Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-17

ISCUSSION OF slavery IN
Washington continued in the
Senate through March, 1882,
- and in this ramble I will give
you the memorial of the
Washington councils that slavery be
not abolished, and an abstract of the
speeches of Senator Wilkinson of Min.
neapolis and Senator Sumner of Mas
sachusettes, for freedom.
Senator Wilkinson denounced
large body of Washingtonians as trail
tors whose sense of right had been
undone by the course Of slavery"
Senator Summer spoke with eloQuence
and passion against slavery in Wash
ingtofl and elsewhere.
It is usual to write a preface tell
ing what may be found after, and
sometimes the purpose OF preface
is to tempt a reader to explore what
follows. The Rambler's only purpose
in writing this introduction is to write
an introduction.
The following was read in the Sem
ate April 2, 1852:
'In Board of Aldermen, Joint Reso-
luton of Instruction-Be it resolved
by the Board of Aldermen and the
Board of Common Council Of the City
of Washington, That these the Coun-
81
" to interfere with the business of the
National Legislature, deem it not i'm
pertinent respectfully to express the
opinion that the sentiment of large
ma jority of the people of this commit
nifty is adverse to the unqualified abo-
1ition of slavery in this District at the
present critical juncture in our Ma
tional affairs;
''And be it further resolved, That
the joint committee representing the
interests of this Corporation before
Congress be and are hereby instruct
ed to urge respectfully upon the
members of that honorable body. as
the Constitutional guardian of the in
terests and rights of the people of this
District, the expediency and the JUS
tice Of so shaping any legislation
affecting the African race here as to
provide just and proper safeguards
against converting this city, located
as it is between two slaveholding
States, into an asylum for free ne
groes,--a population undesirable in
every American community and which
it has been deemed necessary to ex-
clude altogether from some. even of the
on.slaveholding States" (Signed)
z. Richards, President of the Board
of Common Council; w. 7. Dove. Pres
ident of the Board of Aldermen; Rich
ard Wallach, Mayor. '.
Il 4 X X
THE District emancipation bill being
- before the Senate March 26, 1862,
Senator Wilkinson OF Minnesota spoke.
i'm part, as follows:
81 am prepared upon this, as upon
all other questions, to conform my
action to the plain dictates Of justice
and right. believe that no one ques-
tions the constitutional power OF Con-
gress to abolish slavery in the District
or Columbia, except the Senator from
Kentucky CIr. Davis. =" . But, sir
it is opposed by gentlemen on the
ground of expediency, and we are
warned in tones not altogether desti'
tute of passion and prejudice of the
evil consequences which will result
from the freedom of the slaves OF
this District.
believing, as I do, that human
slavery is the great sin of this coun
try, that it is in violation Of every
principle OF justice and truth. that Its
influence upon this country and upon
the world has tendency to encour
age everything that is evil and to re
press everything that is good In the
States, that its evil influences are Wis