Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-04-24
Slaves and Slavery How At
feeted by the War. l.
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0A0vOo Ouo NOV Ot hOW III
feeted by the War. l.
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,ssTS q rStsssoFA - AisS (
HON. JOHN SHERMAN, OF Ohio
IN THE sFs S' ATE OF THE " y, y, $, nri'Il .''a
The Senate having ptasf consideration
= The following Joint resolution
Resolved, That The United States ousht to co-opcrsis
s,fy giving s sac sU aS s a.ss
~ saeH sia,s ins diserrte, 10 for te a.
tSs;ss'eIrss q :,.s% ssss .sa Pfyr ''0A's'd ''
Nj. SHERMAN said 80, 4
Mr.. ,PREsibENT:! have fi6t heretofore
.Asensd tiny duty TO dlseinss any Iofrthe
bending pftpJsti9ts .ftlatiug To slaves or
slavery. Il is a difficult question, the bane
Of American politics, the most troublesome
subject that has ever excited the attention
Of Congress. The war has thrown upon US
the necessity Of passing variety, of bills Of
the most important character, the details
OF which It was necessary to ttarefaHy con
sidgri 1 have deemed il my duty 70 pay at.
todtion, 50 lar as could, to the details Of
= those niesnisss Avoiding allpolitioal alseas-
sion. But, sir, tamN called upon to vote (;
and representing Constituency of two mil
1iions and ahaifoft people, who have dsep
and abiding convictions upon the subject Of
=. slavery aud its relations to the General Gov
, eminent, Icpfobably Should not do my duty
to themr did not, ipproye.a Q proper occa-
sion to express my views, and, so far as ]
know, the views of the great body Of the
people of Ohio II shall therefore take this
occasion to state, as briefly and as distinct
ly as can, my opinions upon the several
proportions pending i'm this bodyFo the
subject Of slaves and slavery.g They are SO
Intimately connected together that I may as
wel discuss the whole in discussing one.
SLAVERY IN DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
- The frst practical question that comes be-
!, fore US is the question of slavery in the
District Of Columbia. It is proposed, to
emancipate the slaves of this District. !, Two
y years ago, when the census was taken, there
were IL ,l07 free negroes, 3,1Sl slaves, and
GU, ,7s8 white people in this District. Since
q that tino am informed by very credible
authority that the number Of free negroes
has been increased to something like fifteen
thoussnd-some of them brought from the
States Is servants BY officers of the Army;
some Of them 4haib6eing to that class of per-
Z sons known as .scohtrabands, running away
from disloyal masters in Virginia and Mary
land, seeking &fety In our lines, and finding
!, employment in this District, and probably
!. ssme coming here for temporary employ
Inent; 10 that the number Of free negroes
'suow in this District is about fifteen thous
and. 's tl' ~
- am also informed by equally credible
authority that the number of the slaves in
the District now is less than fifteen hundred.
. Many Of the most healthy, active, valuable
slaves were removed by their masters before
I. removed since Many of those hired here
: have been taken away, and have either gone
South or returned to thei, homes. The
number of slaves in this District probably
) does not now exceed fifteen hundred. and
!. may not be- over one Thousand. It is ap-
parent, therefore, that this question is an
= unimportant one, If we look only to the
A number Of persons affected by it. To add
one thousand to the number Of free negroes
!. in this District is matter Of very small I'M
portance; and to take from the owners Of
these one thousand negroes their property,
is also matter of less importance, as the
bill provides ample compensation and re-
:. .muaeration. 1t is obvious, therefore, that
: the Grief importance attached to the meas
ois that it involves the idea of EMANcIl
q PATTON. 1t 10 for this reason that il has
eyoited the hostility of the Senator from
Kentucky Mr.. DAVIS, and the opposition
Of the. Senator from Virginia, Mr.. CAR
LILE, and no doubt would excite tho op-
/, position Of the great body of Senators from
= aIaveholding States, if here to speak.
aaoayi POWER OF CONGRESS.
The 6rst question that we should discuss
isthe power of Congress to abolish slavery
in this District. feel the force Of. the ap.
peal made by the Senator from Kentucky GO
the free States that now, when our power
is absolute, when the slave States are not
represented here, We should not use any
unconstitutional means to abolish or inter
isre with slavery. We should be careful
mot to exercise any authority over the sub
.ject of slavery that is not clearly delegated
. 70 Us by the Constitution. / admit, also,
that this u not one of those high measures
that Government may resort to, for It'd
own preservation. The freedom or slavery
S,o1 q thousand or fifteen, hundred negroes ii
asthis District ID aot meaeure of that, high
Necessity which would Justify US ii usnrp;ne
doubtful powers But, sir, lit ans scoMect
ihuy view the abolition Of slavery in thil
. District u . ample municipal regulation,
Aelesrly delegated to the Congress Of the
United States BY the Constitution, and en-
sAbTaced by the same clause OF that instru
s.msnt which authorixss us to open roads, u
sbhud poor -houses, TO copstruct jails, or dt
any other legislative act in this District =
s:he Censtitation flrtnpstely i plain and
sitiqpcn ths record, I win read the 1clauss
4. .L.u \. 90. "A .-.,.,.-. ~ !