q thousand poor negroes,
that all this array this sounding of trumpets, this
issuing Of a proclamation has taken place. There
has been all this formidable preparation to put |
down this handful of negroes who have been |
skulkng out of sight long ago.
The constituted authorities Of Boston are going |
on in their quiet and ordinary manner in prose-
cutting and bringing to justice everybody impli- |
Gated in this matter IL may be done, possibly, |
but should think it one Of the greatest efforts Of
genius TO magnify this into something tremendous,
worthy Of the rhetorical powers Of the
first patriots of the land but think it must be
such an effort Of genius as has not been seen in
modern times that en- possibly magnify 1t into
such an affair. We are bringing discredit and
contempt upon our whole system of government,
by undertaking to do anything of this sort Is
there any serious fear in the mind of anybody
that the laws Of the land cannot be executed in
Massachusetts, If there is sir, they cannot
quiet these fears by any such proceedings these
But, looking upon the whole subject as entirely
misplaced, misconceived, i'll judged, impoitic, i'm
proper, njudicious, and weak, shall be opposed
TO any thing except the most quiet mode in which
it can possibly be got rid Of. What that is, | DO
not pretend TO say.
MIR Clay. The course Of the Senator from New
Hampshire Mr. Hale does not surprise me it is
perfectly in keeping and congenial with his gen.
eral course upon subjects Of this kind. lie pro-
nounoes deliberate act of the Executive OF the
country cur common Chief Magistrate, as ridc-
ulous Now, sir that is matter of opinion and
being matter Of opinion, it depends upon the opin-
ion others may entertain of the person who ex-
presses it, But the Senator will allow me to say
that upon a subject of that kind, and upon rhetor-
ical subjects to which he has alluded, there are
two standards of opinion prevailing; one, that OF
the member himself; and the other, that Of the
body of which he is a member. And if he will
allow me to tell him, the appreciation made by
member of his own capacity for debate and readi-
ness ia it may be much higher than will be shared
in by other members Of this body.
MIR. Hale That is matter Of opinion.
Mr.. Clay, And put my opinion against yours.
But ! must take occasion to say that on scarcely
any occasion have risen to speak in this body,
when that Senator has not followed me, as if his
great object was to compete with me the palm Of
elocutOn. yield to the Senator | know the
self-oompacency with which he generally rises,
and hope he will receive this surrender on my
part Of any ambition between him and me to con-
tend for the palm Of oratory, with the compla-
cency with which he usually rises in this body
and presents himself before us. Laughter
Now, what is the aim Of this Senator7 To
consider this mob, this negro mob, as an isolated
affair, as an affair of the two or three hundred
negroes only, who assembled on that occasion, and
violated and outraged the laws of their country.
Is there any other man in the Senate who believes
hat ~, -, "A kLoon n
not all know the ramiied means which are en-
ployed by the abolitionists openly, by word and
by print everywhere, TO stimulate these negroes
to acts of violence, recommending them to arm
themselves, and 10 slay, murder, and kill any body
10 pursuit of them, in order to recover and call
them back to the duty and service from which
they had escaped
The proclamation is not aimed solely at the
miserable negroes, stimulated, no doubt, by those
outside Of the courthouse who laid all the plans,
and some OF whom, one ut least, was at the door
reckoning to the negroes TO come in-l beg par
don, white negro standing at the door beckon-
ing TO the negroes to come in. Does not every
body know that 1t is not the work Of those mser-
able wretches, who are without the knowledge
and without perfect consciousness of what be-
came them or what was their duty7 They are
urged on and stimulated by speeches, some Of
which are made on this floor and in the House of
Representatives, and by prints which are scat
tered broadcast throughout the whole country.
The proclamation, then, has higher and greater
aims II aims at the maintenance of the law it
aims at putting down all those who would put
down the law and the Constitution be they black
or white
Sir, look at the manner in which foreign hire
ling has been introduced into this country, in or
der to propagate his opinions and doctrines with
regard to the subversion Of of the institutions
Of this country. ! allude to q man who is said to
be a member Of the British Parliament by the
name Of Thompson. lie has been received not in
one place only in Massachusetts,, but in various
places, and the police, on one occasion, assembled
10 protect him when they had not the heart to as
semble around court of justice to maintain the
laws Of their country