The New York herald., 1862-04-01
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS.
THIRTY Y-SEVENTH CONGRESS.
FIRST SESSION.
Senate.

Senate.
| WASHINGTON, March 81 1862.
| Vice President Hamn being absent Mr.. Foot was
| chosen President pro tenn
THE woRKMEN OF THE LATE HARPERs FERRY ARMoRY.
Mr.. WILEY (Union) of Va, presented petition from
the workmcn in the late armory at Harpers Ferry ask
ing for the establishment of the armory and for work.
| ExANupAroN PETITIONS.
Mr.. KING, (rep.) OF N. Y, presented several petitions
| for emancpating the slaves.
REGENT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
| Mr. CoLIAxER. (rep.) of VT, from the Committee on
the Library reported the House joint resolution for
| the appointment of Theodore woosey, of Connecticut
Regent Of the Smithsonian Institution in place OF c. c.
| FELTON,, deceased.
The resolution passed.
| REPORT THE ENGAGEMENT BErwEES THE MERRMAc AND
| MONITOR
Mr. NEsMrTH (opp) Of Oregon, offered resolution ask
ing the Secretary Of War TO furnish tho Senate with
copy OF the report Of Brgader General Joseph A. Mans
field relative to the late engagement between the Merr
| mac and Monitor.
The resolution was adopted
| BUREAU OF TRANSFORMATION
Mr.. LATHAM (opp) Of CAL. introduced bill to create
| q Bureau Of Transportation. Referred.
| LIGHTHOUSE INSPECTORS.
On motion Of Mr.. CHANDLER, (rep.) Of Mch the bill
for appointment Of lighthouse inspectors taken
The bill proposes to transfer the lighthouses to the
service putting them under the control Of the
| Secretary OF the Treasury.
unwse TO change system which bad been found so long
| to work well.
After further discussion the bill was postponed.
TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT FoR ARIZONA.
Mr.. WADE, (rep Of Ohio introduced bill to provide
| Territorial government for Arizona.
THE LEGIsIAIURR AND TIE SLAVERY QUESTION.
Mr. FEssKSDEN presented joint resolution from the
Legislature Of Maine in favor OF extending pecuniary and
the States for the emancipation OF their slaves also
cordially approving Of the Presidents Message and de-
carng that Maine win cheerfuy furnish her quota Of
the amount also asking Senators to for the abo
| ton OF slavery in the District OF Columbia.
| SPEECH or MR.. SUMNER IN FAVOR THE ABOLITION OF
SLAVERY THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
The bill for the abolition Of slavery in the District Of
Coumbs then taken up, and Mr.. SUMNER, (rep) Of
| Mass, proceeded to speak in its favor.
| SUMMERS sPEEcH.
| Mr.. SUMNER commenced by saying-with nexpressibe
delight hail this and the prospect Of its speedy
adoption 1t the first nsalment OF that great debt
which we all owe enslaved race and will be recos-
mixed in history Of the triumphs Of civilization
AT home 1t will be welcomed with gratitude while abroad
it will quicken the hopes of all who love freedom. Libe-
raj institutions will gain everywhere by the abolition of
slavery at the national capital Nobody read that
slaves sold in the markets of Rome, beneath
the eyes Of the sovereign Pontn, without conessng the
scandal religion and nobody hear that slaves
are sold in the markets of Washington, beneath
the eyes Of the Preident, without coniessing
| the scandal to liberal institutions. For the
| sake Of Justice, let the scandal disappear
In early discussions of this question there many
topics introduced which now command little attention
II part Of the tactics Of slavery 20 claim absolute i'm
munity. Indeed, without such immunity IL had small
chance Of continued existence Such wrong so utterly
outrageous in its pretensons, could find oothod only
where 1t was protected from injury. Therefore it
always insisted that petitions against its existence at the
national capital not to be received that
constitutional TO touch here, within tho exclusive
jurisdiction Of Congress- and that II 1t touched
should be only under the auspices OF the neighboring
States Virginia and Maryland On these points elabo
| rate arguments made: but 1t useless TO
| discuss them now. Whatever may be the opinions
of individual Senator's the Judgment Of the country is
fixed The right Of petition vindicated by the machess
| perseverance of John Quincy Adams is now beyond
question and the constitutional power Of Congress is
hardly less free from doubt II is enough to say this
point tina; II Congress abolish slavery here then
there power anywhere 10 abolish IL here and this
wrong will en- lure always immortal as the capital itself
But the moment Of justice approaches called to
meet different objection II is urged that since there
be property in man. especially within the excu
sive jurisdiction OF Congress- therefore all now held
justly entitled 70 freedom without compensa
ton ransom to their masters. or course, II this
question determined according 10 absolute jus
tce, IL is obvious that nothing be done the
masters and that any money TO be paid belongs rather
tho who for have been despoed Of
all the fruits Of their industry. But IL will be difficult
for Congress to determine the question according alb
solue justice. II must act practically in the Light Of
existing usages, and even existing preudicss, under
which relations have assumed the character law
must hesitate at any sacrifice provided freedom
can be established Testimony and eoquence have been
accumulated against slavery bat this occasion shall
connne myself precisely to the argument against it's
cogniton ut the national capital nor shall wander into
the discussion of other questions which only distant
| ly connected with H. Al some other time the great
question Of emancipation in the states may be properly
considered together with that other question in which
4 the senator from Wisconsin (Nr Doolittle) takes
great interest, whether the freemen shall be
outraged to exile themselves tooher lands TO continue
their labor here at home IL is surely enough for the
present upon the discussion Of slavery the
national capital and here met by two Inquiries
SO frankly addressed by the clear headed senator r
Pofneroy First has slavery nsttutonal or legal
existence at the national capiiai and secondly. shal
money be paid to its aboony II IN true there
can be such thing as property In man. II this Jrs-
recognized where is another instance Of
the influence OF custom Slavery was then described In
its essential character five headed bafbarism having
its origin not in nature justice goodness
but simply in force and nothing else The which
maintains IL at the national capital is supplied by Con
gress. II the constitution were rightly interpreted by
slavery could here Tor freedom and
not slavery national Its unconstitutionaity ably
argued by Mr.. Chase In the Senate aud Horace Mann
the House and it follows from the principle declared by
Judge Mclean that In the absence of any power the
constitution Il cannot exist respiration
where there is no atmosphere This was applied by him
to tho Territories Ater protactsd discussion Wash
ington selected the national capital. For long
time there hesitation between the banks Of the Della
ware the susquehanna and the Potomac The latter
vailed by COMPROMISE, carried by two votes Mary
au1 by formal act, ceded the territory which
sttutes the District OF Columbia and Congress- in 1901
proceeded declare that the laws OF as they
now exist shall continue IN force. The statutes
tioning slavery are colonial and aDtcdiluvian,
passed as carly 1926. These statutes 60 not
attant the blood with slavery except for genera
tons yet is by virtue Of these provisions that slaves
are stl held at the national capital Even h they ex
tend beyond generations they are 1agrantly ucon
sstent th the constitution Congress exercise
powers except conformity with the constitution. Its
excus We Jurisdiction Is controlled and limited by the
constitution, out Of which II n derived Now, looking
AZ the constitution, shall 0nu, first that there no
words authorizing Congress TO establish or recognize
slavery: and secondly that there positive words
which prohibit Congress from the exercise Of any such
rover The argument, therefore, is two iold-nrst
from the absence Of authority and, secondly from posi-
tive prohibition. barbarsm like slavery can have no
support except in positive, unambguous words
There is no power the constitution 10 make
king or TO make slave, and the absence OF all such
rover is hardly more clear than the other
hut there be no such power then all acts of Congress
sustaining slavery at the national capital must be uncon
sttutiona and vos Nobody can show PIN ase or word