Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-04-03
Compromise Measures of 1850.
Repudiated by the Forney Presses.

quiet TO the country, until that quiet was In
terrupted by the recklessness of the present
administration. Mr.. Beale has been condemn
cd by the Enquirer for voting in favor Of the
"act to suppress the slave trade in the Dis
trict of Columbia"
1t will DO remembered that the original
scheme introduced and advocated in 1850 by
Mcssrs. Clay, Cass, Dickinson, Bright, and all
other conservative Union-loving Senators in
Congress, embraced several measures in one
general bill, including the law above cited,
and that after lengthy discussion, it was
found necessary TO separate the several meas
ures to insure their passage.
Col. Benton, who has all his lifetime played
the demagogue, made violent war upon what
he called the conglomeration, and defeated
the original scheme rs introduced by the COM
mittee, and hence the several measures were
separately introduced and passed. The fugi-
tive slave law was one Of those measures, and
the "act to suppress the slave trade in the Dis
trct of Columbia was another. In order to
understand the recklessness of those presses
and orators, who now assail Mr.. Bcalc for his
vote in favor Of this bill, it will be only neces-
sary to quote and explain its provisions:
The act provides that it shall not be lawful
to bringint the District of Columbia, any slave
whatever, for the purpose Of being sold, or for
the purpose of being placed IN depot to be
subsequently, transferred to any other State or
place, to be sold az merchandise.'
The act further provides that it shall and
alay be lawfui for each Of the corporations Of
Al. - lao
time to time, and as often as may be necessary,
TO abate, break up and abolish, any depot or
place of confinement Of slaves, brought into
the said District, as merchandise, contrary to
the provisions of this act by such appropriate
means, as may appear to either of said corpo-
rations expedient and proper"
This is the whole extent OF the act, and the
operation of it has not lessened, and cannot
lesson, the number Of slaves in the District,
nor has it prevented the sales of slaves from
one man to another, nor in any manner affect
cd the condition of single slave, in the Dis
trict of Columbia 1t has simply transferred to
Baltimore and Alexandria, the depots for the
sale of slaves, which previously existed here.
ANY man living in the District has perfect
right, and exercises that right, to purchase at
Baltimore, Alexandria, or elsewhere and bring
into the District, as many slaves as be wishes
for his own purposes, and every man hOre has
the same right to dispose of his slaves in the
District as before The law simply and only
the sale Of slaves as merchandise, and the bring
ing of slaves here for sails; and we are yet to
learn that ono single individual of the District
has complained of the law. OF the arguments
pro and con upon this question, we have not a
word TO say. We simply present facts and re-
suits, and we do not believe that ten citizens,
or epen one can be found in tho District, who
desires the repeal Of the above named act. SO
far as we know, it has met the concurrence Of
all our citizens.
We have seen it stated in some Of the For
uey papers, that Mr. Beale was the only mem
Der Of Congress from Virginia who voted for
this measure This is not true. Col Hay
lnond of Virginia voted for it Col. Gentry Of
Tennessee, large stakeholder and pro-slayery
man voted for the law, as did also Messrs.
Clay and Underwood Of Kentucky, and Messrs.
Bright Cass, Dickinson, Douglas, and other
standard Democrats, in the Senate.
II was one Of the series Of Compromise
measures, as we stated on yesterday, intended
to harmonic and tranquilize the country, and
there Is not one sentence or word in the act,
involving any man who voted for It, In the
charge Of abolitionism. Nor did the Legisla-
ture of Virginia ever regard this act as one Of
hostility to her interests, as we understand the
action Of that body.
The Richmond Enquirer Of yesterday asserts
that Virginia, through her Legislature, had
made the abolition Of the slave trade in the
District Of Columbia an issue of Union or dis
union, and, in the most solemn and imposing
manner, had instructed her representatives 10
resist the measure, at every hazard and to the
last extremity" We make no positiUo contra
dictions Of statements, unless we feel sure we
arc right, and therefore, in this instance, we
simply say, such is not our recollection Of the
action Of Virginia but, on the contrary, our
recollection is, that This one Of series Of reso-
buttons brought forward in the Legislature Of
Virginia, was not adopted, but rejected, or NTH
dram in committee However this may be,
Virginia acquiesced in this law, and did not
nlthdrdn from the Union upon its passage,
Us the Enquirer represents that she had threat.
ened to do.
And we further recollect that the yener-
able Thomas Richie, now deceased, then editor
Of the Washington Union, advocated and
urged with all his power and influence, the
original Compromise bill, introduced into the
Senate by Mr.. Clay's committee in 1850, and
which bill contained provision like that which
was finally passed on this subject as a scpa-
rate measure.
Whatever threat therefore, was made by
virginia, 0hough we think none was made,) to
Withdraw from the Union upon the passage of
such measure, IL Is certain that her distin.
guished leader-(Thomas Ritchie)-that man
who, for nearly half century, controlled her
political action, sustained this very measure,
and It Is also certain, that Virginia still remains
ono NJ tho hri0hf ufa.a In, .,,,r ,a4,o..i