Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856.

DEBATES OF CONGRESS. 663 FEBRUARY, 1835.] Slavery in the District of Columbia. [H. OF R. man. Nor has the decision of modern times Republic, should feel a deep and lively interest. been uniform on this subject. For, as late as They all have a voice in selecting its rulers, the eleventh and the first half of the twelfth they all contribute to defray its expenses, and century, hundreds and thousands of the youths they all have a deep concern in its honor and of both sexes, of beautiful forms, from the peas- glory, and have a right to be heard in its legisantry of England, were fastened together with lative assembly, in all matters concerning the ropes, taken to the city of Bristol, and sold into appropriation of money here, or the correction slavery in Ireland. It'was abolished on the of abuses, oppressions, and tyranny. As the conquest of Ireland by Henry II. seat of their empire, under the superintending The slaveholders in ancient times, and in power of the General Government, they have a Ireland, contended with as much zeal for their right to require that it shall be governed in acright to enslave the white man, as any slave- cordance with our Declaration of Independence holder in this District for his right to hold in and the principles of free government, and that bondage the black man or the mulatto. the despotism of Archangel and of Turkey shall It has been regretted by a committee of this not prevail here. House, " that persons without the District," as But, sir, if it were necessary that the citizens well members of Congress as others, " and hav- of this District should petition, many of them ing no concern with it," should attempt to pro- have petitioned for the abolition of slavery and cure the abolition of slavery and the slave trade the slave trade in this District, and this fact here; and it was, in the year 1829, declared by may not be known to most of the members of a member of the House, in debate on this floor, this House. I hold in my hand a petition, taken to " be meddling with matters truly other from the files of this House, presented in the year men's." 1828, signed by the judges of the circuit court Sir, the territory is federal, and is under the of the District of Columbia, and more than care, protection, and government, of the whole 1,000 respectable citizens of the counties of people of the United States. Congress is the Alexandria and Washington, and then owning sole legislative body for the District, to the ex- a large proportion, and, I am credibly informed, elusion of all others, and here possessing unde- more than a moiety of the property of this Disfined, unlimited legislative powers, selected by trict. So that the abolition of slavery here the people of the whole Union. The whole would be in accordance with the feelings and Union defrays the expenses of the local Legisla- wishes of a large and highly respectable portion ture and of the entire territorial Government, of the citizens of the whole District. builds penitentiaries, endows schools and col- Sir, the petitioners ask that slavery and the leges, makes sidewalks, ]Macadamized roads, slave trade in and through the District of canals, aqueducts, and bridges, pays the inter- Columbia may be abolished, with their appalling ests.on loans, and beautifies and adorns the train of evils. They enter into no details, and District by its navy yard, its arsenal, its Capitol, they prescribe no terms, no conditions. Those and other public buildings and improvemens, they very properly submit to the discretion and and enriches it by the annual expenditure of the wisdom of Congress. They ask that these millions. petitions may be referred to a select committee. Every member of the House may, with or This request, I submit, is reasonable, and should without petition, originate, bring forward, and be granted. The parliamentary usage of all propose to Congress any bill for the benefit of, free deliberative and legislative assemblies reor in any way concerning, his own immediate quires that the petition should be referred to a district, his State, or any State in the Union. committee, a majority of whom should be favorHis powers for such purpose are, and must be, able to the prayer of the petitioners. Similar co-extensive with the jurisdiction of Congress. petitions, for years past, have been referred to The power is incident to all legislative assem- the Committee on the District of Columbia, and blies, having a general jurisdiction and the for the last ten or twelve years, I believe, a power of legislation. It is not only the right, majority of the Committee on the District have but the duty, of a member, to watch over, and been from the slaveholding States. I mean no with vigilance to guard, protect, and promote, reflection on the Speakers of the House, but the interests of all parts of the country. And mention it as a fact proloer to be known by the shall it be said that he has no right and power people. Perhaps, as long as it was a slaveholdto propose laws for the District of Columbia, to ing territory, it was proper in relation to the do away wrongs and oppressions here, where general business and interests of the District that his powers of legislation are more unlimited a majority of the committee should be from the than in any other part of the Union? The slaveholding States. But, sir, their early idea that he cannot, seems to me preposterous. education, associations, habits, and interests, And if a member has such right, surely his mind and a knowledge of human nature, must conmay be enlightened, his attention awakened to vince us that they could never view petitions corruption, crimes, or oppressions here, and such as those now presented with a favorable his patriotism roused to action, by the petitions eye, and consider them without that prejudice of his constituents, or of the people of any other natural to and inseparable from the honorable, portion of his country. In this District every the worthy, and the very best men. member of Congress, and every citizen of the Sir, at the session before the last, at the last

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Title: Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856.
Author: United States. Congress.
Canvas: Page 663
Publication: New York, [etc.]: D. Appleton and company [etc.]; 1857-61.
Subject terms: United States -- Politics and government

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Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856.

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