Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-09-07
-iNoo-SAA VI ~
1t is as follows:


February 18th, 1884
''Mr. Williams, from the Committee on Territories
made the following report --
The Committee on the Territories. to which wa
referred the memorial of James H. Garnett, NJ. Gar
nett and Maria II. Garnett, of Essex county, Vir
glnis, report:
1.-THE memorialists allege that they are the owner:
Of a number of slaves, removed several years ago
from Virginia to the Territory of Florida; that the
Legislature of said Territory has imposed tax OF
ten dollars a head on all slaves of nOn-res ents
which shall be hired out without reference e the
amount for which said slaves may have been hired
that post tdco operation given to this en-
actment by applying it to slaves hired out several
weeks before the passage of the law; and that the
same, or perhaps another law, subjects any non
residents slaves that may be sold in the Territory
to further tax Of fifteen dollars each They there
fore ask Congress for relief.
THE Committee are satisfied that the memorialists
are entitled to raef. 1t Is certainly against the
policy of the United States well as the dictates
of common justice, to allow any Territorial Legsla
ture to tax the property of non-residents higher
than the same property of resident citizens"
Z" The provisionary authority appointed under the
Act of 23d of February 1919, having passed an or
dinance providing Tor the naturalization of the in
habitants of Florida, and the City Council of St
Augustine having imposed by ordinance certain
taxes upon the inhabitants, an Act of Congress was
passed the 9Th OF May, 1922 repeating both Ordi-
RANGES and making the execution penaL'-(See 18th
vol Laws of the United States, p. So, chap. So
The Committee think Congress should always
protect the property CT the citizens of the United
States when subjected 10 the operation of unjust
Legislation by the Territorial Governments. In the
case above referred to- that pracipe of protection
as asserted and maintained 10 practice. The same
principle requires the same practice now, and for
that purpose the Committee herewith report
bill"
The bill so reported was approved by Gen. JACK
sCK on the Both of June, 1884 The law can be
found in the 9Th vol of Statutes at Large, p. 60,
chap sc. 1t is az follows:
BE enacted by the Senate and House Of Representa-
CipeS Of The United Sta 81 america ia Congress
Sebed, That all such CT part of acts passed by
the Legislative Council of the Territory OF Florida
as MAJ impose higher greater tax on the slaves
or other property OF nonresident citizens than IS
Imposed Oh the slaves other property OF resident
citizens be. and the same hereby repealed and
declared null and void.
SEC 2 And be Il further enacted That if any per-
shall attempt enforce any OF the acts or parts
of acts passed by the Legislative Cornell of the Ter
rirOry Ot Florida aforesaid, by enanding or re-
ceivIng any tax. imposition, assessment, author
lied prescribed thereby, such person shall, on
conviction thereof, be punished by fines not exceed
ing two hundred dollars and by Imprisonment not
exceeding SIX months either or both of said pun
iEhments.n
This is an enforcement of the principle asserted
and adopted and approved by the true National
Democracy of the country, and is utterly at vari
ance with that other doctrine that Territorial Leg
islature may so legislate as to preclude slavery
prior to It's becoming State.
In that Congress were such men as CLAY, WEB
srEk and CALHOUN in the Senate, together with FELIX
GRUMPY. HUGH L. WHITE, WN. c. RWEs, WN. r. KING,
Tuos H. BENTON, GEO. POTNDEXTER, JOHN NJ CLAYTON
THEODORE FRELISGHUYsEN aud others of equal note.
In the House of Representatives, there were
amongst Others, JoHN Gunner ADAMS, the great
head ard father of the anti-slavery party, EDWARD
EVERETT. MnIARD FILLMORE, HENRY A. WISE, WV.
S. ARCHER VIZ. CosT Johnson, DAVID CROCKETT,
Bale PEYroy. Hon. JOHN BELL and others Of natiohal
The bill passed without division. JoHN BELL
and EDWARD EyEEETT proclaimed to the country by
their action in 1884 that Congress can intervene and
correct uafriendly legislation y Territorial Leg
isaturc against slave property, and that the Demo-
cratic party in this respect stand upon constitutional
principles.
Now, what becomes fall the rant Of the OpPosi
ton party about slave CODE IL is vapor that |
paSseth away. All that the party ask is the adop-
ton Of the same principle asserted by the 2Sd Con-
gress in 1884.