Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1859-09-02
WHO ABOLISHED THE SLAVE TRADE,

WHO ABOLISHED THE SLAVE TRADE
A correspondent Of the National ipielligen-
Ger. writing from Georgia, inquiring whether
It was true, as was circulated in that State,
that the Slave trade was abolished by ma
jority Of Northern votes over the Southern
votes, that paper gives an interesting state
ment of the facts in the case. It says:
"The act was passed on tho recommends
ton Of President jefferson, and each branch
Of Congress Wed with the other in its prompt
ness to move for the earliest possible sup
preston Of the Infamous traffic for so it was
regarded at that day by the Representatives
Of the People from every quarter Of the I'M
ion. On the day after the annual message of
Mr.. Jefferson for December, 1906, had been
read in the Senate. the first act recorded a.
mong the proceedings Of that body consists
in n notice, given on Wednesday, December
Sd, by Mr.. Bradley. of Vermont, to the effect
that he would, on the following Monday
December 8, task leave to bring in a bill to
prohibit the importation Of slaves into any
port or place within the jurisdiction Of the
United States, from and after the first day
Of January, 1908" In the House Of Repre-
scntatives it was also resolved, on the same
day, that so much of the message of the
President of the United States as relates to
the prohibition of the African Slave Trade
be referred to a Select Committee and
Messrs. Peter Early of Georgia. Thomas NJ 81.
Randolph of Virginia, John Campbell of Ma
ryland, Thomas Kcnan of North Carolina,
Orchard Cook of Massachusetts,, James Kel-
ley of Pennsylvania and Kilian X. Van Rons-
sclacr of New York, were appointed such
Committee.
The Committee raised by The Senate on the
same subject consisted of Messrs Stephen r.
Bradley of Vermont, David Stone of North
Carolina, William b. Giles Of Virginia, John
Gailard of South Carolina and Abraham
Baldwin Of Georgia.
These Committees, which, it will be seen.
comprised in their number majority from
Southern and slayeholding States. reported
to their respective Houses bills strongly pro-
hibtory of the foreign slave trade after the
first Of January, 1908.
The bill introduced by the Senate Commit
tee was passed in that body without division,
on the 9th Of January, 1907 The measure
reported to the House by its Committee was
debated from time to time, with the view of
ascertaining and inserting the most effective
penalties by which to put an end to the tral-
fic, when on the / 3th Of February, 1907, the
bill sent from the Senate, after being amend
ed, was read and passed with only five dis
scntients-Mossrs. Silas Bctten of Maine,
Martin Chttendon Of Vermont, James NJ Gar
net Of Virginia Abram Trigg OF Virginia and
David h. Williams of South Carolina.
1t may be proper to state that the eighth
section Of the bill, as amended by the House
Of Representatives, contained proviso cx-
ccpting the coastwiso trade in negro slaves
mot imported contrary TO the provisions OF
the act under consideration from the rcstric-
uons and penalties embraced in the BILL
To this amendment the Senate refused to
agree, and, the House insisting, committees
Of conference were respectively appointed on
the part Of both branches Of Congress As
the result of this conference the views of the
House substantially prevailed, though moi
without some notifications, which provoked
strong dissent on the part of many Represcn.
tatves
The bill was finally passed in the House b,
vote of 63 yeas against 4S nays. Among
the latter is recorded the vote of Mr.. Early o
Georgia, who had been so actively instrumcn
tai in framing the act but it is important tc
add that he expressly based his opposition OF
the ground that the bill, as modified, left, il
his judgment, "a door wide open to evasion
and would not prevent the introduction of
single slave" The great mass Of those VIII,
voted with him in the negative were, in lil,
manner, prompted by dissatisfaction will
the details, and not with the substance or OBJ
jeot of the measure.
The gt,bgcr,,rt ,.,n,,,.a, 1 ..4.1 g1t
and 1920, atfixing additional penalties to tn
traffic, were in like manner adopted by tn
common consent of Representatives from al
| parts of the Union, and received the asson
/ of President Munroe, in pursuance of who's
earnest recommendations they were passed b
the National Legislature
t-s' The bennington Banner, in comment
/ 9 81 /