New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-01-22

stagger On without them, or under the harrow Of
debts ard duns. Delve and save for few years, 20
that. If you must work . mortgaged farm, you shall
owe for nothing e'se. One debt seldom ruins
mad. where fifty debts Of no greater aggregate
amount viii eel him out or drive him TO drink or
come other form Of insanity. The debts that exist
must be cleared off as they can be; but let US ell
resolve for the future to pay more and more heed
TO tee vital Apostolic precept-Payas You Go.
The laws Of Maryland sixty years ago-consti-
utipg at this moment the Code Of the District OF
Columbis-were modelled with view to the ulti-
mate extinction Of Slavery in that State. The
grand discovery Of our modern Democracy that
Slavery is the cornerstone Of republicanism, and
that liberty and equality for whites can only be
secured through the aid Of body of blacks and
been made. 1t was a pervadiDg principle of the
Code Of Maryland at that time both to encourage
and facilitate emancipation, and strictly to prohibit
the importation into the State Of any additional
slsves-sll persons brought into the State against
this prohibition TO become thereby free.
This prohibition, under the act Of Congress
adopting the Maryland Code for that portion of the
District Of Columbia coded by the State of Mary
land, remained and still remains in full force. Ex.
cept from the State Of Mary land no new slaves
could or can be brought into the present Dis
trict, to be permanently held there. In cases OF
travellers and visitors, as formerly in this State,
certain indulgence is granted but every person
h.. unbt 81 int fba nsfr aDdh p1 her
az a slave for q year, thereby became free. SO
vigorously Las this rule been insisted upon, that it
was even applied to slaves held in the late Virginia
portion Of the District. A stakeholder Of Alexan-
dria even while Alexandria remained part of the
District could not sell his slaves, to be held as
such, in the City Of Washington nor hold them
there himtelf. If he attempted to do it, they be-
came free at the end Of the year; and so the law
was decided in more than one case that came be-
fore the Courts. To carry out the spirit and prn-
ciple Of this prohibition, Maryland ITSELF as we'll as
the other Slave States, ought to be included in it.
The new Code for the District Of Columbia ought
to provide that no new slaves shall be introduced
into it from any quarter whatever. 1t appears,
however, that the change proposed by the new
visions of that proposed Code on this subject are
rather obscure and complicated, end very bunslingy
expressed; but the main substance of them appears
10 be this:
First: Any citizen Of the United States coming
to reside in the Distrst may bring with him, or
may introduce within a year after, any slave of
whom lie was the owner at the time Of his re-
moysl But he is not to be allowed to sell any such
slave or its increase, till he has been resident of
the District for three years-that length Of time
being necessary, We suppose, to initiate one thor
Oughy with the mysteries Of breeding slaves for the
Southern market. We do not observe, however,
that the new Code provides any penalty against
selling slaves so brought ill., before the expiration Of
the three years. 1t does not say that sves so sold
shall thereby become Free Such construction
might possibly be got at by a shrewd Interpreter,
but if such is the intention it ought to be fully ex-
pressed. Without such provision the prohibition
to cell amounts to just nothing.
SeeOnd: Citizens of the District acquiring prop
erty in slaves BY marriage bequest, in the course
Of distribution or as guardians, may bring such
slaves into the District, and hold aud use them
IneIt, pro'lucu snoy arc icSiDtcicu "hh'" '"iS0
months, but without the privilege of selling them
till they have been held in the District for three
years This privilege is limited to slaves who, or
whose ancestors were residents in the United States
previous to the 2lst of April, 17e3-the date, We
suppose, Of the prohibition by Maryland of the
African slave trade. But this restraint even if
enforced, would have at the beet but very
limited operation, as the great body of the slaves
in the United States are the descendants of those
held as such in 1888.
Third SojOurners and travellers in the District
have the right to come or go attended by their
slaves: but they cannot sell them. Yet, in case
they do sell them, penalty seems to be provided
Nor is there any limitation as to time, so that we
do not see how it would be possible for slave to
take any advantage of this provision. similar
privilege of bringing slaves int the District is also
given to residents there, as in the adjoining States
of MARYLAND or Virginia, who own and cultivate
lands in the District
Even apart from objections TO the substance of
these provisions they are set forth in the text of
the proposed new code in a very confused way, and
with want of distinctness and precision which
would make necessary legal decision for every
other word before the Interpretation TO be given
to the new Code could acquire any degree Of GER
tainty.
five cannot have judicious legislation without