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Congressional

Congressional image
Parent Issue
Day
6
Month
April
Year
1842
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

In the House, Maren 4, the debate on Caruthers' motion was continued, for a long time by Genlry, Wise, Cushing and others, and the House were getting sleepy, when Mr. Giddings of Ohio rose, and proposed to amend the section under consideration by a proviso that no money should be employed in any way to aid in the recover of, or to compénsale for slaves. - And ia making this molion he wished to ask his friend,the chairman of the committee of ways and means, the meaning and object of certain items in the Blue Book, which had been paidout efthis very fund in former years. It appeared that a sum of 30 dollars had been paidto J. D. Cardago,and the like sum to another person "For advertising compensation for slaves." Mr. Fillmore. "I do not knoiv what this means." Giddings. "I took the liberty to inquire at the state department, and fuuud they reÍled to the compensatioa made by Great jtain for the slaves of the Cornet and icomium. Now, Mr. Chairman - "lnplett, of Ky., (overseer, in a great rage,) "order! order! Mr. Chairman, Irise to order. The gentleman is discussing - " Chair. "The gentleman from Ohio is certainly in order, and ho wijl proceed." Giddings. "I was about to say, sir, that 6uch a use of ihe comtnon funds of the national government was a violation of the spirit and principies of the constitution. - When Massachusetts adopted her biil of rights, she never dreamed that her contribution to the comraon Treasury was to be employed to compénsate for elaves. Neither did New-York, when she began to take measures for the overlhrow of slavery . Nor did Vermont, whose soil was never polluted by slavery - " "Order, order. I cali to order. Mr. Chairman." Down went the ivory mallet! A dozen members wcre on the floor at once, all striving to make as much noi?e as possible. Mr. Giddings slood unmoved, aud smiling. At last the Chair made hinv eelf heard, bidding Mr. G. to go on Mr. Butler of S. C. "Mr. Chuirman, I inBist upon the point of order. Has the gentleman any right to discuss the whole question of slavery, and views of the different states?" Chair. "The gentleman has a right to state his reasons for objeeiing to the appropriation. But he cannot discuss those reasons, such as the constituiionality of the use of the money, and the like. Jle will proceed V Giddings. " I remarked, Mr. Chairmnn, that the employment of the public funds to recover or compénsate for i'ugitive jslaves was unconstitutional. - ' Mr. Butler again rose lo order, and buz, buz. buz.Tripleit. (Simullaneously.) Mr. Chairman! Mr. Ciiaibuak ! Mr. CÍ1 AIRMAN! Here a scène of beautiful confusión followcd, which it would be in vam to altempt to describe. Buiter at last in9sted on his poiu. of order. The chatr overruled him, and he appealed, but, ulier some deluy withdrew it. Giddings. "Mr. Chairman, I wül Ilústrate my idea. The state of South Carolina hus never given any portion of her noney to the general Treasury to be used to emancipate slavea. Neilher the constitution nor any treaties embraced - " Tripplett "Mr. Chairman, (hts face as red as blazes!) I rise to order - " Chair. The gentleman from Ky. will be seated. The member from Ohio will proceed in order. Turney, of Tenn., appealed from this decisión. "The gentleman from Ohio assumes a false state of facts, and then hangs his proviso and a discussion of slavery pon it." Proftit hoped the gentleman would go on. Il was to be regarded as an attnek upon tho administration from a peculiar quarer!" Gordon of N. Y. opposed it in some remarks too loud to be heared at my stand. Holmes of S. C, raised the point of order, whether Mr. G. could be permitted to d8cuss questions of constitulional law, and treaties, preceeding an appropriation bill? Stanlcyy N. C, made some violent and personal remarks. Mr. Giddings roso to discuss the question of appeal. He regrelted that gentleman had seen fit to indulge in personal rctnarks. But he wished to have them unerstand that he waa a frbeman, and repiesented freemen on that floor; and he[would state their viewp, on matters of public interest, at all hazards. He was not aware that ihere was any treaty that authorized the taking pf money from ihe common treaaury for purposea like that referred to in his proviso. His remarks related wholly to the use made of this contingent fund. Wise stated the case very clearly, ar.d argued that Mr. Giddings was in order: for he was showing that an improper use, as he thought, was rnade of this fund, and he wished to guard against it. The money might be appropriated to the support of a prayer meeting. And it was proper to state his objections to such a course. - Cooper, of Ga., wished to show the efïectsj produced by the course they were nowj pursuing upon the public mind, and for this purpose read a sentence oí a letter, whicli, he said, carne from a leading Harrison man in Georgia : "Unless there is a specdy change in the course of proceedings in the Congress, I am an open advocate of disunion." The decisión of the Chair was sustained. 75 lo 40. Giddings said, that the severalstateshad ven Congress the power to make such an use of the public funds. It was contrary to the constitution to do it, for - " "Order, order," from Triplelt, and a dozen other overscerf-. Chair. "Ihave already said the gentleman from Ohio was in order, in stating his reasons; hut not in discussing the propriety of them." Giddings. "So, thcn, there is no way ibr me to show that tho constilution forbids this! I may not show that you have no right to tax my constituents for such a purpose! He had supposed that the constitutionality of a proposition was a íit subeet for discussion. But, ifnot, he would content himself with protesting against such a decisión; and, having stated his views, would not occupy the timo of the committee any longcr. You have here, a fair sample of the want of manliuess, and Hecency with which these efforts to slifle the voice of reedom are conducted. Mr. Everett of Vt., tricd to get the floor, ! ifter Giddings took his seat; and Wise,: jilmer, Caruthers, and their squad, fear-! ng the old gentleman would rebuke them,! managed by a similar scenc, to bully him down.Creólo Case - Censure of Air. Giddings. March 21.- When the State of Ohio was called, Mr. Giddings Bubmittcd the ibllowing resolutions: Resolved, That prior to the adoption of the federal constitulion, each of the seve-1 ral Stntr? oouipoting ihis Union, exoroiocü üll and exclusive jurisdiction over the subject of slavery wuhin its own territory,; and possessed full powei to continue or abolish it at pleasure. Resolved, That by adopiing the consliv lution, no part of the aforesaid powers were delegaied to the Federal Government, but were reserved by and still per-, tain to each of the several states. Resolved, That slavery, being an inFringementof the natural iïghtsofman,can only exist by forcé of positive municipal law and is necessarily confinen to the territorial jurisdiction of the power creating it. Resolved, That when a ship belonging to the citizeus of any state of this Union, leaves the waters aud territory of such state, and enters upon the high seas, the persons on board, cease to be subject to the slave laws of such state, and thenceforth are governed in their relations to each otber by, and are amenuble to, the laws of the United States. Resolved, That when the brig Creóle, on her late passage for New Orlean3, left the territorial jurisdiction of Virginia, the slave laws of that state cea sed to huve jurisdiction over the persons on board s.iid brig, and such persons became amenable o'nly to the laws of the United States. Resolved, That the persons on board said ship, in resuming their natural righis of personal liberiy, violated no law of the United Slates, incurred no legal penalty, andaré justly liableto nopunishment. Resolved, That all attempts to regain 3osses?ion of or lo re-enslave said persons, are unauthorized by the constitution or laws of the United States, and are incompatible with our national honor. Resolved, That all attempls to exert our national influence in favor of the coastwise slave trade, or to place this nation in the attitude of mainïaining a "commerce in ïuman beings," are subversivo of the righis, and injurïous to the feelings and the interests of the free states, are unauthorized by the constitution, and prejudi-; cial to our national characler. A motion to lay them on the table was! ost, yea9, 52, nays 125. The prèvious question was called fur and sustahied, yeas, I22,nays 61. -Bul their presentation occasioned such a furious commotion that Mr. G. voluntarily withdrew them. Mr. Botts of Va., then offered the folowing preamble and resolution. (prLet every freeman examir.e them carefully, and think of them! No Nolhern member must hereafter express an opinión "hostile o the grounds assumed by the high funcionaries" of the government, under penaly of being "severely censured." This s the most insulent, nirogant, demand of he Slave Power thal its barefaced effrontery has yet put forth . Whereas, the Ilon. Joshua R. Giddings,the member from the sixteenih congressional district of the State of Ohio, has thia day presented 10 this House a series of resolutiona touching the most important interests connected wilha iarge portion cf the Union, now a subject of negotiation between the United States and Great Britain of the most delicate nature, the result of which m;iy evenlually invulve ihose nations and perhaps the wholecivilized world in a war; and whereas the duty of every selected agent and representative of the people, 6hou!d discounlenance all eflorts to créate excitcment, dissatisfaction, and división among the people of the United States, at such a time and under such circumstances, which is the only effect to be accomplished by the introduction of sentiment before the legislative body of the country hostile to the grounds assumed by the high functionary having charge of this important and delicate trust: and whereas mu;iny and murder are the rein juslified and approved in terms shocking to sll sense of law, order, and humuniiy ; therefore, Resolved, That this House hold the conduet of the said member os altogether unworrantable, and deserving the severe condemnation of the people of ihis country, and of thia body 111 particular. Mr. Botts not being in order, Mr. Weller of Ohio, Mr. Gidding's collengue, offerred the resolution as hts. The Correspondent of tho Adveriiser write6: "It resulted in this- the major i ty of the house refused to give Mr. G. time to prepare to defend himself againsl thie summary and tyrannical proceeding; overruled the decisión of the speaker, declaring that the previous question would not and could not deprive the accusedof his defence, (it being a question of privilege of a member,) and to day, about 3 oV-lock P. M., passed the vote oí censure upon Mr. Giddings. - He had no time to defend himself against ihis resoluiion; and when the question was ïbout being put, a minion from South Carolina expressed the wish that he might be lieard in his defence if he would now pro -eed witli it. Mr. Botts expressed a similar wish. Mr. Stuart, of Virginia, proposed to offer a substitute for The resolution ; but they were informed by the Speaker, that, nasmuch as the House had votedfor the previous question,noneof ihose very humane and liberal propi sitions was ín order. So tbey forced themselves to a final vote upun ihe resulution. The moment it passed, Mr. G. left his seat, having firsl sent a billet notifying his resignation to the Speaker, shook hands with 8cveralofthe members, and left the hall. JL.o u man whosc pcroonul'ptiileis abovc that oía. spaniel, blame Mr. G. for rsigning. I say nothing now about the correctness of his views as expressed in his resolulions. It is sufficient that thusc were his opinions, and that he had the sacred, uudoubied, constitutional, civil and deliberaiiye right of proposing them to ilie consideration of his íellow members ! upon that floor. For this dehberative act, the House of Representatives has prantically expelled hitn from his seat and dis- graced his constituents. The proceeding is monstrous. The time has indeed come when il is no longer safe for a representa - tive of a free state freely to utter his senlimeuts apon a questinn invohing the dangers of war with a fbreign nation, in the PEOPLE'S House of Rupresentatives! The north- the FREE NORTH- must look to this. The yeas and nays are not reported, but it is stated almost every Northern Democrat voted to censure Mr. Gidding9 for expressing his opinión! ThU is just whai might have been anticipated from rotten, hollow-hearted Democracy. Ii may be truly said of il - uIt is rank - il smells lo Heaven"! Hon. William Slade, of Vermont, has published a card in the Naliunal Itiiolligencer, expressing hia great surprise at the proceedings of the House, and declaringthat he stands "ready, here and evcry where, now and forever, to mainlain and defend" the resolutions offered hy Mr. Giddings. Ilon. D. D. B.irnari has published another, say ing that he refused to vote on the resohuion censuring Mr. Giddings,because he bclieved the House had assumed a power which did not belong to it. Mr. Moma, ofOhio, has introduced a resolution censuring the House for cehsuring his colleague. Mr. Giddings has actually resigned his seat as representative, and what consequènces are to grow out of it reraains to be. seen. President Tylcr has sent a special mes sage to Congress, recommending, wilh great earnestness, (he provisión of means to support the public credit. He says even the loan bilí will be insufficient to meet the wants of the country, and recommends an addition to the duties on furei"n importa. This w ill raise them above 20 per cent, and consequently by the express provisions of the Land Bill, the latteract will cease to opérate. Mr. Clay has finished his series of speeches on his resolutions. In the last he look occasion to give a strong opiniónin favor of a mutual right of seareh in the A frican sea?, and urged thot a bilí to thal eflcct had once alrendy pasaed one branch of Congress.