The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-12-25
slavery in MARYLAND.

In the House of Representatives, on the
18th Mr. Schenck (Rep. Ohio) offered reso-
luton reciting the published advertisement
for the sale of colored man at Annapolis,
MARYLAND, on the Sth of December, convic-
ted by the Circuit Court of Anne Arundel
County, and sentenced to be sold as slave,
and directing the Judiciary Committee to in
uuire into the same and report whether such
proceeding was not in direct conflict with
the Constitution of the United States and
with the act to protect all persons IN the
United States in their civil rights and fur
nish the means of their vindication. Also
to inquire whether any steps have been taken
by the President to enforce that law and
prevent such outrage; the Committee to have
power to send for persons and papers, and to
report what action is necessary and proper
for Congress to take on the subject.
Mr.. Stevens Rep., Pa.) said he wished TO
make suggestion, and to see whether the
inquiry should not be enlarged. 1t would
be recollected that in the Constitutional A
mendment abolishing Slavery, it was decar
ed that Slavery should not exist except tor
crime, of which the party should be convicted.
Maryland was not the only State Ill the South
where occasion of that unfortunate eXcep-
ton was taken to sell colored people into
Slavery. Not many weeks ago two very
respectable persons, gentleman and his
wife, had called upon him and told him that
they had Just come from Florida, where it
had become too warm for them; that the
day before they left they saw seven negroes
sold into Slavery at public auction, some of
them for seven years and that they saw sew
eral others whipped with stripes on the naked
back at the whipping post under the dis
eliminating laws of Florida. He thought
the inquiry should be enlarged and extended
to all the Slave States. Maryland said he
although close to the free States, was more
imbued with the old virus of Slavery than
any of the Southern States that have been
conquered, except. perhaps, Kentucky. l
think it even beats Kentucky. The Slave
portion of Mary land, with one-sixth of her
white population, viz, 100000 white people,
have an equal power with the free portions,
that have white population OF 6GO 900, and
she is carrying on her government in that
way My Judgment is that there is no such
thing as a republican form of government
there, and hope that the distinguished and
able gentleman from Maryland (Francis
Thomas) will. before this Congress adjourns,
move that Congress shall give to Maryland a
form of government, which shall apportion
he reprentation according to, and on the ba-
sis of population, and shall modify her laws
so that men shall not he sold into Slavery
right under the eye of the Capitol.
Mr.. Shenck (Rep., Ohio said he had in
the first place drawn the resolution giving it
more scope, and directing an inquiry into all
kindred cases and Subjects but it had oc-
cured to him that the judiciary Committee
might very conveniently make an investiga-
tlon OF this particular Instance, which SEEM
cd to present itself as sort Of specimen case,
without interfering with the performance of
Its other duties. If any attempt was made
to send the Judiciary Committee or Select
Committee with power to examine witnesses
IN all parts of the country, it might result in
Their not having report for a long time to
come. He was, however, by no means un-
friendly to such a general Investigation
Every one must have concluded that in the
present temper of the Chief Executive of the
United States, they had no right to expect
'hat he would lend any aid of the power
vested IN him to carry out the laws of the
United States, to prevent inequality and op-
preston. He proceeded to narrate an in
stance of oppression in Georgia, where the
coiored agent of a Philadelphia benevolent
society was arrested ON a charge of vagrancy,
and condemned to the chain gang for the
Term OF II months.
1. Mr. Lawrence Rep., Ohio) moved to amend
ehe resolution so as to direct the judiciary
committee to report what legislation is nee
essary to protect loyal citizens in the enjoy
i hient OF life liberty, and property in the
Ialely febellious States, excepting Tennessee.
ne sent up and had read by the Clerk an
e extract act from loyal Georgian newspaper of
1ne oth December, showing that at the late
i1qual tights Convention held in Macon, del
esales representing so counties reported $50
murders within the last 10 months, and in
no instance did the civil authority attempt
~ ,D1 Dring the murderers to justice.
so, me amendment was agreed to and the re-
Soiutlon as amended was adopted.
REORGANIZATION OF MARYLAND.-It is
ulOerstOOd that the Hon Francis Thomas