Washington telegraph., 1856-12-17
from the True Democrat.
ARKANSAS LEGISLATURE.
HOUSE.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
NoUem6er 29th, 1856.

Ine preliminary business OF the morn
ing being finished,
Mr.. Forest, from the standing commit
tee on ways and means, made the follow
ing report:
The committee on ways and means to
whom was referred House bill, No. 73, to
be entitled .tAn act to amend chapter 165
of the Digest. title vacancies in Office,
have had the same under consideration,
and have instructed me to report the same
back to the House, and recommend its re-
lection.
Which was read, and
Mr. Ross moved the adoption of said re-
port the vote was taken upon the adop-
ton Of said report, so voting In the affirm
ative and 8 in the negative; so the motion
was lost.
The committee on ways and means pre-
sented their report on the bill in relation
to poll tax, recommending the rejection OF
the bill
The report was adopted and the bill was
rejected
The same committee also presented their
report on the bill to furnish justices OF
the peace with the supreme court reports,
in which they recommended the rejection
of the BILL
Mr. Williams, Of Pulaski, moved the
adoption of the report, which prevailed
so the bill was rejected.
Mr.. james, from select committee
made the following report:
Mr. SPEAKER-The select committee
to whom was referred House bill, No IL
entitled ''An act concerning free negroes
and mulattoes," and House bill, No rs,
entitled EEAn act to rid the State of Ar
kansas of free negroes and mulattoes, y
have had the same under consideration
and majority of said committee have in
structed me to report said House bill, No
I5, entitled '!An act to rid the State o.
Arkansas of free negroes and mulattoes, u
with the following amendment, to wit
1st. Add at the conclusion of section 3
as follows: ''Unless the person emancipa-
ting such slave provide means for his I'M
mediate removal from the State of Arkan-
sas."
ID. Amend section I, by inserting the
word 'be'' between the words ''may' and
''found" in the fourth line; and by ad
ding at the end of said section as follows
''And such free negro or mulatto may
be convicted upon his own admission
of his freedom OF upon such other
testimony in the premises as may satisfy
the court or jury trying the Cause as a
substitute for said substitute of House
bill, No. II, and to recommend the adop-
ton and passage of the same.
Which was read, and
Mr.. Griffin, from said select committee,
made the following minority report
Mr.. SPEAKER-Th select committee to
whom was referred House bill, No. 10.
having had the same under consideration,
and the majority of said committee hay-
ing instructed the chairman to report said
bill to the House and recommend its pas
sage, the undersigned, minority of said
committee, disagree TO said report, for the
following reasons:
1st. We cannot consent to violate any
great principle OF moral or political rights
that prevents cur future good by any pos
sibility
ID BY the adoption of said bill We
would cast from US a depressed people,
without providing the means Of their re-
moyal or place of their retreat
Sd. Other States, where said free ne
groes must repair, would have just cause
Of complaint against this State.
4th. Because the provisions of the bill
are in direct conflict with the constitution
of the United States: article 9Th of the
constitution, as amended, provides, among
other things, ''that no person shall be held
to answer for capital or other infamous
crime, unless upon presentment or in
dictment by grand jury, nor be deprived
of life, liberty or property without due
process Of law, nor shall private property
be taken for public use without just COM
pensation."
9th. The bill repeals section 3 of the
laws, under the head, s'Kidnapping, in
its effect, and viii enable evil-disposed per-
sons to evade the entire act
9th. The bill conflicts with the demo-
cratic doctriue, which says-all the South
asks or demands of the North, is to main
tain inviolate the constitution of the Uni
ted States, and the rights of each State
to govern themselves, correct their own
evils, and that none can or has the right
by law to interfere with or impose evils
upon others without their consent
9TH. The minority report recommends
the passage of a bill for the removal of
free negroes and mulattoes more lenient
than the one, in their estimation, recon-
mended by the majority report, and one
which, in our estimation, will not conflict
with great and conservative principles,
therefore recommend its passage
DANIEL GRIFFIN,
L. ID. HILL,
Minority Of Select Committee.
Which was read, and the bill reported
by said minority of the select committee
was read first time and after discussion
as TO the disposition of said reports and