The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-08-11


consulting the actual provisions of the law,
these negroes, presume none viii doubt would
have been far better provided for by retaining
them in the country into which they had been
illegally brought, and making such provision
for them in a state of bondage as the laws of
the States where they were landed would adj
NIT of, or might require"
Mr. Brown said:
"The only inhumanity inflicted upon them at
ALL was by the action of your Government.
They ,Oould haze been delighted 10 remain in our
country Slavery here is better than that sort Of
freedom sohich they enjoyed at home They were
not allowed to do it. They were seized, put on
shipboard, and sent out of the country. Now,
eve are asked to foot the bill, to do it without
even the shadow of authority under the Consti-
tuition. | would repeal the law, repeal it in
stantly, as not based upon the Constitution
which we are sworn to support"
Some other proceedings in Congress last win
ter, in connection with the slave trade, are de-
serving of notice.
On the 23d of December, Mr.. Blair of Missouri
asked leave to submit the following resolution:
" RESOLVED, That the Committee on the Judi
ciary be, and hereby Isl instructed to report a
bill more effectually to prevent the slave trade,
under the guise of the coolie trade so called,
or of apprentices, or of African labor import
alton companies, or under any other name, or
in any other guise, the real purpose or effect OF
which may be, directly or indirectly, Immediate
ly or ultimately, to make slaves of the persons
so procured and transported"
Unanimous consent being required, objection
was made by Mr.. Houston of Alabama.
On the same day, Mr.. Klgore of Indiana asked
leave to submit the following resolution:
"ResOlUed, That the President of the United
States be requested to report to this House,
what information has been received by him in
regard TO the recent importation of slaves from
Africa into Georgia, and what steps, if any,
have been taken to punish this violation of the
laws of the United States"
Unanimous consent being required, objection
was made by Mr.. Garnett of Virginia
On the Goth of January, the Committee of the
Whole House having under consideration the
Consular and Diplomatic Appropriation Bill, Mr..
Seward of Georgia moved the following an
amendment:
" Provided, further That all the laws heretofore
passed, prohibiting the slave trade. be and the
same hereby repealed Ard that the policy
of restricting the foreign slave trade be left
with each of the States, as affecting their own
local policy"
This amendment was not voted upon, being
ruled to be out of order.
On the Odd of December, Mr.. Sandidge of Lou
siana introduced Il resolution W hich was referred
to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, for the alb
rogation of that article of the Ashburton treaty
which requires the keeping of squadron on the
coast Of Africa, for the suppression of the slave
trade.
On the 3lst of January, Mr.. Kilgore of Indiana
asked leave to submit the following resolutions ::
"Whereas the laws prohibiting the African
slave trade have become topic of discussion
with newspaper writers and political agita-
tors, many of them boldly denouncing these
laws as unwise in policy and disgraceful in
their provisions, and insisting on the justice
and propriety of their repeal, and the revival of
the odious traffic in African slaves; and whereas
recent demonstrations afford strong reasons to
apprehend that said laws are to be set at def
ance and their violation openly countenanced
and encouraged by portion Of the citizens of
some of the States of this Union and whereas
it is proper, in view of said facts that the SEN
tment of the peoples representatives in Con-
gress should be made public in relation thereto
Therefore
al. ResoIred, That while we recognise no
right, on the part of the Federal Government or
any other law-malling power save that of the
States wherein it exists, to interfere with or dis
turb the institution Of domestic slavery where
it is established protected by State legsla-
ton, we do hold that Congress has power to
prohibit the foreign traffic, and that no legisla-
ton can be too thorough in its measures, nor
can any penalty known to the catalogue of mod
ern punishment for crime be too severe against
traffic so inhuman and unchristian.
az. ResOlred That the laws in force against
said traffic are founded upon the broadcast prin-
cples of philanthropy, religion, and humanity
that they should remain unchanged except so
far as legislation may be needed to render them
more efficient; and that they should be faith
fully and promptly executed by our Govern
ment, and respected by all good citizens
/" 3. ResolUed, That the Executive should be
sustained and commended for any proper effort,
whenever and wherever made, to enforce said
laws, and to bring to speedy punishment the
wicked violators thereof, and all their aiders
and abettors."
Mr.. Burnett of Kentucky objected to the intro
ductiom of these resolutions but it being in order
on that day to move suspension of the rules,
Mr.. Kilgore moved that they be suspended, so
that his resolutions might be considered. The
suspension of the rules not carried, yeas ll5,
nays 84-not two-thirds.
OF the affirmative votes, only five were from
the slave States, as follows:
MARYLAND-Messrs. Bowie, Davis, and Ricaud.
NORTH CARoLINA-Mr. Gilmer.
KENTUcKY-Mr. Marshall.
And of these five, only one, Mr.. Bowie, belongs
TO the Democratic party.
The negative vote came, as to the bulk of it,
from the slave States. The balance was con-
tributed by their Northern allies, as follows:
Messrs Barr, Florence, ellis Gregg, Lawrence
W. Hall, Hodges, Miller, Niblack, Soaring Aaron
Shaw, Robert Smith, George Taylor, Vallandig-
ham, White, and Wortendyke--l5.
In the Senate, on the 10th of February, the
following discussion took place between Mr.
Wilson of Massachusetts,, and Mr.. Hammond of
' South Carolina;
: "Mr. WILSON. We have branded the slave
Z trade; we have passed laws against it ; and,
: although we were the first nation to brand the
. slave trade, | suppose that, owing to variety
of causes not necessary to discuss at this time,
we have done much any other people to
keep that trade alive. Our ships have lowered
on the coast of Africa and have engaged in the
traffic. One of those ships has been captured
{ by vessel OF our navy and brought into this
country. These Africans, in the spirit of the
law say nothing about the letter of the law
have been returned, and the President of the
United States has made bargain with the only
men, it seems to me, with whom he could have
made bargain, the colony of Liberia, to take
care of these recaptured Africans. l think the
President Of the United States, in so acting,
acted according to the spirit of the law, and
according to the public judgment of the coun-
try; and, for one, give my vote most freely to
| carry out the bargain the President of the Uni
| ted States has made.
Whether it be strictly legal or not care
not. | always notice that when an act of hu-
manity, an act of libcrality, an act of justice,
is to be performed, it is very difficult to fiud
authority, either in the Constitution or laws OF
the country. For myself, see in the law of
i 1919 enough to authorize the President to make
! this bargain, and my own heart impels me TO
4 give it a prompt and decisive vote. simply
say that there is disposition in this country,
and it is said there secret organizations in
this country, 10 reopen the slave trade that
hundreds of thousands of dollars have been
subscribed to carry it out and engage in the
| trade--to defend the trade; and that in nor