Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1862-03-25

We continue t0.der tho publication OF IN
t~eresiing selections from la:e United States
YANKEE CONGRESS-.
Debate In ,he Hsousc OF representative"
on emancipation
RESOLUTION RECOMMENDED 81 PRESIDENT 'i''
WAsnlSGroS, March H..
Mr.. Wicklifs (Un., Ky.,) remarked, 'f,hs the
gentleman from PenEEY lvalia (S%teycns) yes
1srday said, this resolution meant nothing st
all. he (W;ckliGj) thought Congress ought net
10 trouble themselves about il. No doubt tne
mover Of tho resolution could rns tell what
was meant BY it. Ho (Wicklitte) desired .Lsnt
on this subject. To-day hi; colleague LurI''
,endsn) asked leave to make 4 Single state
,oeut, This was refused. Yesterday, "heh
the resolution vas introduced, tbs Eiover
sprung the previous question, thus Seeking 70
cut Of debate, tho gentleman declaring at the
time he was under Il pledgp 20 call the qnGs,
,;oa. With all respect ta Inc House, he DID
not believe thirty men here Goild "o!" 1er q
taS TO purchase negroas. II !. were itls 10
him 10 ssy whether the Slaves &c might own
should be auaucipatsd by beiEe PAID Tor taein
ont Of tho Treasury of tbs Unina Siasea, nc
would reply, No. lie @uuid prefer Iney
should escape By tn" underground railroad
rather than the people should be taxed 10 pay
him for whatever losses nc misht thus sus
f.in. He denied the constitutional power nrai
70 interfere, and (lea 10 appropriate nionoy to
buy sla7os Ho might te accused Il 8 wahs
Of LOYALTY foT expressing bis ol;.tashionai SER.
ti,nents. In the course OF his remarks, he
ssid if the people cf kentucky shall he left 10
their free choice. with ~, continuance OF their
right to control their Institutions i'll their own
gav, ts,ay' would say ee prefer Tie Goysru-
ment franad by aur patriotic fathers 1atlcr
than join one hAng,rg together by q rope
of sand, and which cannot stand. |: seemed
to him the resolution proposed ia oif1cste give
no the Cotton States, provided tno Border
Slave States would continue Eith tho North.
Mr. Di7en (Rep., II. y Said ThGthtr this
resolution shall be adopted ar not, whether
tho Rorde, Sl.ve S.ste; shall abolish Slavery
or not, be should ulSaYs BIO in favor OF leaving
them III pOssession Of Gil the constitutional
rights which they possessed at sho tune thc2
snt.red into the Union. al The Northern
States were not united on so constituting the
Constitution as 10 claim the exercise OF jiir!s.
diction over domestic matters. Some OF theIr,
however, understand this resolution IS III 10
manner conflicting with llIoI: rights. he Il
| ludcd to the fact that JaH Davis: recently de-
clsred lhe Rsbels had undertaken tn5 much,
az il to let the Borsier Sl.v2 States 20. and
| concentrate i.is energies in the heart of the
Gulf States, With a view 10 the ultimate rec3G
milton O. :hair independence. w ny not, then,
| disappcint tho nope OF .iie miserable ard re,
lentl.es enemy. lighting 10 desperation 7 II
all lorsl men siaEd oy all the Statns anal !hslI
reserved rights, why should not tho Borde!
Slave States be satisfied Az TO the pEopu,
sitioa pending, il IVES too lato 10 raise the
question OF c0ns.itutinnul!ty. The aid could
be Afforded on the ground o! the auslioTatioE
Of the condition CT u race of men, whilo i! is
rot proposed 10 interfere with the rights Of
any State.
MFR. Biddle (Uo, Pa said |. have given
some reflection to this matter since our AL
journment yesterday. | haTa not had AZ OPP
portunity, however,, 10 confer With others. nor
TO learn the wishes Of my c1nst!tuonts. see
plainly that the easier and more popular course
will be to vot. for this resolution. The sen!i.
ment it expresses is Sc aniRbis and philau,
thropic that it comnerds itself to every ora.
But, sir. it i no: he duty o. tAa Representa-
tive to consult only he feeling 81 The moment
| have asked myself, shall | truly represent the
interests. and sober sccand thought 81 my can.
s~ti,1enls by declaring tina: TO I'll the burdens
that are to rest upon them and their children,
.bcy ought to sid the vast iucrehse necessary
to give any practical effect To the resolution.
II would take Roarly a -!il'inu Ct dollars 10
tuin.the few slaves in D:ia.arl. into free no.
grnes, and what than? l. eYe'y o,har ssla the
purcba: or wants tho subject of it delivered 10
him. NV constituents would not desire thai.
Before we can eypec: iha proposal 10 be Ct
any effect, wc mus: mike The tUrEis Of it ulnTe
specific. The resolution says only that the
United States ought to gre pccuniary all in
the abolishment CT SlaTery. ItEas ever been
nv belief that this is q measure Of which the
responsibility aud tha burden resls on the peo-
plo of tho State in which slavery ox'sts.--
State notion on it bus always beer bei,ilicent.
Federal sction has always hean r5ssrsrstirg
pernicious, and, | think, unconstitutional
do not PREJUDICE any practical measure tina:
may hereafter come before III, If inr aucn can
be- devised; but now | will .noI, on he!'sif Of
nv constituents, declare that tue FEDERAL Gov
ernment ought to increase our burdens COR the
purpose. ! regret that I cannnt vote for the
resolution.
Mr. Crisfeld, (Cn., Nd sail ne had nc
DOUBT that the Pr: s;dent, in making the re-
characterization, WIS actusied by high and hoa,
ost principles but the proposition ought to
be a free Offer from other than the R"rnbi!c,G
side. Then let those from the border SLAVE
States give the answer. It vas not proper
that he Should vote upon this s%ufjsc', because
he aid biz constituents have u personal infer
est in it.
Mr.. DIN, Rel,.. N. " ia reply 10 Nj.
Wickliffo, denied that either the people OF this
House have any object in tue prosecution OF
this war, different from tho declaration OF this
body in August last-nauely the maintenance
of The Constitution and Union. True, there
was difference Of opinion as 10 what means
should be employed. The persistent efforts Of
the Southern mer to ilnbue the Southern rnine
with the belief that the party in power
would bg !orcs aud ~7iolenc: em:nclpate the
slaves, adds strength to tho rebels. It this
could be dissipa:ed, the enemy would FILL Ike
phospor before the sun. H.: spoke ii fa7ov
of the resolution, which he Was sciTy to RIO
bad unnecessarily produced too much excite
men. in this House. The raop!e 81 the irce
States heing willing to be taxed for the c''!i.
summation of the plan, certainly e7in"ad kind
feelings end not hostility.
Mr.. C:i,,eldon, Union, hg..) sal" ti'era
was a consultation Of the bCrdef slave States
mon this morning, and ha came i"to. li't Hous'
instructed to .no7e the poetpnneinent Of the
resolution rill Monday. lie was rot able,
however, to make the motidn, hsTing beea Gu:
oil by toe previous QUESTION. Il seemed 70
him that tho uss Of tho p~resious question,
when arbitrarily made, docs the *crk o. many
seces5ionists, and is injurious to free aslihora-
ton and Legislative dignity Heidi no! doubt
tho patriotism and integrity which induced
the President 10 recommend tho policy ho"'
considered, but he Gid not Le!ieTe the measure
was exactly suited TO the times. He would
not speak st ;sngtn OF Kentucky and ner Fseri-
fees Tor the Union ; but the uaT to conclllae
Kentucky is no, toprcss this question upon
her, but 10 lot her alGnn. Why should it be
insisted that she a my other STATE SHOULD
n;va n. anu of her %Tnlilical riuhts ?-Ii qua in