The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-09-22

ana THtJbtu TIC tONNH"tOH W ttt cHNct
StdieS-thOe phieh occurred an the first Con
crosses whieh sat during the administration
of General VdShington--dnd eTtrdCtS from
t The Debate ia the Tirginia Legislature IL
1882 1Cith various letters, judicial decisions DC
BY DANIEL r. GOODBYE, or NORTH CAROLINA.
ANNALS OF CONGRESS- Continued.
THURSDAY, MARCH l8.
The House again resolved itself into Com
mittee of the Whole on the Report of the Com
mittee on the Quakers' memorial &c; Mr.
Benson in the chair.
The subject underwent some further discus
sion, and the Committee rose, without closing
it, and obtained leave to sit again.-PGge 1864
MARCH 49,
The House then went again into commit,
tee on the Quakers' memorial &c.; Mr. Ben
son in the chair.
The fourth proposition, respecting a duty OF
ten dollars on slaves imported, being read il
was moved that il be struck out; which motion
after much debate was adopted
Several mod fcatOns of the fifth proposition
were offered, but the following in substance
offered by Mr.. Madison, was agreed to, viz
Congress have authority to restrain the citizens
of the United States, who are concerned in the
African trade, from supplying foreigners with
slaves and to provide for their humane treat
ment while on their passage to the United
| States.
The committee then rose, and the House ad-
| journed till Monday next.-Page 1866
MARCH %.
The House again went into Committee of
the Whole on the Quakers' memorial, &C. Mr..
Benson in the chair.
The sixth article was further discussed.
Mr.. Scott commenced the debate, advocating
the prayer of the memorialists and was replied
to by several of the Southern members.-Pdge
1866.
Here Mr.. Boudin0t defends the memorial at
some length, and replies to Mr.. Smith, after
which
1t was moved that the sixth article be struck
out, but the motion was negatived. The COM
mittee then agreed to the proposition The
seventh article was, on motion, struck ont
The committee then rose, and made their re-
port to the House, which was laid on the table
Page l47l.
MARCH o.
IL was then moved that the House should
take up the report of the Committee of the
Whole on the report of the committee to whom
was referred the memorials of the people call
ed Quakers, and of the Pennsylvania Society,
for promoting the abolition of slavery.
This motion was opposed by Mr. jackson,
Mr. Smith, Mr.. Burke and Mr.. Bland they
severally observed that the discussion of the
subject has already excited spirit of dissension
among the members of the House, and that
every principle of policy and concern for the
dignity of the House, and the peace and tran
quillity of the United States, concur to show
the propriety Of dropping the subject and let
ting it sleep where it is. On the other hand,
Mr.. Vining, Mr.. Hartley, and Mr. Page OBJ
served, that there was the same propriety in
taking up the subject at the present moment,
and bringing 1T to n conclusion, as there was
for first taking it up; that it has been 20 fully
discussed 1t cannot be supposed gentlemen will
20 over the same ground again it may soon
be determined; to pass it over will be unprece-
dented, and will leave the public mind in the
same state of uncertainty from which so mnch
danger is apprchended. The motion for taking
up the report was warmly contested in len gthy
debate, and finally passed in the affirmative, by
majority OF one. Whereupon, on motion that
the said report of the committee, and also the
report OF the committee of the whole House, of
amendments to said report, be inserted on the
Journal, it was resolved in the Automatically
votes to % The yeas and nays were "a follows ::
| Those who voted in the affirmative, were
Messrs Boudinot Brown, Cadwalader, Con-
tee, Floyd, Foster, Gerry, Gilman, Goodhue,
Griffin, Hartley, Hathorn, Hester, Hunting ton
Lawrence, Lee, Leonard, Madison, Mullen
burg Parker Partridge Schureman, Scott
Sedgwick, Sherman, Sylvester, Sinnickson vi.
: ming, and Wynkoop
Those who voted in the negative were
Nlessrs. Ames, Baldwin, Benson, Bland, Burke,
Carroll, Coles, Gale, Grout, Jackson, Liyermorc,
Matthews, Moore, Page Van Rensselaer,, Smith
OF Maryland, Smith Of South Carolina, Stone,
Sturges, Sumter, Thatcher, Trumbull, Tucker,
White, and Williamson
The said reports are as follow
Report Of The Special Committee.
The committee to whom were referred sun
dry memorials, from the people called Quakers,
and also memorial from the Pennsylvania
Society, for promoting the abolition of slavery.
submit the following report
That from the nature of the matters contain
ed in these memorials they were induced to
examine the powers vested in Congress under
the present Constitution, relating to the aboli.
ton of Slavery, and are clearly of opinion,
LIST. That the General Government is express
ly restrained from prohibiting the importation
OF such persons AS any If the States now ex.
listing shah think proper to admit, until the
year one thousand eight hundred and eight
2dly. That Congress, by fair construction
OF the Constitution, are equally restrained from
interfering in the emancipation of slaves, who
already are, or who may, within the period
mentioned, be imported into or born within,
any of the said States -
L
@ in thS no authority to
States relative 70 sd regulations of particular
tho rc;rio. y the instructions of slaves in
comfor,olf Of morality and religion; to their
s;ster.r SH.ole clothing accommodations, and sub
-s'yce; to the regulation of their marriages,
tsand the prevention of the violation of the rights
, thereof or to the separation of children from
their parents; 20 n comfortable provision in
cases of sickness, age or infrmity or to the sell
cure, transportation, or sale of free negroes but
have the fullest confidence in the wisdom and
humanity Of the Legislatures of the several
, States, that they will revise their laws from,
time to time, when necessary, and promote the
objects mentioned in the memorials, and every
other measure that may tend to the happiness
of slaves.
4thly. That, nevertheless, Congress have au.
thority, if they shall think it necessary t. Law
at any time a tax or duty, not exceeding ten
dollars for each person of any description, the
importation of whom shall BIO by any of the
States admitted as aforesaid
5thly. That Congress have authority 10 inter
diet or $50 far as it is or may be carried on by
citizens Of the United States for supplying for
: cigners) to regulate the African trade. and t.
make provision for the humane treatment Of
slaves in all GASES while on their passage to the
United States, W to foreign ports, so far as re-
spects the citizens of the United States.
6thly. That Congress have also authority tc
prohiht foreigners from fitting out vessels in
, any port of the United States Tor transporting
persons from Africa to any foreign port
7thly. That tho niemorialists be informed