The critic., 1890-12-31
TIMES OF SLAVERY.
INTERESTING PAPERS READ BEFORE
TIE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
The Slave Traffic in the District--NIanv
Efforts for Its Abolition Made Early
In the Ccntury--A woman's History
of Its Rise and Fall.

VI lnc American illStOllCul society last
night at Columbian University was the
History of the Written Ballot in the
United States" by Douglass Campbell.
The speaker told of the erroneous idea of
English writers that Americans were an
English race with English institutions,
when on the contrary Americans were and
always had been cosmopolitan race. In
the absence of Mr. Campbell the essay
was read by DIR. Adams, the secretary.
The next paper was by Professor w. =.
Trent of Suwanec, Tenn, entitled, "a
Virginia Bill of Attainer." The most in
teresting paper of the evening was
Amendments to the Constitution OF the
United States" by Herman V. Ames, A.
NJ, of Harvard College.
He said that at the close of the Fiftieth
Congress, in March, 1889, over | 800 reso-
lutions had been presented to the National
Legislature 10 annul the Constitution
These resolutions were submitted in four
periods. The first period was characterized
by the passage of the first ten amend
ments, and the eleventh and twelfth in
tended to correct any small defects in the
Constitution. In the second period over
400 amendments were introduced relating
to variety of subjects. Congress was
overwhelmed with propositions at the be-
ginning of the third period, nearly all of
which dealt with the question of slavery.
The fourth period created 400 resolutions
to change the Constitution in every con-
ceivable fashion.
In conclusion Mr. Amcs said that out of
fifteen amendments forming part of the
Constitution every four had been proposed
by Congress to the States for ratification.
Eighteen of the number had passed one
house of the national Legislature. Moth
ing of Importance had been added TO the
Constitution by amendment with the ex-
ception of the reconstruction amendment.
Congressional Demands on the Presi-
dent for Information" was the subject of
an instructive paper read by II. G. Mason
of Howard LawSchool. DR.. J. c. Bouri-
not spoke of Responsible Government in
Canada" and made comparison between
the laws of the Dominion and the United
States favorable to the former because of
their llexibility.
The session closed with paper by
General II. ID. NTussey of Washington, ID.
| G., on bills of Right in State Constitu-
tions." He gave several instances of the
good resulting from these measures, the
most striking one being the declaration of
rights added to the constitution of the
State of Maryland in 1864, which said:
THAT hereafter, in this State there shall
be neither slavery nor involuntary servi-
1 tude except in punishment of crime,
whereof the party shall have been duly
| convicted, and all persons held to service
or labor rs slaves are hereby declared
| free.'
The writer declared this was positive
| abolition of slavery.
The session of the American Historical
| Association was resumed this morning at
| the National Museum. Immediately after
| the opening Professor King presented n
4 nj Of into L.,
| citation.
Vicc-President Henry occupied the chair
| and announced that the first paper to-day
| would be on the subject of the "Histori-
! cal Developement of the Budget in the
| United States" by Ephraim d. Adams,
| Ph. d., of the University of Michigan.
DIR. Adams discussed Federal convention
| upon the Constitution provision restrict
| ing the organization of money bills to the
| House of Representatives. The provision
was mainly the result of compromise,
but in so far as it was regarded as great
| constitutional principle, its insertion in
| the Constitution was intended to
strengthen the power Of the House, and
to weaken that of the Senate.
The second part of the paper was de-
voted to the conflict between the Exec
utive and the House of Representative
over questions of policy. This conflict
turned upon questions of financial con-
troll. Gallatin succeeded in compelling
the Secretary OF the Treasury to make
| regular reports, and the contest closed for
the first regular standing Committee of
Ways and Means.
DIR. Adams then took up the attempt of
the Senate to originate general appropri-
alton bills in 1886. The reason for
such an attempt is found in the fact that
the Senate and the House were at vari-
ance with regard to great question of
national policy-the Nebraska-Kansas
The second paper read was an interest
ing description Of the Yazoo land compa-
nies, written by DR.. Charles III. Haskins
Of the University Of Wisconsin.
At the close of the Revolution, said Or.
Haskins, Georgia claimed the region north
of the thirty-first parallel, which is now
included in the States of Alabama and
Mississippi. This territory-called, from
one of its most important rivers, the
/ fazoo territory-was the field of two great
land speculations. The first speculation,
in 17S9, involving among other things the
founding of colony independent of the
United States and dominated by Spain,
failed chiefly through the vigilance Of the
Federal authorities.
\ In 1875 the State Legislature sold more
than half Of Alabama and Mississippi for
S5OO,O0O to. four great land companies.
Il The announcement that with one excep-
tion every member who voted for this act
| was shareholder in one or more of the
companies produced great popular excite
ment, and the sale was declared void by
the next Legislature-not, however, be-
| fore most OF the original purchasers had
disposed of their lands.
| The cession by Georgia of her western
territory to the United States in 1902 gave
to Congress the task of settling with the
new claimants. The claims were sup
/ ported by Madison and the Northern
! Democrats, and violently resisted by John
Il Randolph, who saw in them Executive
interference, legislative corruption and an
attack upon State sovereignty. The dl-
| vision thus occasloned was the first split
in the Democrotic party. Randolph sue
ceeded in preventing any action upon the
claims until their validity had been
1 affirmed by the Supreme Court in the
case Of Fletcher VS.. Peck, discussion of
| much importance, since it, rather than
| in the more famous Portsmouth College
| case, is to be found the origin of the
present Interpretation Of the law of public
| contracts.
The final compromise of the claims in
| 1914 was unquostionably expedent but
| by reason of the long delay much of the
| appropriation went, not TO the defrauded
| claimants, but to those who had pur-
\ chased from them at q discount,
| "State Activities and Politics. was the
| subject of a well-wrtten treatise by w. +.
| Willoughby of the Department Of Labor.
| The paper, which was thorough expos-
| ton of the new phases in the administra-
| tion of state governments which have
arisen since the war; was listened to with
| great attention.
The fourth paper was an interesting de
| scripuon of Slavery in New York" read
| by Edwin V. Morgan, a, b., of the Har-
| ward Graduate School.
| Mr., Morgan said; In New York, under
| the English Colonial Government, slavery
! existed us result of birth, purchase or
| punishment of crime.
| Slaves We're classified into negroes, In
| dians and whites. Negroes were most