The national Republican., 1862-03-19

HALE, IN nlb eloquent speech yesterday, on tne |
Of the slaves 10 this District, Oh.
served, that the right Of Congress to legislate
on this subject had Of late years been denied,
and We hasten to present few reasons, show.
ing, as we think, that Congress has power over
slavery 10 the District Of Columbia, and that
this power Is manifest from the following con.
sderauons:
lsT.-fr HAS BEEN ASSUMED BY CONGRESS-.
This will appear from tie following state
ments:
On the 225th page Of the Journals Of the
House Of Representatives for 1904, will be
found,
"Resoiped, That from and after the 4th day |
Of July, 1906, all blacks and people Of color that
shall be born within the District Of Columbia, |
or whose mothers shall be the property of any |
person residing within the said District, shall |
be free-the males at the ag OF =, and the
females at the age of -.
"The main question being taken, that the
House do agree to said motions, as originally
proposed, it was negatived by a majority Of
During the debate on this resolution the
power Of Congress was generally conceded,
and the inexpediency Of It's exercise at that
time only claimed.
10 March, 1916, the House of Representatives
passed the following resolution
"Resolced, That committee be appointed to
inquire into the existence Of Nm inhuman and
illegal trafic In slaves carried on in and through
the District of Columbia, and to report whether
any and what measure arc necessary for put.
ting a stop to the same"
On the 9th Of January, 1929, the House of
Representatives passed the following resolu.
uon by a vote Of ia to &C:
"Resolced, That the Committee on the Dis.
trict Of Columbia be instructed TO INQUIRE into
the expediency Of providing by law for the
gradual abolition of ofslavery within the District
IN such manner that the interests of no ind.
vidual shall be injured thereby"
1t will be observed that about two thirds of
the members Of Congress voted for this resolu-
lion, which raised no doubt as to the constitu.
uonslty, but merely as to the expedieuoy of
such legislation in 1929, aud that among those
who voted In the Affirmative we're Messrs Bar.
nev Of Maryland. Armstrong Of Virginia, Shep.
herd Of North Carolina, Blair Of Tennessee,
Chiffon ard Lyon Of Kentucky, Johns of Della
ware, and others from the slave States.
2D. CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES HAVE con.
CEDED IT.
Mr.Powell, Of Virginia, chairman Of the Com.
mittes on the District Of Columbia, 10 his report
Of January IL, 1887, made the following decla.
ration:
"The Congress of the United States has by
the Constitution exclusive Jurisdiction over the
District; and has power upon this subject (sla.
vsry) a. upon all other subjects Of legislation
10 exclusive unlimited discretion"
1t may here be remarked that while such
committees have generally alleged the inexpe-
diency, they have never denied the constitu
t'onality OF such Legislation, prior to 1886. The
lmerican Quarterly Revie,o, (see Sept. No,
1883, p. 55) published in Philadelphia, with a
large circulation in the slave States, contains
the following avowal:
Under this exclusive jurisdiction granted by
the Constitution, Congress has power to aDplis b
slavery and the slav" trade in the District of
Columbia. 1t twould ardiy be necessary T. STATE
this as dstinc; proposition, had II not beer
occasionally questioned. The truth OF the as.
sertion, however, IS too obvious TO admit of
argument, and, we believe, has never been
disputed by persons who are familiar with the
Constitution"
SD.-T HAS BEEN CONCEDED BY THE GRAND
In March, 1902, the grand jury OF Alexandria
county presented the domestic slave trade az a
grievance, and said, I'VE consider these griev.
ances ss demanding legislative redress :" and
in January, 1929, the grand jury Of the city OF
Washington demonstrated ag ainst any ME asure
for the abolition OF slavery within the said
District, uuless accompanied by measures for
the removal OF the emancipated slaves from
the same From this, II appears that the
grand jury OF the District not only acknowl.
edged the power to emsncipate the slaves. but
bat the additional power to exclude them when
free.
On the 9th OF March, 1928, nearly LOO
ciu1ensof the District signed petition for the
abolition of slavery, which was presented to
Congress and Mr.. Dickson, of New York, as
serted, in the House of Representatives, tha,
the signers OF this petition owned more thar
one half the property of the Dis riot and
among these are the names Of Chief Justice
Cranch, Judge Van Ness, Judge Morsel, Prof
in. Stoughton, and many other prominent
and influential citizens.
frH.-lT lA BEEN ASSERTED OR CONCEDED BY
STATE LEGIsLATUREs.
Pennsylvania, in 1928, through her Lsgisla
ture, instructed her Senators in Congress "to
procure, II practicable, the passage of law
to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia !
New York, in 1929, through her General As
sembly, passed q resolution that her " Senator.
In Congress be instructed to make every pos
sible exertion to effect the passage of law
for the abolition Of slavery in the District o
Columbia"
Massachusetts,, in 1887, through her Senate
paaeed the following resolution:
" "Resolued, That Congress. having exclusive
legislation in the District OF Columbia possesses
the right to abolish slavery and the slave trade
therein"
And her House Of Representatives passed
the same resolve.
Vermont, In 1887, through her Legislature
resolved as follows:
That Congress have the full power, by the
Constitution, TO abolish slavery and the slave
trade In the District of Columbia and the Ter
ritOries."
Connecticut, In 1885, and at different times
other free Statee passed similar resolutions
l. a - .