The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-07-27
From the Globe
PERFECTED PROCEEDINGS.
In Sennte. .Inln Is. 1854.

At OSN"tC3 S"tJ 10, iOVf'
MIR. SUMNER. present memorial from
the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the
Abolition of Slavery, the same society which
enjoyed the friendship of Washington, and of
which Benjamin Franklin, Benjamin Rush,
and DR.. Wistar, were early Presidents. This
memorial is an elaborate document engrossed
on parchment, and signed by the distinguished
President Of this day, DR.. Parrish, Of Philadel-
phia, with the other officers, and authenticated
by the broad seal of the society. 1t protests,
at length, against the Fugitive Slave Bill, and
earnestly but respectfully solicits the Federal
Legislature to adopt, with the leas. practicable
delay, the proper measures for expunging from
our statute-book an enactment which, as long
as it remains there, must contribute a dark
blot upon our national character in the view
of the civilized world"
Among the reasons assigned by the memo
rialists, is one to which | feel it my duty to
call particular attention, and to crave the at
tention of the chairman of the Committee on
the Judiciary Mr.. BUTLER. They show that,
by the operation of the 10Th section of the Flu
gitive BlIl--which gives conclusive force to a
record made behind the back of the alleged
fugitive--a free colored person, with evidence
of his freedom, may be surrendered to Slavery.
And they add:
stantially descriptive of one which has recent
ly occurred. A colorsd man, who had resided
in Philadelphia from childhood, and proved by
competent witnesses to be a free man, has been
reluctantly consigned to a claimant in Georgia
by q United States Commissioner in Delaware
under the authority Of the section alluded to-
Reference is here made to the interesting
case of Edward Davis, who escaped from Geor-
sia by concealing himself under the wheel
house of steamer in most exposed situation
and who was afterwards surrendered TO Slavery
in opposition to positive testimony to his free
dom. Among the papers accompanying the
memorial, is one which states that the commits
sioner declared that abe would give fifty dol
lars, cheerfally, to be released from making the
decision - and that on account OF 1t, " ne lost
two nights sleep, and had no comfort while in
church on Sunday. No wonder at this.
Mr. President it was an early maxim of the
common law, that it were better that one hun
dred guilty persons should escape, than one In
nocent person suffer.
Mr.. ADAMS. l rise to point of order Ii
it in order to discuss this question at length or
the presentation of q petitions
Mr.. SUMNER. have no such purpose.
am merely explaining the memorial, and press
ing it upon the attention of the Senate. pro
coed: A wise man of antiquity remarked, ir
words often admired, that, in his opinion, the
hest Government was that under which wrong
n a single citizen was resented as an injury tt
the whole Commonwealth. And, sir, only a
this session, Congress has offered it's homage t.
an American officer, who, in distant sea, IN
terposed the power of the Government to shield
the liberty of an obscure person who claimeS
his protection. If the spirit of this act, and
these sentiments, prevailed here, an outrag
like that described by the memoriallsts coui'
not occur, without arousing at once the ihoig
nant Judgment of Congress.
move the reference of the memorial 70 TIT
Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr.. CLAY. Mr.. President, the Senator
quotes one old saying from the common law
There is another, sir, to be derived from higne
authority, from the sayings of the wise man
Israel, "the dog will return to his yomit."
| do not expect sir, that We shall be able to cor
rect vicious and depraved instincts or corsup
taste; but 1 do protest against tolerating al
abuse of the rules of the Senate, in order to re
iterate these hackneyed set phrases which WI
have heard repeated so often.
Mr.. SUMNER. / am accustomed to answer
on this floor, anything in the shape of argu
msnt, and hold myself ready at all times t
meet il. hold myself, ALSO at all times read,
20 meet any Senator here who keeps within tn,
miles and orders of debate, for that man is m,
peer; BUT SENATOR WHO DOES NOT KEEl