The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-03-22

nave peen TAKEN 10 execcte the law and II Is be-
ieved that, by concealment and fraud, the traffic
Is SUI carried on here to some extent though the
great slaye-barrscoon, used by the brokers in hu-
man flesh residing in the Capital, is just across
the Potomac. Soon after arriving in this city last
May, noticed in the Organ of the Administration
an advertisement of a whole family, consisting of
i've or six members to be sold at auction in front
of the City Hail; and during the present session
of Congress have seen persons advertised for
sale in the fair-seeming Lntelgencer, icihout
striefion," in violation of provision of the COM
promise of 1850.
| By the authority of the United States, if per-
son of the prescribed class shall fly any kite or
| kites within the limits of the Corporation of
Georgetown, he shall be fined, or fogged, at the
| discretion of the Mayor.
By the authority of the United States, the free
colored inhabitants of this city taxed annually
from fifteen to twenty thousand dollars to sup
port its white poor, to sustain the schools for the
education of its white children, and for all the
other municipal expenses of the District while,
| at the same time, they are precluded from any
participation in the benefits of what they thus
compelled to pay, being left alone and unaided by
their ehivalrotIs exactors to feed their own poor,
TO sustain their own schools, and bear all their
| other burdens best they can. Language, sir,
| is too poor to characterize such extortion.
By the authority of the United States, there
appeared in this city, few days since, under the
meridian sun, a human shape on horseback, drag
| ging a woman by rope around her body through
its muddy streets. With unbluslfng face, and
head erect gloating over his victim with spider
like exultation, this gallant Of the chivalry"
assembled the hill on which we are assembled, with
| his human prey, and passed by under the very
shadow ofthe Capitol, over which at that moment
your national flag was proudly floating the
ensign of Freedom. Oh sir, d" the model Repub-
lie !" "The model Republicl" The great slave
monger, the great slave-market, the great slave
propaganda of the nineteenth century, around
whose Capitol men are bought and sold like oxen,
and woman is hunted and led, as savages hunt
and lead buffaloes by the lasso!
Mr.. DAWSON. As chairman of the Committee
on the District of Columbia will only take occa-
sion here to say to the Senator from Connecticut,
that those laws are not in force in this District,
any more than the old laws of the State of Con-
necticut against witchcraft, and the laws made
at New Haven against violating the Sabbath.
No such laws / believe, were ever passed by Con-
gress. Even if they were, they are no moro in
force than the Blue Laws of the Senator's own
State. What il the object OF the course Of the
Senator, but to excite prejudices against the Dis
trict of Columbia, and against the character of
our country and its Institutions? / submit to the
Senator himself, whether it would not be well to
refrain from such a course Of remark.
Mr. GILLETTE. have in my hand (holdng
up the book these laws of which have made
an abstract. ! have the code here entitled the
Black Code of the District of Columbia" The
gentleman can look at it.
Mr.. RUSK. | wish to ask the honorable Sena-
tor where that code was printed. The book
looks like very small one to contain a code of
laws.
Mr.. GILLETTE 1t was published in New
York.
Mr.. RUSK. Just where l expected Laugh
ter.
Mr.. GILLETTE. These laws are found in the
statutes of Maryland; have seen them there
myself they were enacted into United States ld,Os
by Congress in 1880, and they have never been
repealed. Every slave in this District is held
under these and other similar laws, or else he is
not held under any laws at all.
Mr.. RUSK. New York is very kind, to print the
statutes of Maryland.
Mr.. GILLETTE. Mr.. President
Mr.. JONES, of Tennessee The Senator will
allow me, am sure, before he proceeds, to vim
dictate the truth of history.
Mr.. GILLETTE. Certainly
Mr.. JONES, of Tennessee. The Black Code"
from which the Senator has been quoting and
on which he has made his speech, is New Gork
work, "by Worthngton G. Snethen, Counsellor
at-Law; published for the A. and F. Anti-Slave-
ry Society, by William Harmed, 81 John street"
That is the titlepage of the book. ! merely wish
out with his speech
Mr. GILLETTE. ask the Senator from Ten
nessee whether in his State the authority of an
author is diScredted, from the fact that his work
is not issued by publishing House in TENNESSEE
Does he question the validity of the United
States laws, because they published in Boston,
and not in Tennessee?
Mr.. JONES, of Tennessee. Not at all; but with
me- the fact that anything on the subject of Sla-
A boIif =
to make me regard it questionable. If it is
published by an Anti-Slavery society," it is pretty
sure to be SANDER on the South and on the
country.
Mr.. GILLETTE. The honorable Senator, l
think, has given the very profoundest reason he
can for his disbelief, with a characteristic cour-
tesy.
Mr.. MALLORY. trust the Senator from Con
necticut will be suffered to go on, and not be
interrupted. The statements which he has been
making can certainly do no harm in the country ;
if wrong they can be corrected.
Mr.. RUSK. feel great interest though, if the
Senator will allow me to say word, to know
| the name of that thing, in the shape of man.
who was seen dragging woman with rope tied
| around her body. AS a matter of curiosity, |
should like also the time when it occurred
Mr.. GILLETTE In reply to the Senator from
Texas will say, that am not informed as to
the name of the thing 1t passed this Capitol
about one o'clock, p. NJ
| Mr.. JONES, of Tennessee. When2 To-day?
! Mr. GILLETTE On Monday of last week
| Mr. RUSK. Did the Senator see it?
Mr.. GILLETTE. No, sir; but have the testi-
mony of several persons who did see it.
| Mr.. RUSK. Will the Senator name who they
are?
! Mr.. GILLETTE. If essential, I could name the
persons. They were ladies at the boarding house
| where lodge. One of them, the wife OF Sena-
tor; two others, the wife and daughter of a Rep
resentative; and a fourth, the sister of another
Representative.
Mr.. RUSK. Then understand the Senator did
not see it himself2
Mr.. GILLETTE. l never pretended that my
self saw it.
Mr.. RUSK. am glad of that, for believe the
Senator would have chivalry enough to stop
such a thing if he should see it: and would
help him in doing So
Mr. GILLETTE. / am glad TO have escaped
such a spectacle.
Mr.. BUTLER, Ito Mr.. GLIErrE) What would
| you have done if you had seen it?
| Mr.. GILLETTE. | would have called the atten-
ton of the Senator from South Carolina to the
scene, as specimen of has "patriarchal nstitu-
tion, as it exists in the Federal District and I'M
der the authority and laws of this Federal Gov
eminent. | mentioned it by way of illustration
of the subject in hand.
Mr.. BUTLER. | know what l would have
| done.
Mr.. GILLETTE. Now, Mr.. President, is it per-
tinent TO inquire, by what authority did the Con-
gress of the United States, acting under Consti-
tuition ordained, among other purposes, to estab-
lish justicep-aye, sir 10 establish justice-and
secure the blessings of liberty enact the con-
Summate injustice of earth and the outrage upon
liberty, of striking down thousands of persons in
this District to the degradation of chattelhood2
In what article, section, clause of the Consti-