New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-04-01
WIPE OUT THE NA7lON'S SHAHE.
A Speech for the Adjustment Of Slavery
In the District Of Columbia.
p~rsvsred fn the United States sensfe or
Tsosday, March 2J, 1862.
by HENRY WILSON OF MASSACHUSETTS

Cons,ituti of the United States was summoned TO
the consideration of questions Of transcendent in-
portance which excited the profound interest OF the
nation and of the statesmen of that age. Hildreth,
M his history Of the United States tells us that Of
al the Queslions discussed at this session, none pro-
duced 80 much excitement as started toward 'ne
close Of it, respecting the permanent seat OF 'ne
eral Government" The Eastern States would nave
han o,,,., =, ,ta;n the seat of Government in the
Civ of New.York. where the Continental Congress
had es,ablished it; but Pennsylvania sought to win
4 hack TO Philadelphia, and Mary land, Virginia, and
Abe Carolnss sought 10 fix il on the banks oil the
po,omac The members of the East, supported by |
pennsvIvapis hoping to conciliste the Oh satisfied
members of the South, proposed TO liz The permH'
pant seat Of Government on the Susl uehann'ii pul
the proposition was strongly and violently opposed
and they were told by even the moderate Madison
cha, IL that days proceedings had been ioeseeil
Virginia would never have ratified the Constitution
The House BILL locating the capital on the Surque-
hanna, amended 10y the Senate so as 10 hN 'he ses'
Of Government 10 a district ten niles square adoln-
mo pbiladelphia failed through the growing oppo-
s,to and mani est dissatisfaction of the men OF The
souh Thus the Congress OF lSJ was stirred to pro-
foundest depths by the absorbing question whether
Ale national capital should he located on the banks OF
the Delaware, The Snequehanna, or The Potomac.
These conflicting claims Of sections snd OF interests
defeated, i'll S9, all propositions for the location oil
the seat OF the national capi but at the next SIS
siou in 1890, q bargain, compromise, WAS cOnsnn-
mated between the advocates of the assumption Of
the State debts under the lead OF Hamilton ana Nor
ris and few members OF NirSinia, by when the
House of Representatives, after taking the year ana
nsys thirteen tines determined, by vote OF tnr'y,
two 70 ,wenty-nne 10 locate the permanent capital
of The Reuubhe on the banks OF the fOtomc. Ihls
victory over the North, woD by the skill and deein-
inan Of the statesmen Of the South, placed the FER.
manent capital of the new Republic on sol pohu'ed
a.,fh n.d. ia
tSe leaders of Southern sentiment and opinion has
sss its malign influence over the policy OF the Ma
tonal Cover nlent. Here, for two generations the
sseslpen of republican ana Christian America have
been surrounded by an atmosphere taioted by the
breath OF the slave and by the binding and Iervert-
ing influences of the social life Of sayeholdng 60
ciety.
The Constitution gave Congress the power 20
exercise exclusive legislation III all whstso-
ever" over tbis eeded tea miles square call the
District OF Columbia. Instead Of providing code
of humane, equal, and uniform sws, for the govern
uent of the capital Of Christian nation Congress
enacted, in lsOl, that the laws OF Maryland ana
Virginia as they then stood should be IN force on
the north sud south sides Of the Potomac. BY this
act, the inhuman and barbarous, the indecent ana
vulgar colonial slave codes OF Mary land aud virginia
became the laws of republican America for the gov
arnmeut Of its chosen capital. BY this act OF na-
tioal legislation the people Of Christian America
began the first year OF tue nineteenth century, by
seceDtine reafhfmng, and re-enacting for the gov
ernmeut 81 their new CaHlhl, tbc colohlhl
enacted for the government of the wild hordes Of
Africa which the colonial and comm rcia policy Of
England forced upon Mary land end Virginia.
The National Government, by re-enacting the
slave codes OF the ceding States Tor the government
of the ceded territory accepted a. lie creed the
wicked dogma that color, in the national capital, Is
presumptive evidence Of Slavery. Ia 1877 the Com
rnittee on the District OF Columbia in the House Of
Representatives, reported that III this District,
In all .iaveholdng States it the Union, the legal
presumption Is that rersons Of color going at large
N without shy evidences Of their freedom abtcoId
ing slaves, and Pr,ya JGc'e abie TO all 'he legal
Committee state that in that part Of che Distinct
coded by Virginie, ." free negro may be arrested
and put in iail for three nioDths suspicion Of be-
Ing fugitive; he ia then to be bred out TO pay has
jail fees aud if he does rot prove his freedom within
Twelve months he il 20 be sold as slave" In Die
territory ceded by Maryland TIE Committee say
that If free man Of color should be aplTehendeo
n, a runaway ne il subjected to the payment Of al
fines and rewards given by law for apprehendinl
runaways and upon failure TO make sueh payment
IL liable 20 lie sold az slave Tee legal presump-
ton that PERSONS Of color " Ascending slayos -
that ifarrested az runaways they subject 10 the
pavrneut of all fines sud rewards given by law for
spprebendng runaways'--tbat falling TO pay slcl
a. fines and rewards they ere " liable TO be cold az
slaves' are the recognized doctrines IN tie Iatoas
capitol Of this DemOcrstio Republic. For two gene
raions has Christian America recognized IN her car
iol the wicked and guilty dogma that color is legal
presumption that man, whom God made, and Tor
whom Christ died, walking The earth III The pIlds VI
conscious mauLoOd, IL an abscOndlng slave 10 be
spprebended 90 runaway" subjected to tte,pay-
rnent of fines and rewards or ito be sold slave
toRsy s,i iefI ~. .r,,or;,v ., ,so;.,.,on ~ ,o
National Government the corporation Of WashDg-
toa not content with this monstroGs legal presump.
fion that color is eviGence-Di Slavery enacted the
3lst OF May, 1877, that every negro and musttO
found residing in the City Of Washington who shall
not be able TO establish bis or her title 10 freedom,
shsll be committed 10 the Jail Of the County OF
Washington a. abscOndng slaves. In what aye OF
the world in what land under tie whole heavens,
can YOU fnd TN enactment Of equal aToelty to this
iniquitous and profgate statute-tis legal presum-
tion that color is evidence that man made In the
image Of God is an " absconding slave r.
This Inonstrous doctrine abhorrent 10 every manly
impulse OF the heart, 10 every Christian sentiment
OF the soul 10 every deduction Of human reason
which the refined and Christian people Of America
have upheld Tor two generations, which the C0rpo-
ration Of Washington enacted into an imperative
ordinance has borne its legitimate frniis Of Justice
and inhunauisy, OF Gishouor and shame. Crmes
against man, ID the name Of this sbhorred doctrine,
have been annually peTpetrated in this National
Capital which should make the people of America
hang their heads III aDasement before the nations
aud before that Being who keeps watch and ward
over the hunblest OF the children Of mol. Men aud
women Of African descent, no matter ia what State
they were born, 10 matter what rights and pIiv.
ieges they possessed under tie laws and institutions
oi the states hon whence they came, have 4nuualy
been seized, imprisoned, fined, and sometimes sold
Into perpetual seryltude. This doctrine, that
color il presumutiye evidence Of Sisven-tiis
ordinance coiisigning It's victims TO imprisonment
Offers tempting tribe 10 the base the seliish, the
enprndplsd, 70 beoOme n6Dstealegs aud kI0nappers.
This bnbe Las converted Government officials,
justices Of the peace, cOn-tablee and police officers
into manufacturers Of slaves. This bride has annu-
ally hled your jail with it, yiiime, making it tho
sxha ff.g ntlf aI ts.an