The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-08-31
TEE FUGITIVE SLAVE AcT-PRoPosTuoN FOB
ITS REPEAL.


In the Senate of tho United States, on Mon
day, July 81, 1854, Mr.. Seward as instructed
by the Committee on Pensions reported back
the House bill for the relief of Betsy Nash,
with an amendment. He stated that she was
poor and aged woman, and that the bill sp-
propriated q small amount Of which ehe had
been sixteen years in pursuit. IL was half pay
for the services of her husband, who had served
ceived therein.
MIR. Adams moved to amend this bill, by
adding, as additional sections, a bill for the
relief of Mrs. Batchelder, whose husband had
lost his life in Boston, during thu riots conso-
quent upon the arrest and return to slavery of
the alleged fugitive, Burns.
The Chsir (Mr. Cooper, of Pennsylvania pre-
siding) decided, in response to an inquiry from
Mr.. Stuart, that this molten was in order.
MIR. Stuart declared that this amendment
opened the whole slavery sgtssion, from be-
ginning to end" and moved the postponemeni
of the entire subject; which was decided In the
negatiye-l6 to SO.
The report in the case Of the widow Nash
was read, at the request Of Mr. Foote when
upon the call of Mr.. Sumner, the views Of
Messrs. Jones of Iowa. Clay of Alabama, and
Toucey of Connections, in favor of tho Batch
elder pension, were read; and also the views Of
Mr. Sumner and Mr.. Seward in opposition
thereto.
Mr. Seward explained at length the charac
ter and attitude of the bill before tho Senate
and was followed by other Senators, among
| them
Mr.. CLAY, who said that the bill was sus
| tanned by precedents-by many precedents-
by SOME which have been reported during thii
session, one at least by one Of the members o.
! the committee who oppose the bill. | ailudt
| to tho Senator from Massachusetts,, Mr.. SUM
KER 1 will convict him, out of his owr
mou5h, either of an ignorant or willful misrep
resentation of the action of the Senate upor
this subject
The PRESIDING OFFICER, (Mr. COOPER
in tho cbsir.) The Senator is not in order.
| Mr.. SUMNER. MIR President
Mr.. CLAY. / do not yield the floor, Mr.
| President
| Mr.. SUMNER. / rise 10 a question of order
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senato
from Alabama is certainly out of order.
A protracted debate here followed; ant
when the question was finally taken upon Mr.
| Adams's amendment, it was adopted by tn
following vote:
YEAs-Messrs. Adams, Atchison, Bayard
! Bell, Benjamin, Brodhead, Brown, Butler, Cas-
Clay, Dawson, Dodge Of Wisconsin, Dodge O
Iowa Evans, Fitzpatrick, Geyer, Gwin, Houe
| ton, Hunter, Jones of Iowa, Jones of Tennessee
Mason, Morton, Norris Psaroe, Petit, Pratt
Rusk, Sebastian, Sldell, Thomson of New Jer
coy, Toombs, Toueey, and Wsller-34.
NAYs-Messrs. Bright Chase Cooper, Pes
sender, Fish, Foot, Gillette, Rockwell, Seward
Stuart Sumner, Thompson Of Kentucky, Wade
and Walker-l4
Mr.. SUMNER. beg leave now to offe
the following amendment to the section which
has just been added:
Provided That the act of Congress, appro
we'd September lS, 1880, for the surrender @
fugitives from service or labor, be, and the SAM
10 hereby, repealed.
i MIR. BENJAMIN. rise to q question of or
der. Is that amendment in orderl
! The PRESIDING OFFICER, (Mr. CooPkR.
The Chair believes it is not
| hr. SUMNER. il is clearly in order, par
ticularly after what the Senate has done to-da,
in connecting these two bills together.
SEVERAL SENATORS. The question is no
debetable.
Mr.. MALLORY. viii ask the Senator t
indulge me for moment.
MIR. SUMNER. Certainly.
Mr.. MALLORY was not present whel
the question was taken on the amendment @
the honorable Senator from Mississippi. wa
accidentally absent, and ask the consent Of tn
Senate to have my vote recorded in the affirm
| alive
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senate
asks unanimous cvnsent to record his vote i
favor of the amendment on which the question
has just been taken. Is there objection None
The motion will be received.
/ Mr. SUMNER. Do understand the Chat
as ruling that my amendment is out of order
The PRESIDING OFFICER He doe
Tne amendment is not in order, in the opinio
!, Of the Chair
i Mir. WALKER Whyq
I. Mr. TOOMBS. Is there not yet an amend
ment proposed by the committee to the orig
|, nal bill? Was that passed ONT
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The rronosi
ton of the Senator from Mass achusetts IA q
amendment to the amendment, proposing to r.
peal The Fugitive Slave Law. The Char hs
ruled it out Of order.
II Mr.. TOOMBS. There was an amendmer
proposed TO the original bill, by the Senate
: from New York, from the committee, and the
the amendment with reference to the Bosto