Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1862-04-04
speech Of senator wilson.

a very able speech in the Senate, last week,
on the bill for the abolition Of slavery in
the district of Columbia. We give below.
an abstract
Mr. Wilson referred to The controversy
in Congress in 1889, as to the permanen,
seat of government. Alters long struggle,
the southern men triumphed, and the capt.
raj was fixed on the banks Of the Potomac.
In 1901, Congress enacted that the barbar-
Gus, inhuman, indecent and vulgar colonial
slave laws of Maryland and Virginia should
become the laws Of the American Repub-
lie for the government Of the capital, and
for tive generations tine government reccg-
nized the wicked dogma that color I. an ev-
idence of slavery. In 1927, law was en-
acted In the District that colored persons a,
large, without an owner, should be consid-
cred as slaves, and committed to Jail Such
legislation brought Its own fruit of inlus-
tice, dishonor and shame to colored men
and women who were taken to Jail, and
many sold into perpetual bondage because.
though free, they could not pay the Jail
fees. Thus human beings were sold into
bondage in the capital of The freest country
in the world. Justice to the wrong ed and
oppressed demanded that this corrupt and
corrupting doctrine should be repudiated
and condemned by the government of the
United States. The black men fought side
by side with the white men in the battles of
the revolution and the men of this age ought
to hasten to atone for the great wrongs per-
petrated on the black race, and make man
hood presumptive evidence Of freedom.
In 1901, Congress continued in force the
black code of Maryland, among the provis-
ions of which was, that any slave who struck
a white person should have his ears cropped
In 1886, the corporation of Washington
enacted that every free colored person must
exhibit to the mayor satisfactory evidence
Of his title to freedom and give bonds for
his good behavior. That corporation also
passed another act, that no meeting Of coll
cred persons should be held after 10 o'clock,
and made it the duty of the police TO dis
perse such meetings. BY another ordinance
they legalized traffic in slaves for the sum
of $500. This was an inhuman traffic in
the capitals If slave broke a street lump
he was to be whipped on the bare back. If
he injured trees or houses he was to be
whipped--men and women Was ever
snch degrading, inhuman laws on the stat
ute books of any nation? Slavery was the
prolific mother OF these laws. Drive sla-
very from the District, and they would dis
appear yet, notwithstanding these oppres-
sions, the free negroes bad increased in the
district from 1000 to 10000, and have
property, churches aud schools They have
twelve churches, costing $4,000, and eight
schools, besides helping TO support schools
fo- white children. If anybody have the
curiosity to look, they will find in the recs
ord mortgage, dated 1858, in favor Of Al
fred Lee colored man of this city, for
$4,000, by two United States senator's, to
secure loan for $4,000. One of these
senators is now in the Senate, and the other
sleeps in his grave in Michigan. This bill
deals justly with the master. IL Congress
should strike the bonds off the slave in the
district without any compensation, in slight
repair of the wrongs and deeds of cruelty
perpetrated in the capital, it would stand
justified in the forum of nations. But the
Senator from Kentucky raises his warning
voice against the measure, and says If the
negroes are liberated they will become
criminals and hinder to society. The
senator had no right TO speak for the pec-
pie of the district. The facts here proved
are just contrary. The senator from Ken
lucky also talks about the resistance of the
South to any measure of emancipation, and
Kentucky would become La Vendee in
defense of her rights. He would tell that
senator that the day for threats and men,
aces from the champions of slavery had
passed by in the Senate and House of Rep
resentatives. Freemen were not cowardly
enough to shrink from the performance of
duty by dogmatic avowals of what southern
men and women would do.