The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-08-27
ThiRrY-SECOND CONGRESS.
SESSION.
THuasDAy, August 26, 1852
SENATE.

information to the trade duo coihAAofSc % tue
British North american provinces. "s. 81
Mr. HAMLIN reported the following resolution,
which was adopted; E- NJ -t-- =ss-t
.. Reno ped That the Pi esideut be requested to
cause TO be laid before the SENATE, at the COM
mencem-nt Of the next session, with the annual
reports Of the heads of the departments and the
wing reports Of the chiefs Of the bureaus
an abs % CT compendium aso OF said last named
repor aid a like abstract or compendium OF me
reports If the Secretary of the Treasury on the
finances, and Oh commerce and navigation, togeth
err wah the iuli report thereon, To facilitate the
preparation ofa compendium OF the annual pubic
documents.
Mr.. GWIN moved the following resolutions,
which were adopted: ".-
Rrsolpsd, That the Secretary Of the Navy bore
quested TO ascertain, through an examination TO be
made by the senior naval officer at New Orleans,
with such other naval officers of not lees than the
giade OF a lieutenant, as may th' n be IN New Or
leans, in connection with the commanding officer
OF the navy yard at Pensacola, whethsI' IN case
the said city of New Orleans, the property offered
by r. b Sumner and others, as site Tor said navy
va I'd and depot is peculiarly adapted to the pur .
nose and to asCt rtain what the best terms on
W b it can be obtained from the present owners,
with all other details for purchase, subject to the
Cons der alton and action that may be taken there
on at the next session Of Congress; the Secretary
being further requested to report TO Congress, IN
accordar with this resolution, by the first Mon
day in December next.
RssofprG, That. instead of the distribution Of
Captain Stansbory's report, heretofore ordered oy
the Senate there be furnished to the Typographical
Bureau three hundred copies; To the Smithsonian
Institution, one hund, ed copies; and TO Captain
Sansbury, two hundred copies
THE POST OFFICE APPROPRIATION BILL
Was received from the House and referred to the
c m,nilsee on Finance.
Toe Post Rou 9 bill was passed.
THE CIVIL AND DIPLOMATIC APPROPRIATIONS BILL
Was then taken up
nd an amer Iflp nj ERE AT
ter the Asslstan Postasiers General shall receive
S 900 year each, and shall be appointed
by and with the advice and consent oil the Senate.
Agreed 10.
The following amendment, reported by the Com
mittee on Finance, being then pending
dad be ii further enacted, That when the minis
teral officers OF the Uni,ed States have or shall in
cur binary expense, In executing the laws
thereof, the payment which is not specifically pre-
vided Tor, the President Of the United States is au
thorized to allow the payment thereof, under the
SPECIAL taxation OF the district or circuit court OF
the district in which the said services have been or
shail be rendered, to be paid from the aPpropra-
ton for defraying the expenses Of The Judiciary.
Mr. SUMNER moved to add a proviso that
no such allowance shall be made for expenses
incurred III the execution of the Fugitive Slave
act, which act is hereby repealed.
Mr.. SUMNER said:
This question was no longer an abstraction. II
was brought here In practical manner by one OF
the committees OF the Senate. Beneath those
words " extraordinary expenses" lurked the ques.
ton on which by solemn vote the Senate refused
to hear him He would speak it, not as
a courtesy, but as matter of right. The grace
full usages Of the senate may for a time be aban-
doned, but the privileges Of debate, the parlia-
mentary law, could not be abridged The whole
aubj. CT Was now open for scussion, and, with the
blessing U God, il would be discussed.
o,,1 ;S ai,sitn "a; la givers OF Greece provided
that any individual proposing 10 repeal any exist
ing law should do go in the public assembly wi h
barter round his neck. With somewhat similar
tyra uyaa he Name rnfp ram
this obnoxious institution. He would speak with
full knowledge of his responsibility. Impressed
iorcibiy with the conviction Of the horror and in
humanity Of slavery, feeling and believing that 1t
was u local institution, and In no way national in
its character, and one with which the National Gov
eminent had no Cunnexon, he could not allow
this session to come TO close without expressing
bis condemnation of the cruelty, lnhumanity, and
unconsiitu ionafty Of the enactment. lie knew
be was in small minority, and that Alavery was
sensitive AZ it was powerful, but he would speak
freely and candidiy. All he was may be he
freely offered T.. this cause.
II belonged TO no party The slave Of princi-
pies, he acknowledged no master in either party.
His life had been carly identified with the demo
craUc idea, not the democratic idea known under
parry organization but that idea TRANSPORTED In the
principles OF the Declaration OF Independence, and
In the precepts Of Christianity. He occupied place
In tue Senate from no act desire OF his own He
never before held office. He was here by tho free
Chvice VI his native commonwealth. Ia anewcr To
ali questions on the subject, he said he did not de-
sire The office. He would speak boldly because he
spoke from conviction, warmly because he spoke
from his heart. He would not speak OF shareholders,
but he would assaii the ins,itution pronounced by
J, Hersun to be enormity.
The conventions Of both political parties had re-
Gently declared that the question OF slavery had
been finally settled. But this was not That
subject wac in all hearts, in all minds, on all tom
CUES. Ii pervades all meetings, it threw it's sha
dow over these Halls. ltcomes TO Congress asking
a appropriation its behalf. and like the daugh-
tiers the horse-ieech il still cries "Givc, give"
No legislation could be final. No act or constitu
ton could be final; nothing human could be final.
Nothing but truth was final. The idea Of that set
tIement being final not only illegal, but alb
surd 1t would excluoe the freedom Of speech and
Of debate. In vain could the despoti,m Of the Old
World be denounced, when its leading feature ID
borrowed and attempted to be enforced here. He
protested against such rule. He would not, could
not aban his right
Slavery would be discussed. Ii was not possible |
to Imagine greuter error than that slavery is a
nat. Oual institution. 1t was institution which |
the fathers oi the country refused to name in the
Consultation. Both parties, in supporting slavery,
became nauonal, and all who did not support it |
v ere declared sectional He argued that slavery |
was not in any way national. Ii existed, and only
Could exist, by virtue of positive law, and 30
held by the supreme courts OF Mississippi and
Kentucky. IL was not naaDd in the Constitution;
the word slave does not poIlue the CHI ,rter of
righis. No power was given in the Constitution
to Congress 10 create slave, to hunt slave
that power is only to be found in doubtful inter-
pFcdtnOie u the constitution
speaks of freedom. lie read the debates on the
c institution by Morris, Ellsworth, Gerry, and
Madison, showing that they all considered slavery
sectional, and they were opposed to making it ma
tiouai. He read various authorities on this point.
He referred TO the circumstances attending the
fret inauguration of Washington in New York
alter describing it at eng h. eaid that at that
proud moment the national ensign nowhere COW
cred a single slave. Then was slavery sectional
and freedom national. The Government thus
formed was anti slavery. Washington a |
(; but it would be unjust 10 his memo |
~ 10 say he was not an aboitionist. He had ex- |
pressed himself in favor Of come plan by which |
slavery might be abolished by law. '''. |
Washington, and John Adams, Hamilton, John |
Jay and Jcfle sou, the companions and friends of
" asb.pgu were all abolitionists; and he quoted
at length from their speeches and writings that
effect. The church at that time also united in the |
Cause of IRE edoin and against slavery The Qua
kers, Meihodists, Presby and Congreg atIon
aists all united in the glorious cause OF freedom.
The colleges Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth--did the
same Franklin, Rush, Jefferson, and other
writer's Of that day, all took the side OF freedom.
Patriots, scholars, and Christians all engaged in
the work. Such being the feeling of the time
when tue Constitution was adopted, he commended |
il was never then understood that Congress had