Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-03-03

Nils ShHDpotA owe
Mr.. GlLLETT continued for more than an hour
citing extracts from foreign and domestic authors,
in derogation of Slavery, when
Mr.. JONES, Of Tennessee, said the Senator from
Connecticut tGillett) observed at the commence
ment of his speech that the measure was precipita
ted upon them, and he has read over fifty pages
which must have taken n week to prepare, aud
speaks of the remarks of Mr.. Wade, which shows
he knew what Mr.. Wade was going to say. ITO
the ree.Soilcrs\--Now own up. gentlemen, you
, knew oil about this bill and what each other were
going to say on it. | do net say il in my SEN
atorial capacity, but personally. l verify believe
, you are u band Of traitors.
Mr.. CHASE moved the Senate adjourn. Lost
Nays 80, Yeas 7.
Mr.. PETIT ridiculed the idea Of State sover-
eighty, and gave a dissertation ON the Romans,
ScundinavianS, NOrmans SaxOns, GOths Nandals,
the Gracchi, &c.
NJ. WILSON was ready to carry out every pro-
vision Of the Constitution, but was opposed to the
existence of slavery in the District of Columbia or
in the Territories of the United States, and he and
those who acted with him were determined to ubUl-
ish it there. They believed they shared the re-
sponsibility Of its existence wherever it vas under
the control of Congress. and they desired to relieve
themselves of that responsibility. lie earnestly
desired the perpetuity Of the Union, and thought
that if the Fugitive Slave Law should he re.
pealed, that the provisions of the Constitution
would he carried out 10y the States themselves.
Mr.. WELLER said if Mr.. Wilson was disposed
to carry GU: the provisions Of the Cnnstitu ion he
would go hand in hand with him. He had heard
him charged with being q disuniuuist. lie was glad
that such was not the case
Mr.. SEW ARD-The bill before US has received
none too large n share of our attention. The Flu
gitive Slave Law has been introduced. | have no
concealments Or reservations upon that subject. /
shall give my views again on that subject, when
we come to the organization "f Nebraska. | pro-
phesied that the orr lnizltipn Of the Fugitive
I SloNn Inv vuull lead ia turtlpr usurp1tinuS nnl
here they are in this hill. | understand the Know
Mornings to be setrct societies of two or three
grades, cullcaguGd to elect persons of their own
Order, sumo what similar to the n Itive Americans.
| hope my protest in this Hill will not be identified
with this association. ! belong tu but une vulun-
tary society, and that is the Christian Church. |
belong To but ono political party, and that has opn
societies, meeting in broad daylight. Before |
would bend the knee, or join secret associations,
and swear to submit my Judgment to that of other
men, | would suffer my hand to he paral yzed.-
Prescribe II man because he was not burn in the
same town, county. State or country! | seriously
advise the people hereafter to be born in the Uni.
ted States to be converted to the Protestant church
and to he born white if they can; but if they
come into the world, Notwithstanding my advice,
with black faces and twisted hair, | shall not add II
feather to the disabilities under which they natu.
rally suffer thereby. | am in favor Of the aboli.
ton of slavery in the District of Columbia. AS to
slavery in the States, | don't know of an individu.
al who is in favor of abelishing slavery in the
States where it exists by external Interference
But if lived in II slave State | should use all lc
gal means to secure its abolition there, and to thai
end | would try to get such aid from the Treasury
of the United States as circumstances would afford
As to the Territories, | shall not repeat my upin
ions. What is proposed here is an Innovation;
new measure-that the courts of the States ma,
be busted in civil causes in actions complained o
under Il law or color Of Il law of the United States
Thirty-one equal and qualified sovereignties com
pose the United States. The objects of both arc
alike to protect their citizens. The one is the Fed
eral Government, the other the State Government
The latter we're organized to protect the liberty OF
the citizen. Where they fail the Federal Court.
are appealed to.
Mr.. BAIARD-Some States have recently, by
their legislation, endcavored to render the laws Of
the United States nugatory, hence the necessity OF
such a law as this. One State imprisons rs II felui,
him who asserts his right to property and fails to
prove his t tie. Such State legislation renders the
present bill imperative. No officer otherwise
can fulfill his duty in reference to the laws of the
United States. If these States can carry their
points against the United States there must lie a
dissolution. They have already done something
towards this through mobs and murdrr-now they
are attempting further to resist the laws Of Con-
grcss by legislation.
Mr.. SUMNER-It is now near midnight. Since
III O'Clock this morning we have been in our seats
This is the day usually set apart for private claim,
There are seventy-tive private bills unhearl; sac
riticed to slavery in one of its most odious firms.
There is a seeming apology for slavery at home,
but that apology fails when you hunt Il man who
has the intelligence and skill to secure his free
dom.
Mr.. RUSK-Point out q word in that bill which
speaks of slavery.
Mr.. SUMNER-Read the caption of the bill. 1t
has been ably discussed by my friend from Ohio
and others. By the admission of this whole DEBATE
i, is a bill to bolster up the Fugitive Slave
Act.
Mr.. RUsK-If the officers of the United States
are not TO be protected. repeal your law.
Mr.. SUMNER-So say l. Repeal your law. -
There is neither the word "slave" nor slavery"
in the Constitution. The bill is reported by IL SEN
ator from the North, to bind anew tho chains of
the slave. Some Senators regard the Fugitive
Slave Law as constitutional, others, equally con
scientious, believe it to lie utterly unconstitutional
There is another clause, side ly side with the
held 10 labor" clause, guaranteeing the same
privileges aud immunities to all the States, and to
the citizens Of each State. Citizens from the free
States, in more than one State, have been put in
prison and in some instances sold.
Mr.. BUTLER-Do you embrace South Carolina
in your
Mr.. SUMNER--I do. South Carolina has, by
her Legislature, claimed the right to interpret that
clause, and Congress has no power to legislate I'M
der that clause. l say of Massachusetts that on
the 'held to labor clause she has a similar right
to interpret, and to disclaim the right of Congress
to legislate upon this last-named clause. This Flu
gitive Slave act is unjust as it is unconstitutional
You fancy you may prop it up by decisions of
courts, but such an act, so defiant of the laws of
God, would drag any Court down to oblivion. SEN
ators to-day have a~rraigred whole States be-
cause they have endeavored to throw the shield
of habeas corpus and trial by jury around this
atroc:ons enactment. An enlightened Christian
: t,l aht i'm, =. q ,,.. - ~. A-.I- l. ILL
render your acts on this floor nugatory as they are
unconstitutional and irrational. You from the
Snnth brought slavery into Congress when you
passed the laws in reference to slavery which dis
grace the District Of Columbia. and which my
friend from Connecticut, Mr.. Gillett, has so very
ably exposed to-uay. Let us alo e. say Senators
from the South. let us alone; say we of the North.
Keep slavery where it WAS under Washington
when our national flag didn't float over a slave |
move to strike out the enacting clause and insert