The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1864-04-29
CONGRESSIONAL.
Senatorial Discussion on the Repeal
Of the Fugitive Slave Law.
Check to the Radical Republicans.

Check to the Radical Republicans.
WASHINGTON, April 10, l664.-Mr
Sumner Rep Of Mass called up the bill
to repeal all actsfor the rendition of per.
sons to service or labor.
The bill passed to a third reading with
ont debate. The ayes and noes were call
ed for on its passage.
Mr.. Sumner said he did not intend to
say word about the bill 1t was as plain
as the multiplication table. diary or the
Ten Commandments. Naughter.)
Mr.. Hendricks Opp of Ind, did not
think that there should be such an amend
ment to the Constitution as this. 1t might
be as plain as the multiplication table; but
it was doubtful to him whether the high
morality of the Ten Commandments would
sanction its passage. 1t was decided in
1893, and again in 1860, to be lawful and
expedient. The Fugitive Slave Law had
been decided to be constitutional by every
court of the United States, and had been
reaffirmed by the people. Now, while the
constitution remained unchanged, and all
its provisions obligatory upon us as men,
bers of Congress, it was proposed to repeal
it. While he was not 81 member from
slave State, he would vote against the bill
so long as the oath he had taken to sup
port the constitution was upon his con
science.
MIR. Sherman (Rep } Of Ohio, always
thought the law of 1860 WAS unconstitu-
tional, and had no objection to it's repeal
now. He doubted the propriety of going
back as far as 1898. He would give the
loyal people of the South all their rights.
MIR. Sumner wanted to make clean
sweep while We we're at it, and wipe out
the barbarous code from our statutes.
MIR Sherman would vote against the bill,
because he did not wish to extend the
repeal back to the Law of 1898. The
|. States to great extent in which the law
OF 1898 was operative were for themselves
rapidly pertecting measures of entire
emancipation. lie moved to amend the
bill by inserting "except the act approved
February II, 1898, for the rendition Of
persons from service or labor"
MIR. johnson Opp, of Md l., regretted
the proposed action, not because he sup
posed it would have any effect on the re-
turn OF single slave, but upon other
grounds. The constitution not only au-
thorized the acts of 1898 and 1850; but
the trainers OF that instrument thought it
just and Necessary to have some such law.
The constitution itself was Fugitive Slave
law. Without disrespect to the memory of
Justice Story, who had been referred to by
the Senator from Massachusetts, lie thought
he had suffered by the failure to convey the
true meaning and effect of his decision
upon the act Of 1893. In regard to the
act of 1850, the Supreme Court, in the
case of Booth, by a unanimous decision,
confirmed its constitutionality. He would
inquire what practical good was to result
from this measure? He thought it might
create unpleasant feeling among the people
of States which were sect;onally loyal and
amongst the loyal people of States which
were sectionally disloyal. If, as the Sena.
tor said, the bill proposed to repeal odious
laws, and that it was as clear as the multi
plication table, certainly it was reproach
to keep them on our statute books. But
he supposed that the men who framed the
constitution knew its meaning and true in
tent as well as the Senator from Massachu-
setts or others in this body. The President
! OF the Convention which framed it, coming
from slave State, certainly knew what
the clause of 1893 meant. Many of the
men who passed the act of 1898 were
members of the subsequent Congress, and
If the Senator would look OF their proceed
lngs he would find that no ore attemu uted
to breathe G. suspicion that it was uncon-
stltutiOnal and inexpedient.
Mr.. Sumner replied that, whatever the
trainers of the constitution meant. the
words of the constitution did not say slaves,
but persons.
Mr.. johnson said every member OF The
convention knew what he meant. and what
every other member meant.
A long cOlloquy ensued between Mr..
Sumner and Mr.. johnson, as to the decis-
ion of Chief Justice Story and it's effect
on the law of 1898. Mr.. Sumner read
from the decision, and said it clearly gave
the right OF trial by jury to fugitive.
Viewed in this light, the constitution was
| clearly on the side of human freedom.
The Senator from Maryland said the bill
was not practicable. If it be practicable
to relieve US from constitutional and odi-
Gus system. to relieve our name from the
shame which it carries into foreign lands.
to 90 justice to an oppressed race, thus Sc
curing the favor of Divine Providence
to relieve ourselves and country-then the
proposition upon which you are called to
vote is as practicable as humanity and du-
ty. We are not aware of the heavy bur
then our country is bearing among civil.
lied nations in sustaining the odious sys-
| tenn OF human slavery. Genius had rem
resented its enormities in marble and on
canvass. Literature and arr, in all their
varied forms, have exposed its horrors.
while those who are our enemies abroad
have held it up to our ignominy and taunt-
ed our friends with it; that, protesting to
be the freest nation in the world. while we
kept these Odious laws on the statute
book, we were no better than tie jeff. Da-
Wis government. 1t is in vain that we in
quire into disasters to our armies. and la
ment such massacres as Fort Wagner and
Fort Pillow, if We still continue to sanc-
ton by law injustice, thus incurring the
disfavor of God.
MIR. Shermans amendment was then
adopted by a vote of "a yeas against II
nays, as follows:
Ypas-Measra Ruckolorr r.-,,.,o Collo,nar