Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-07-22
From the Globe.
PERFECTED PROCEEDINGS.
In Senate. JuIY Is, 1854.

Abolition OF Slavery, the same society "nich
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 IL protests,
at length, against the Fugitive Slave Bill and
earnestly but respectfully solicits tho Federal
Legislature to adopt with the least practicable
delay, the proper meaelts 81 for expunglng from
our statute be * an enactment which, as long
as il remains there, must contribute 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 Grave the ct
tention Of the chairman Of the Committee on
the Judiciary, + Mr. BUrLER.] They show that,
by the operation Of the 10Th section Of the Flu
gitive Bill--which gives conclusive force to
record made behind the back of the alleged
fugitive free colored person, with evidence
of his freedom may be surrendered to Slavery.
And they add:
This is not an imaginary Gaze, but IL sub
stantially descriptive Of one which has re ,ent.
~ occurred. A oolored man, who had resided
in Philadelphia from childhood, and proved by
competent witnesses to be free man, has been
reluctantly consigned to . claimant in Georgia
BY 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-
gia by ooncealing himself under the wheel
house Of q 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 he would give fifty dol
lars, cheer fully to be released from making the
decision - and that, on account of it "he lost
two nights sleep, and had no comfort while in
church on Sunday. No wonder ct this.
Mr.. President, it was an early maxim of the
common law, that il were better that one hun
dred guilty persons should escape, than one in
nocent person suffer.
Mr.. ADAMS. rise to point Of order. Is
it in order to discuss this question at length on
the presentation of q petition?
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 in
words often admired, that in his opinion the
best Government was that under which wrong
to single citizen was resented as an injury to
the whole Commonwealth. And, sir, only at
this session, Congress has offered its homage to
an American officer, who, in Q distant sea, in
terposed the power of the Government to shield
the liberty of an obscure person who claimed
his protection. If the spirit of this act, and of
these sentiments prevailed here, an outrage
like that described by the memorialists could
not occur, without arousing at once the indig
nant judgment Of Congress.
move the reference of the memorial to the
Committee on the Judiciary
Mr.. CLAY Mr.. President the Senator
quotes one old saying from the common law.
There is another, sir, to DO derived from higher
authority, from the sayings of the wise man of
Israel, "the dog will return to his vomit." /
do not expect, sir that We shall be able to COR
rect vicious and depraved instincts or corrupt
taste but do protest against tolerating an
abuse Of the rules Of the Senate in order to re-
iterate these hackneyed set phrases which we
have heard repeated so often.
Mr.. SUMNER. am accustomed to answer,
on this floor, anything in the shape Of argu-
ment, and | hold myself ready Mt all times to
meet it. hold myself, also, at oil times ready
to meet any Senator here who keeps within the
rules and orders Of debate, for that man is my
peer BUT SENATOR WHO DOES NOT KEEP
WITHIN THE RULES AND THE ORDERS OF DE.
BATE is NOT MY PEER.
Mr.. BENJAMIN. MIR. President
Mr.. RUSK. Will the Senator allow me to
state my point Of orderi | object to the ro-
ception Of that paper, first because it is not
addressed to the Senate, and secondly, because
il contains statements which are direspectful
to the South.
The PRESIDENT. The question then will
be upon the reception Of the paper, and that
question is not debatable, unless by unanimous
consent
Mr.. SUMNER. 1 throw myself upon the
msgnanimity Of the Senate to make brief
statement.
Mr.. CLAY. The Senator from Louisiana
has the floor.
Mr.. BENJAMIN. am willing 10 yield il.
Mr.. SUMNER. do not desire
Mr.. TOOMBS. Does it require unanimous
consent TO permit the Senator TO proceed
The PRESIDENT. In the opinion Of the
Chair, it does.
Mr.. TOOMBS. Then if it does, object.
Mr.. SUMNER. I believe | have the floor
MIR. CLAY. The Senator from Louisiana
was recognised, and has the floor.
Mr.. SUMNER. Will the Chair be kind
enough to state how the matter standsa
The PRESIDENT. The Senator from Texas
objected to the reception Of the paper which
has been read. That is the question before
the Senate A motion was also made by the
Senator from California, that the motion to re-
fer the petition lie on the table. The other
r,raoksov, IL a rok hefore tha Sannte
Mr. SUMNER. The Senator from Cslifor.
MIA moved to lay the motion TO refer upon the
table
Mr.. CHASE That was Withdrawn.
Mr.. BENJAMIN The motion Of the Ssna-
tor from California was Withdrawn, and after
the Senator from Delaware addressed the
Chair, | was recognised as having the floor.
The PRESIDENT. That is true. The mo-
ton was Withdrawn, and the Senator from
Louisiana was entitled to the floor. The qaes-
ton now is upon the reception Of the paper OBJ