The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-04-11
Abolition of Slavery in the
District Of Columbia. a.
DEBATE IN THE THE SEN SENATE lEl4
REMARKS OF SENATOR WILKINSON.

90 WASHINGTON, March 26.
The bill to abolish slavery in the District
of Columbia was taken up. ..s'-i -
Mr.. Wilkinson (Rep, MIMI said he was
willing to conform bis action to the princi-
pie of Justice: The bill was opposed on the
ground OF expediency, but believing, as be
did, that slavery was the great sin of this
country, he could not place expediency in
the scale against justice. We ought not to
refuse to do right for fear of the conse.
quences. He believed with the hero Of New
Orleans, that it is always safe to do right,
and should allow no false motives of expe-
diency to interfere. When the rebellion
commenced, we were surrounded here by
shareholders and traitors in this district,
daily plotting the disruption of the govern
ment, and there was no security until the
freemen of the North came to the rescue.
The reason was, this was Shareholders re.
beliop, and the district was under the intiu.
ence of Shareholders The Senator from
Virginia (Mr. Wiley the other day said
be spoke as Border State man, ard spoke
the sentiments of the loyal men of Virginia,
and begged the Senators to pause and cons
slider the position they occupied. How
many loyal men of Virginia came to the
defence OF the Capital? Not one.
MIR. Wiley (Un., Way said that there
was good reason. Theirs was the first ter.
ritory which was invaded by the adversary,
and they had to defend their wives and chill
dren. Western Virginia, with popula
ton of 100000, and part of those rebels,
had 5000 men in the field.
Mr.. Wilkinson said that was very good,
bat if Northern men had not gone there the
Senator would not have dared to return
there. .@
Mr.. Wiley. That is fact, and wish
to express my deepest obligation to the
noble men who came to the rescue.
Mr.. Wilkinson then referred to the attack
on the Massachusetts, troops in Baltimore
He commended that Baltimore was never
loyal till the guns of Fort McHenry were
turned toward the city, and that Maryland
was kept in the Union by the power of the
Government. The Senator from Virginia
(Willey) seemed to censure the Northern
Senators for their course on this bill. (He
here read from Mr.. Willey's specify 1
admit, Sir, that l grow restless and impa.
tient when censured by Senators from the
Border States. They should remember
what is due to the Northern men, without
whose aid they would not now be here.
Where would the Border States be today
but for Northern arms and Northern vail
or? And grow restless when they come
here and taunt NE for supporting this meas
ure.
Mr.. Garlic (UD., Va.) am not in the
habit of censuring anybody here but
trust, when I have the honor to represent
people here, shall have the manlness to
utter in proper language what believe. I
claim to have as great an interest in the
preservation of this Union as the Senator
from Minnesota and claim to hold my
seat here by as good tenure as that homo
rab.e Senator does his and whenever, in
the opinion of the Senate, am not entitled
to that seat, they have but to resort to
the constitutional mode to take it from me,
do not hold my seat by the pleasure Of
Senators, but by virtue of the rights of my
State to be represented, and l maintain
that Congress and the Supreme Court and
the Executive have settled by prior decis-
ions the action OF the people of Virginia,
through their representatives, when they
elected my colleague and myself to repre-
sent them here.
Mr.. Wikin.on. We all understand per.
fectly we'll, Sir, how much of the State of
Virginia be represents, and how many of
her people participated in sendirg him here
l voted to admit the Senator from Virgin.
ia here, and should probably do so again /;
but am not speaking OF that transaction.
l am speaking of the conduct, and of the
course they have seen fit to pursue.
MIR. Wiley (Un., Way appealed to the
Senate that if any charge of uttering men,
aces or taunts he was entirely innocent. He
expressly denounced that habit in his
speech.
Mr.. Wilkinson said the Senator bad
seemed to cast censure on Northern men,
when, but for Northern men, there would
not have been foot of soil in their whole
territory upon which the Senators could
have stood.
Mr.. Wil.ey.-There would have been
some small portion still upon which one OF
her Senators, if he could not stand, would at
least have lain, g victim to this vile treason.
But wish to express my deepest thanks to
those brave men of the North, and have
thousand times in my deepest hearts devo.
ton called for the blessing OF Almighty
God to rest upon those generous men who
have laid down their lives in Our defence.
express my obligation to the fullest extent
to those noble men. We will gather round
the morumsn,s of those brave men-monu-
ments oil fidelity to the Constitution and
friendship to us-aud we will teach our
children to revere their names and the
States from whence they came. l am not
one oil those,to be deferred from rendering
honor where honor is due, and all honor to
the gallant men, especially of Ohio ard In
diana, who saved us from ruin ard treason.
Mr.. Wilkinson--I have no doubt, sir,
but that the utterances of the Senator are
heartfelt and sincere. But, sir, was
shocked the other day when the Senator op
posed this measure and censured me for ia.
voring it. He admitted it to be right, and
yet accused us, if we passed it, of rendering
aid and comfort to the enemy. That is
what startled me. did not want the Sen
ator from Virginia, representing State
whose fields have been made red with the