Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-08-07
CHI: 'Obio 6tates,nrroat,1tl M an
TIE Z I'll d
MR. CRITTENDEN's REMARKS
ON THE SLAVE CoNFIsc ALTON BILL. l--


Mr.. CRIrTEnDES. I am but slightly acquaint.
ed with the rules Of the House, but | supposed
the previous question bad been, substantially,
withdrawn by the gentleman who made it, BY
entering into an argument with half dozen
gentlemen upon the subject 'l ~ iaas 3
The SPEAKER. The Chair would state that
unless the demand is withdrawn, no debate is In
order. va I'st',0 D. 20 tiaA "sa 11l s1b9
Mr.. KELLOGG, of Illinois, ask the unan-
imous consent Of the House to permit the gen
tleman from Kentucky TO proceed. 100 -L'''
| No objection was made. .N Nh
Mr. CRiTrENDEN. | shall occupy the time of
the House but very few moments Mr..
Speaker, 1t has been conceded in all time, be
lieve, that the Federal Government, the Con
gress of the United States, had no power to
legisate upon the subject of slavery within the
States IL has been conceded that was sub
ject for State legislation only. Does war change
the powers OF Congress in this respect? Itis
the absence of all power upon the subject which
has prevented your legislation. Absence Of all
power of legislation in time of peace must be
the absence of the same power at all times
The constitutional power OF this House does
not come and go with change Of circumstan
ces. That is a fixed rule Of Congress, perma-
nent, immutable, and made to govern Congress
Now, cir, if you can legislate in regard to sla-
very in this instance, and if you can, upon Ger
tain conditions in time of war. destrov The riebt
of the master to his alave. wbv cannot you mn.
on conditions, in time of peaee do the az me
thing? You do IL here because the alave ia
employed to aid the master in the commission
OF great crime, that is, the uniting In civil
war. Could you not apply the principle to times
Of peace, and make the conditions then7 Ifa
master uses his slave to aid in the commission
declare that 60 he a spficient canse for the in.
Grafton Of the slave? Why can yo,, MOTT Re.
cause Won have mo nower by vonr Constitution
to touch slavery nj aIl -, :. s''" =
Isay, in relation to slavery. that Conoress
never had anv nower of lIeoisIation v;,hjs, the
States. and. m Iongsr on than last session,
this body and the Seoats nv a ma;or;tv of tvo,
thirds. were vilIjng IN mske that a nroy;o;or
of the Constitution when nonodv had aver Do
manded II = 'TI--D - - 80 -
Now, cir, am not ipouiripr. nor am pre.
pared to make an arpument. az To nowera @ IN IN a
state of war. az 10 national law. world. wide
Ilaw. 1 am interposinp A poaitiye statute. and
say if there is no power 10 do this thing n
time of peace, there Is no such uover at Sny
time. '-lsF 5sI1 RIlItfI'.1i 1l7 :
Mr.. CsIrTrNpEN. I will uroeeed to make the
few remarks which intended to do ON this sub
ject. l say, if YOU have no power directly, nc
matter what the edvsnsa esa If tho arerc;se ~ ~
that mower vonId be. nv master III bow ,,st' NJ ~
mat,er bow necesssrv 70 ,he 'n.sse,,o,;oy, ~ ,bs
Union. Won cspnot leuislste ahont II for want n
power. That ia INV ooint. You cannot make
a general law that shall reonlate alavarv iha,
shsIl regulate the rigbta If the nastar =, the
rights az The servant in state of this IInion n
ltime of neace That viii be adm;ttad tbint
Yon cannot nnnisb anv crime in tbe state. IN a,
ia for the State It mart of ita interior nol
lev, Il ia the law. and you were WILLING TO mi
i Il in the Constructor 40 a tb;n, nevar de,iad
Now. ask NV friend If tbis 6i,i ia No. est,;n,
, around that. nakinr nae of a STATE of war of ;
state of tb;ngs that hieblv eIcitea ma oil? 7,
adon,inr this ;ndiscrees and nnsdv;sed lee;sia
tion. are We NOT irving. nnder nIausihle c;rcum
stances. to insinuste our iurisdiction in q, man
/. ner which. on the sams nrinoinle. mnat annlv \
place the slavery of tbe South land will Il no
be 40 understood) comnletely in the mower n
Copgress2
mr.. Sneaker. IL ia tho crime aoa;nat vbicl
we are lesisIatina tbst irritatss and nrovoks Yoke q
rs 10 srtremitv 10 our Ia,;sat;on IN this auh;ec,
We have n mower in ali cases Within our i1ris
dct;on n try nersons in onr co,,rts far the crim,
: ALLEGED aeainst them. ARA ali the conaeouenoe
!, which the law annexes under the Constitution
follow tbe iudement.
Nov. IN reference to treason. which ia the
crime here. The Constitution defines what Il
liz. and nrovides for its nunishment. IL declare,
that treason against tho United States shall
consist ia leyyinp war against them, and thal
u mo neraon sbali be convicted Of treasop excen
On The testi oopy of two win Witnesses a. ~ the 80 M,
6vert act. or IN bis confession in onen oonr.. 7
u declared that Conereas shall have mower To de-
clare the punishment of treason: hut no attain
/ der ~ treason sbaIl work corrun.ion nf biood
or forfeiture, except during the IIfs of the, Of
fender.
Now, cir, the crime declared by this bill. AM
for which this forfeiture is to take place, s trea
son-treason by its very definition. Itis 40 con
. sidered in this bill. Ii is 60 Considered by m
friend from Illinois, This law updertakes 10 ID
prive the owner of slaves Of bis entire property
. and piye complete freedom TO the slave. m
Constitution asys that even on conviction Of tres
son. there shall he mo forfeitnre ~ nronertv.
; any deseription. beyopd the lifetime az tbs 4
fender. fIlN'i1' ~ 7-"T0 ~ n ~ :
Now. Iask nv friends eyervwhere If Il Ia n,
A plain breach Of the CopstitItion that a ma
shall forfeit his slayes2 Whatsoever of pronert
he emnloys or permits tn he emnloyed in n 90
tain wav in Aid of reasonable nnrnoses Re aha
5 forfejt Il absolutelv. savs thls nil. and esn
ciallv shall he forfeit lis slaves forever. m
ia the language of the hill. The Iangnas
of the Constitntion ia. that M tittle of b
nronertv shall he forfeited for LONGER IN,
his life. Ia this, however else we NAV diffe
there is IN apparent unconstitution in th
bin. - N" 1910 ''n''F - ~
- Sir. will leave The matter with this sing
remark. This provision Of the bill will be CO.
Esidered, and so interpreted abroad, as assumir
to Congress power over slavery. If you ca
on conditions, in time of peace, abrogate al