The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-09-01

dev;se osans for removing this inconsistency
from the character of the American people,
that you will promote mercy ana lustico NJ
step 10 the very verge of the power vested IN
you for discouragng every species Vi ""'H' :"
the persons of our fellow men.
| BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, President
Philadelphia, february 3, 1890.
Mr.. Hartley then called up the memorial
presented Yesterday, from the annual meeting
of Friends at Philadelphia, for q second read,
| ing whereupon the same was read second
time and moved to be committed.
Mr.. Tucker was sorry the petition had
second reading as he conceived 1t contained
an unconstitutional request and from that
consideration he wished it thrown aside. he
feared the commitment of it would be very
alarming circumstance to the Southern States
for, if the object was to engage Congress in an
unconstitutional measure, it would be consider
ed as an interference with their rights, the
people would become very uneasy under the
Government and lament that they ever put
additional powers in their hands. de was sur
prised 70 see another memorial on the same
subject and that signed by man who ought
TO have known the Constitution better. he
thought it a mischieyOus attempt as It respect
ed the persons in whose favor 1t was intended
1t would buoy them up with hopes, without
foundation and as they could not reason on
the subject as more enlightened men would,
they might be led to do what they would be
| punished for, and the owners OF them, IN their
own defence, would be compelled to exercise
over them severity they were not accustom'
ed to.
| Do these men expect general emancipation
| of slaves by law This would never be sub
mitted TO by the Southern States, without q
| civil war. DO they mean to purchase their
| freedoma He believed their money would fall
| short of the price. But how is it they are more
| concerned in this business than others Are
| they the only persons who possess religion and
morality! 1.-THE people are not 80 exemplary,
| certainly they will admit the clergy are. Why,
| then do we not find them uniting in body,
praying us to adopt measures for the promotion
| of religion and piety, or any moral object
| They know it would be an improper interior
| ence and. to say the best of this memorial, it
| is an act of imprudence, which he hoped would
| receive no countenance from the House
Mr. Seney denied that there was anything
unconstitutional in the memorial /; at least, if
| there was it had escaped his attention, and he
should be obliged to the gentleman to point it
out. Its only object was, that Congress should
| exercise their constitutional authority to abate
the horrors of Slavery as far as they could
indeed, he considered that all alteration on
the subject of commitment was at an end as
the House had implicitly determined yesterday
that it should be committed.
Mr. Burke saw the disposition of the House,
and he feared it would be referred to COM
mttee, maugre all their opposition; but ne
must insist that it prayed for an unconstltu-
tional measure Did it not desire Congress to
interfere and abolish the slave trade, while the
| Constitution expressly stipulates that Congress
| shall exercise no such power! He was certain
| the commitment would sound an alarm, and
| blow the trumpet of sediton in the Southern
| States. He was sorry to see the petitioners
paid more attention to than the Constitution;
however, he would do his duty, and oppose the
business totally; and if it was referred to
committee, as mentioned yesterday, consisting
| of member from each State, and he was APP
| pointed, he would decline serving
Mr. Scott. | cannot entertain doubt but
| the memorial is strictly agreeable to the Con-
sttution. II respects part of the duty par
| ticularly assigned to us by that instrument,
and | hope we may be inclined to take it into
consideration. We can at present, lay our
hands upon a small duty of ten dOllors. |
would take this and if it is all that we can do,
we must be content but | am sorry that the
| trainers of the Constitution did not go further,
and enable us to nterdict the traffic entirely
| for ! look upon the slave trade to be one of the
| most abominable things on earth; and if there
was neither God nor Devil | should oppose it
upon the principles of humanity and the law
| of nature
| | cannot for my part conceive how any per-
| son can be said to acquire property in an
| other. Is it by virtue of conquest What are
the rights of conquest? Some have dared to
advance this monstrous principle that the con-
querOr is absolute master of his conquest that
he may dispose Of il az his property, and treat
| it as he pleases But enough of those who re-
duce men to the state of transferable goods, or
use them like beasts of burden-whO deliver
them up as property or patrimony to others.
Let US argue on principles countenanced by
reason and becoming humanity. The petition.
ers view the subject in q religious light; but |
do not stand in need of religious motives to in
duce me to reprobate the traffic in human flesh
other considerations weigh with me to support
the commitment of the memorial and to sup
port every constitutional measure likely to
bring about its total abolition Perhaps in
our legislative capacity, we can go no further
than to impose duty of ten dollars but do
not know how far might 20, if was one of
the Judges of the United States and those
people were to come before me and claim their
emancipation; but am sure would 20 as far
as could
Mr. Jackson differed with the gentleman last
up, and supposed the master had qualified
property in his slave. He said the contrary
doctrine would 90 to the destruction of every
species of personal service. The gentleman
said he did not stand in need of religion to in
duce him to reprobate Slavery; but if he Is
guided by that evidence upon which the Chris
tian system is founded, he will find that reli-
gion is not against il. He will see, from Gene
sis to Revelations the current setting strong
that way. There never was Government on
the face of the earth but what permitted Sla-
very. The purest sons of freedom IN the Gre.
clan Republics--the citizens OF Athens ana
Lacedemon--all held slaves On this principle
the nations of Europe are associated; 1t Is the
basis of the feudal system. But suppose oil this
to have been wrong, let me ask the gentleman
if it is good policy to bring forward business
at this moment, likely to light up flame OF
civil discord: for the people of the Southern
States will resist one tyranny as soon as an
other. The other parts Of the continent may
bear them down by force Of arms but they
will never suffer themselves to be Invested OF
their property, without struggle. The gen.
tleman saws, if no was Federal Judge, he
| does not know to what length he woald GO in
emanoipating these people; but ] believe bis
| judgment would be OF short duration in Geor-
GA perhaps even the existence of such a
judge might BIO in danger.
Mr.. Sherman could see no dficuItv in conn
hitting the memorial; because it was probable
the committee would understand their bust
ness, and perhaps they might bring in such a
report as would be satisfactory to gentlemen on
both sides of the House
Mr. Baldwin was sorry the subject had ever
been brought before Congress, becauseit was