Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-09-10
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
"REMINISCENCES OF THE PRESENT CENTURY.
A FUGITIVE SLAVE BILL.

entitled "a bill to provide for the recovery of fug
tive slaves and other persons held to labor"
In the House of Representatives it was ably sup
ported by Mr.. HOLMES, of Massachusetts, CATER
wards Senator from Maine,) Mr. MASON of Mas
sachusetts, and Mr. SToRRs, of New York, as well
as by some eminent members from the South and
West
Among those in opposition to the measure the
names of Mr.. INGHAM and Mr. ANDERSON, Of
Pennsylvania, are found.
On the Both of January, 1918, there was de-
bate upon the bill, principally in regard to the
danger suggested by Northern men of infringing
the rights Of the free people of color in that region
The force of the constitutional provision which Sc
cured the rights of shareholders seemed to be adj
mitted by ALL
MIR. SERGEANT, of Pennsylvania, made an inef-
fectual effort to change the nature of the BILL by
making Judges Of the State in which the appren-
tices, slaves &C. are seized the tribunal to decide
the fact Of slavery.
Mr.. BENZ. ADAMS, of Massachusetts,, and Mr.
LIvERMoRE, Of New Hampshire, objected to the
feature that the slaves not to be identified and
proven until they reached the State in which the
person Selling them resided. This would expose
the free people Of other parts to the danger of being
dragged from one extreme of the country to the
other--though this fear Mr.. s. said was not from
any want of respect for the wisdom and justice of
the Southern judiciaries, for which he entertained
the highest respect.
Mr.. MASON, of Massachusetts, said the Constitu-
ton, formed in the spirit Of compromise, had guar
anted this kind Of property to the Southern States
and as it appeared, from the insufciency of the
listing laws, that the proposed bill was necessary to
secure this right, he was willing to adopt the mea-
sure. The judicial tribunals of the South, he had
no doubt, would decide on the cases as correctly
those Of the North.
Mr.. HOLMES, of Massachusetts,, gave views some
what similar, and said this course was based on his
duty as Representative of the whole Union in
stead Of local interests. This measure was neces-
sary to secure the constitutional rights of large
portion of the States He did not believe the free
dom of single man in the North would be en-
dangered by the provisions of the bill The habeas
corpus would prevent it. The bill he deemed ex-
pedient and free from the evils apprehended.
Mr.. RHEA, of Tennessee, thanked Heaven that
this nation not chargeable with the odium of in
Producing this species of property 1t was an evil
entailed on us and the bill was in conformity with
the principles of the Constitution which guaranteed
this property to its holders He always felt pain in
hearing distinctions made between the slayeholding
and other States nearly all of the original old thir-
teen had held slaves; and, if circumstances had
abled Of them to get rid of the evil, the only
feeling they ought to entertain towards the others
Is compassion that they are not so fortunate.
Mr.. SToRRs, of New York, referred to and rea-
soned on the words of the Constitution to show that
the bill consonant to its provisions and did not
exceed the limits within which Congress were au-
thorized to legisate He expressed his pleasure at
the liberality which had been manfestedby some in
the discussion, but should like to sec little
displayed by gentlemen from the North, as an evi-
dence that they willing to sacrifice some of
their old prejudices to the spirit of harmony and
mutual benefit.
Mr.. WHITMAN, Of Massachusetts,, said that, al
though he did not wish to interfere between slave
and his master, yet argued that the right ought to
be tried in the State in which the fugitive should
be arrested.
The bill was then passed by vote of 84 to &c.
In the SENATE it was discussed for some days, in
q like liberal spirit. Mr.. LAcocK, of Pennsylvania,
moved section limiting the duration Of the act to
four years This was carried by the casting vote Of
the Vice President, ID. ID. ToMPKINs The bill
was then passed, amended, on the 18th Of March,
by vote of IL to 13, and returned to the House.
No further action was had upon the bill until the
10th Of April, when Mr.. PINDALL, in the House Of
Representatives, moved to go into the considera-
ton of the amendments of the Senate, which mo-
ton was lost Ayes SO, noes 70.
On the 18th April Mr. ANDERSON, of Kentucky,
made an Intellectual motion to call up the bill
On the Goth Mr. PINDALL made further effort
to get up the bill, but the House refused to 20 into
its consideration The two Houses soon after closed
their session, and djourned.
The subject was resumed at the session of 1921
-'22 in the House of Representatives.
On the 1st of April 1922, Mr.. +. JOHNSON, of
Kentucky, from the select committee to whom the
subject had been referred, reported back, with
amendments, the bin to provide for delivering up
persons held to labor or service in any of the States
or Territories who shall escape into any other State
or Territory.
The subject had been debated in very temperate
manner, objection being made, not to the principles
OF the bill, but to its details, on the ground that the
rights OF free people of color might be infringed
During the session Mr. WprauT &c Morvlond