davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-31

persons to receive compensation.
neither myself nor the person to
whom I have alluded would ever pre-
fer a claim or touch the first dollar
to be appropriated by the Treasury
of the United States. Never! Never!
L do not believe that because man
ha opens to be STAKEHOLDER he is
therefore of necessity a rebel or a
traitor"
CENATOR WRIGHT, to have his
~ substitute for the District commit.
tees bill acted on. offered 1t in amend
ment of the committee bill by moving
to strike out all after the enacting
clause of that bill and insert his bill.
The chief provision of the Wright bill
(sinfilar to the Lincoln bill Of 1S4S)
was:
THAT all children born of slave
mothers within said District on or
after the LIST day Of -, 1862. shall
be free, but shall be reasonably sup.
ported and educated by the respective
owners of their mothers and shall
serve reasonable service as appren-
tees to such owners until they arrive
at the age of 81 years, when they
shall be. free" The authorities Of
Washington and Georgetown "are re.
quired to use their efforts to deliver
to their owners slaves escaping into
the District" 1t was also provided
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-31

reception-a present of a machete and
invited him to tea. Him alone. with
no other to detract from the dignity
Of the occasion.
I have a priceless photograph Of
that powerfully built naked savage
sitting in a canvas camp-chair before q
folding table, grinning with supreme
delight over tin cup Of very sweet
tea with two honestto goodness white
explorers.
The whole village gathered round to
envy: and the chief right royalty
would nod to some lesser dignitary,
from time to time. and show him
honor by letting him approach for a
sip from the kingly cup. And guess
what fascinated him most and what
he kept telling his people about. The
nice slick feeling Of the greasy old
well worn canvas chair against his
naked skin!
More waiting. And the problem
still remained Of how to go. Of how
to get away from that place before
the rainy season began. So I con.
ceived the ambitious idea of building
me an ark Of refuge.
Time was what we had nothing else
but. Hardwood lumber cluttered up
the jungles. And labor was plentiful.
Tools. thanks to my obstinacy. had.
No bodybuilding tools. to be sure; but
with an ak and some nails to hand.
was my navy rating Of flrst.class car.
penter's mate to be nonplussed?
About a mile up-river there was an
old war canoe that had stove hole
in its bottom and sunk. Thirty feet
long, 1t was, and of solid mahogany;
so 1t was virtually imperIshable de-
spite 10 years. immersion in the mud.
bought it from the chief, in stu,
for an iron spoon, and I contracted
with him to supply me with three
strong men for as long as should
need them for lump sum Of three
pieces of cloth, SO fish-hooks, and as
many iron nails as should have left
over out of my store after finishing
my boat.
That old war-canoe was to be the
base Of all my building. To it I pro-
posed to attach floating ribs and so
build up my sides. thus obviating the
laying down of keel.
sent my three strong men into
the jungles to fell me trees of the
same sort as that war-canoe was made
Of. No cheap boat was my ark to be.
Mahogany Of the finest, no less; and
ha nd-heWn blanks at that. The In.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-31

repute. But what did that matter
to us?
We dashed out in our low and
rakish galley and intercepted the
skulking trader. The mans surprise
at seeing white men come from that
man-eat:ng village was a one-act play.
let. He kept saying. But senhores.
That is Taraqua. the Tiquie outpost,
is 1t not?" And we told him that
surely that was Taraqua. the village
that killed traders: but that he might
pass unmolested If he gave us all the
news of uD-river.
He was willing and anxious to take
us as passengers to any place at all:
to carry our freight. everything. But
-saddest words Of tongue and peni
if only he had come a month earlier!
Now we had our own beautiful ma.
hogany yacht. and word had come
but two days before that the chiefs
of the Tiauie River would welcome
us. Nothing would make me forego
that unique opportunity to get into
the very backwoods Of these peoples
country.
Downright. 1877
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-31

Capital has remained within a slave
holding district since its establishment
here, and although there has been.
from time to time, great complaint
made of this fact on the part Of some.
and that complaint Is growing per-
haps more strong from day to day, yet
/ am not aware that the fact that
the Congress has been compelled to
meet In a district surrounded by such
circumstances has impeded the prog
ress Of this Government or the execu'
ton Of it's functions here. There
would be no more propriety In the
people Of the United States voting on
this question than there would be in
a citizen of Illinois, who happens to
own a house in the City Of Washing
ton, being permitted to vote in the
charter elections here or on other
questions affecting property In this
city. ' Now, ~. I will answer
the last question of the Senator from
Illinois. It Is somewhat personal in
its character. but the question is not
a new one to me. The matter has not
only been brought to my attention in
the way of questions. but have been
traduced and denounced in the pub
lie prints and privately. and my posi-
ton and action upon this floor has
been questioned and criticized in con.
sequence Of the charge repeatedly
made that I have some interest in
slavery in this District. l have no
interest in any such institution. 1t
did happen that by the death Of an
aged citizen of this District few
years since two persons. between
one Of whom and myself there exists
a very near and dear relation, became
somewhat interested In a few family
servants. The number. as God Is my
Judge, do not now recall, so little
interest have I taken In it. 1t was.
not less than ten nor more than
twenty some of them aged. some de-
crepit, some young-but all family
servants who had lived in the fam.
lily Of an aged lady in this city for
many years.
at is well known to persons resid-
ing in this city that from the hour
OF that occurrence I declared that
would have no connection with or
part IN the matter. and would assume
aud have no control over 1t whatever.
I have stated to my friends these
facts, privately and everywhere. but
as that seems not to have been sum
cient, avail myself Of this occasion
to say In the face Of the American
Senate. In the face of the American
people, that IL ever had any techni
cal right I renounce and release and
allure any interest that by possibility
might legally have been cast upon me.
II this bill should pass. authorizing
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-31

The act Of Congress for the retroces'
sion of that part of the District south
of the Potomac to Virginia and the
act revising the code for the District
were both submitted to vote of the
people for adoption or rejection.
II could express my preference that
Congress, in endeavoring to relieve
this District from this vestige Of rervi.
tude. will not feel disposed to Impose
a badge of vassalage upon the people
Of the District. I know they would
not design any; know there Is no
such disposition. Sir. the most COM
plete vassalage that a conqueror even
COULD impose upon vanquished peo-
pie would be to change their
laws and institutions without their
II know that upon this subject the
wisest, ablest and purest statesmen
this Union has produced and sent to
these halls--at the head Of whom
stood the late John Quincy Adams
questioned the propriety Of interfering
with the institution Of slavery in this
District. or at all events. without the
consent and appreciation of the people
residing here"
CENATOR TRUMBULL of Illinois in.
~ terrupted at this point and said:
IF the Senator from New Jersey
would allow me / should like to ask
him a question. What propriety is
there in 5000 voters, assuming mat Is
the number here in this District. de-
termining for my constituents in Hi.
nois or his constituents In New Jer.
sey whether the capital of this great
Nation shall be a slave-holding dis
trict? II 1t is submitted to the people
at all, should it not be submitted to
the people of this whole Union? Is
there any justice in allowing the few
inhabitants settled here to determine
for the people Of the whole Union
whether their Capital shall be slave
holding community? And in the next
place, why submit 1t to the voters
here? Suppose that an individual re-
siding out of this District owns slaves
in the District Of Columbia. ought he
not be permitted to vote? There are
many such cases, and my friend,
know, will not take it unkindly when
I say that I have heard 1t intimated
that perhaps he himself may have
some interest in this institution. ] do
not mean to say that 1t controls his
vote at all. but If such were the case,
ought not he to be consulted as much
as the person who happens to live
here. 1t seems to me that there Is
no propriety in submitting such
question as this tns the voters OF this
locality
Senator Ter Fyrk REPLIED; "Ths
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-31

Britain. They, at the same time, 1t is
true, have received large benevolences
and large gratuities at the hands of
the Government. They have no vote
in Congress. They have not even so
much as a voice on the floor of Con-
gress as the Territories of the United
States. I think upon question OF so
grave and vital Importance as q radi-
cal change of the laws, systems and
institutions of the people Of this Dis
trict, now comprising some 10000
white persons, 1t would be no more
than reasonable to submit it to their
consideration. I think 1t Is in accord
ance with the spirit and nature of
our institutions, which are based upon
popular suffrage. Although I would
not be willing to adopt that principle
with respect to the Territories where
everything is fresh and new as the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-31
irited Debate Ended Contest Over District Emancipation

that the bill should be voted on by the
citizens of the District.
Senator Morrill, said that Wright's
proposal was not an effort to amend
the committees bill. but mode OF
assailing it.
Senator Salisbury of Delaware
spoke on the proposed amendment.
He said:
IF there be any difference between
two measures which are obnoxious
think the proposition submitted by
the Senator from Indiana (Wrigh) is
the preferable one; but as I never in
lition in this District, or anywhere
else, shall not vote upon his amend
ment. / intend to vote against the
bill to abolish slavery in this Dis
trict."
Senator Ten Eyck said: "If this
proposition (the Wright amendmenO
were shaped so that 1t did not give
compensation to disloyal as well as
loyal owners / would vote for II, but
as it is 1 must say Nay"
The Wright amendment was voted
on-yeas, 10; nays, Gland was lost.
The 10 Senators voting for 1t were:
James A. Bayard, Delaware; J. s. Car.
lille. Virginia; Garrett Davis, Ken.
lucky; A. Kennedy, Maryland; M. S.
Latham, California; j. w. Nesmith,
Oregon; L. w. Powell. Kentucky;
John Sherman. Ohio: w. T. Wiley.
Virginia, and ]. A. Wright. Indiana.
Senator o. H. Browning Of Illinois
got the floor and made an anti-negro
speech. He said: I'VE cannot do any
substantial good to the colored people
OF this country without combining
with whatever action we take upon
this subject system OF colonization.
1t is not legal and political emancipa'
ton alone that can do much for the
elevation of the character Of these
people. We may confer upon them
all the legal and political rights we
ourselves enjoy. but they will still De
in our midst, debasei and degraded
race. incapable of making progress.
because they want that best incentive
to progress-social equality-which
they can never have here. There are
repugnances between the two races
that forbid their admission to social
equality" g.
Senator Browning voted for the
emancipation bill few minutes later.
Senator L. w. Powell Of Kentucky
spoke against the bill. saying. BY
this bill you deprive the people OF the
District Of Columbia Of their property
without due process of law; you DO It
by legislative enactment"
Senator j. r. Doolittle's WISCONSIN
amendent to appropriate 100000 70
lConsinaed "a E1sh PassZ
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-31
Anon
he Building the Ark ofRange

used it for fastening their spear and
arrow heads solidly into the shafts.
So unraveled rope and shredded 1t
to make calking.material for the
seams; and I commandeered all the
canned Argentine butter and all the
soap out Of expedition stores and
melted them down with the resin, and
SO contrived splendid seam-pitch.
1t had to be laid warm and melted In
with a hot machete-blade. But 1t
served it's purpose Of making a tight
seam.
THE anxiety that all ship-builders
- know, the momentous day Of
launching. arrived. We held solemn
ceremony. We made rich wine OF
pupunha palm mixed with caxiri, that
terrible cane alcohol out of the demi-
john; and we wasted none of it on
the Prov of our ship.
We drank 1t up while half the tribe
heaved the ponderous craft into the
water. 1t floated right side up, and
1t didn't leak any more than was to
be expected of a dry boat. So we
shouted with loud voice and named
it Mizpah.
had the Indians roof over the
after end with palm thatch. as. was
done with monterias, and over the
forward half I added an invention Of
my own, evolved out Of observation
of ono Of the chief discomforts Of
monteria travel. This was frame.
work over which I dashed our big
tarpaulin.
1t served a threefold purpose-the
rowers would be sheltered from the
sun; the overlap was sufficient to ron
down the sides like awnings and keep
out the rain when 1t came: and, most
important of all, under it we could
lash our hammocks and so be indie
pendent of camping places ashore. All
that we should need to do would be
to tie up to a tree at night. let down
our shades. and be all coy within.
All that was left to do was to
engage a crew of husky lads and train
them to row in more or less unison.
| with oars made q paddles dashed to
poles.
And then, Just as 1t was all finished.
the labor of four hard weeks, and my
crew was shaping UP like Carlisle
eight, Of course the invariable least
expected thing happened.
A balata boat came down river.
And empty. II wouldn't listen to our
signals; and away from the farther
shore we could see its miserable crew
Of three straining frantically at their
oars to get out Of that locality of evil
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-31

years before. and with respect to the
abolition Of slavery in the District Of
Columbia. fresh in their minds.
GIN the canvass which followed in
L the Fall of 1850 in the Middle
States. where parties were more
nearly balanced and where the people
have perhaps rather more Of con.
sentative tendency than they have in
the Northern and Eastern sections Of
the Union. the people and those who
addressed them understood those
views as uttered in 1853. myself
met the opposition Of the Democratic
the object Of the Republican party
was to interfere with and overthrow
the institution Of slavery everywhere
in the country, and referred to the
declaration Of the standard bearer Of
our party.
"Sir. having declared that to my
fellow citizens, during the public can.
vass, with appreciation in the State
where I live. I should feel that had
not performed my duty here today il
had not expressed my preference for
the system of gradual emancipation
in the District Of columbia upon the
terms and conditions specified in
these declarations Of the standard
bearer of the Republican party, made
but two short years before, and which
he had not withdrawn or retracted.
"A day or two ago I had the mis-
fortune to differ from my associates
on this floor in relation to vote that
was given on the proposition to sub.
NIT the bill to a vote Of the people OF
the District Of Columbia. I thought
that was a proper provision. The bill
proposes radical changes in the laws,
systems and institutions Of the people
Of this District. They are ancient.
They have existed from time imme
mortal. They have existed from
long time anterior to the formation
of the Constitution and the establish
ment Of the seat OF government In
this spot. They existed under the
laws OF Maryland.
II do not say that this institution
of slavery ought not to be done away
with. I only question the mode pro.
posed. ! only expressed my prefer.
ence for another mode--its gradual
abolition-but II the unanimous pre-.
vailing sense OF this body Is other
wise on a question OF public policy
like this, why. I must defer to That
prevailing sense.
II may be pardoned for repeating
the oft-stated fact that the people OF
this District have no representation IN
Congress. They are taxed llHithout
representations subject upon which
our fathers went to war with Great
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-31

larly warned to keep far away from,
surrounded by Indians who, while
for some providential reason or other
they were not actively hostile toward
us. were not overlooking with peace
and goodwill. We had leave to stay
on the front lawn, so to speak, until
we could make arrangements to go
away.
The days Of anxious waiting passed
into couple of weeks; and one thing
at least became certain. Even though
some floating miracle should come
up.river to deliver us, we could no
longer hope to work our way up the
foothills and over the mountains be-
fore the rainy season was upon us.
That part of the expedition would
have to be abandoned.
Young America, the youngest of the
party, had the only useful suggestion,
which he voiced with his customary
terse bluntness.
you poor pills give me a cramp"
he said. I'VE came to- make records
Of Indians, didn't we? Well, what
more interesting Indians could we
find than this bunch? Nobody knows
anything about 'em, except that they
don't want to be known. They're an
absolutely new field. What more
could you fat.heads want? AS for
their bad rep. that's lot of blah."
There was worth In Young
Americas suggestion. And as time
passed, the conditions of our stag
among these people had so altered
that it was beginning to be possible
to carry 1t out.
These ferocious men had been aloof
and suspicious in the beginning. They
had accepted us as not very well
come guests, dumped willy-nilly upon
their private landing-piace. and while
they didn't incontinently massacre
US, they let us severely alone In our
tent down on the water front.
But presently, as they found that
we didn't interfere with them or their
women. and that we paid what we
promised for small services, they were
ready enough to be friends.
Presently a few of the men came
and acted like disinterested statues,
some distance from the front Of our
tent. Each time they did so I went
out and talked to them and handed
out a cigarette apiece.
THEN played my master stroke OF
i diplomacy. I sent the chief-who
had maintained himself in dignified
aloofness since the ceremony of the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-31
gloom in behind him. and a woman

gloom in behind him. and a woman
brought the cigar.
Then at last felt easy. The break.
ing Of bread meant that hospitality
had been accorded to US. But the
ceremony might have gone no farther
IL the answers to the formal questions
had not proved satisfactory. In that
case we should have been at liberty
to withdraw and to camp in their
territory without molestation until
we should be ready to depart.
But the cigar signified the distinct
hand of friendship. IL was a porten.
tous thing. two feet long and as many
inches thick, rolled In a spiral Of Il
thick leathery leaf containing certain
other aromatic leaves. some chips Of
a soft white wood. gum from the Ca
junut tree, and o little tobacco.
It was held between the prongs Of
an deliberately carved holder shaped
exactly like q huge tuningfork, the
lower end Of which was sharpened 90
that it might be thrust into the
ground.
A DOUBLE.SIZED stool of the same
"A shape as the guest.stools was
brought for the chief. He seated him
self on the one half and indicated the
space at the left. Nothing appealed
to me az being ridiculous as I went
and sat beside this burly specimen Of
a naked savage. Nor to him. of
course. Gravely he plucked the great
cigar-holder from the ground, pulled a
cloud or two. and passed it to me.
Gravely pulled and planted 1t in the
ground again.
Others of the men came and
squatted in front Of me from time
to time, took a puff at the cigar, and
handed 1t to me. pulled. and a few
words passed. Our nerve-racking
crisis OF the night and forenoon was
over.
The chief gave us to understand
that on account Of the good reports
about us. by stick and drum, which
said we were a different breed Of
white men from those who traded the
rivers, we were welcome to stay in
their country till we might be ready
to go. and that there would be no
enmity between us.
Though the fear Of battle and muir.
der and sudden death had passed
from our immediate horizon, our sky
was by no means clear of the dark
clouds of calamity.
There we were. in that village Of
all others which we had been particu-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-31
BY THE RAMBLER.

~ NATOR JOHN CONOvER TEN
EYCK, Republican, of New
Jersey, spoke against the Dis
~ trict emancipation bill on the
-. last day Of debate on that bill in
the Senate, April 8, 1862. He was
charged with having a money in
terest in slavery and explained that
Several family servants had been
bequeathed to two persons between
one Of whom and myself there exists
a very dear and near relation" i
assume the person was his wife and
that she was a Washington woman.
have made the following brief of
Senator Ten Eyck's speech:
"I shall vote for the bill reported
by the committee on the District OF
Columbia as it has been amended. l
should have preferred, and / say II
frankly, something like the one
offered as substitute by the Senator
from Indiana Wright, whose bill pro.
vided for gradual emancipation, com.
pulsory colonization OF freedmen and
full compensation to slave owners).
I approve its general features.
favor the idea Of gradual emancipa-
ton upon a vote Of the people Of the
District of Columbia, accompanied by
proper remuneration to the loyal
owners of the persons proposed to be
set free.
I'm 1853 a worthy. honest and dis.
tinguished gentleman of Illinois uin.
colin, in many speeches and espe-
cially in a speech delivered by him at
Freeport, ILL.,. in August of that year.
in answer to certain questions pro.
pounded to him by another distin.
> guished citizen of that State who is
unhappily no more (Stephen A.
Douglass, declared his views on this
subject. This question was put to
him: I want to know whether he
stands today pledged to the abolition
Of slavery la the District Of Co.
< lumbar
? The answer was: In relation to
that, I have my mind very distinctly
made up. should be exceedingly
glad to see slavery abolished in the
District Of Columbia. I believe that
i. Congress has the constitutional
power to abolish It. Yet, as member
OF Congress, I should not, with my
present views. be in favor Of endeav.
, oring to abolish slavery in the Dis
trict of Columbia unless II would De
upon these conditions: First, that the
abolition be gradual: second, that II
be by q vote Of the majority OF the
qualified voters In the District; and.
third, that compensation be mace 70
the unwilling owners. With these
Conditions, / confess / would be ex'
ceedingv glad to nee Congress abolish
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-31

dams were adopts at this-among US
lost art of splitting wood and shaping
planks by hand. Similarly with ribs.
After that the ark grew apa""
had five pounds of resin which that
splendid factor of Jotte ia" had in.
cluded for trade with Indians. who