Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. 2 (of 16)United States. Congress
History
Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. 2 (of 16)
United States. Congress
Law -- United States; United States -- Politics and government
Mr. MURRAY did not expect to have raised the sensibility of the
gentleman last up. It really arose from his ignorance, he said. He
wished to know the origin of the matter; he did not know whether it had
originated in a memorial, or whether it came from the humanity of some
patriotic member, unsolicited. Great and manifold evils did exist in
this point; he meant to make a motion on the subject, as Maryland felt
heavily from the practice. He confessed he was not sufficiently
acquainted with the English language to know the proper meaning of the
word _kidnapping_; he therefore wished to know if it extended to the
object he had in view. He declared he did not wish to encourage the
harboring of negroes; far from it; he wished to prevent it. He did not
think the law extended far enough on that point; at present, negroes,
through the influence of their own minds, or the insinuations of others,
or both, frequently leave their masters, and are harbored by other
persons. The law takes no notice of this, except it can be proved that
the negro is some person's property, and has absconded: this is very
difficult to prove; therefore great evils attend its lenity. 'Tis true,
if it can be proved that the negro has absconded and was harbored, there
was a very heavy penalty inflicted; but, he said, this was difficult to
prove. This, he owned, was his _insinuation_, as the gentleman termed
it; and upon this subject he meant to claim the attention of the House.
This evil, he said, might arise from the false philosophy and misplaced
philanthropy of the advocates of emancipation. He was ever willing to
give the question a fair trial, and thought himself bound to thank the
gentleman for his extreme benevolence in advocating it.
Mr. SWANWICK, to satisfy the gentleman from Maryland, told him, that the
subject came before the House from the State of Delaware.
Mr. W. SMITH said, he did not know how far the committee should go, he
should not vote for the matter to go into the committee. He said, it was
that kind of business which, by the constitution, was to be left to the
different States, he could not agree to the subject going any further.
The observations of the gentleman from Pennsylvania had convinced him
that that House ought not to interfere with the individual States on the
subject; the interests and policy of the different States were so
various, that it would be a dangerous thing to meddle with. He thought
it an improper question for discussion; he conceived it would be sound
policy not to touch it in that House. The gentleman had gone too far to
make use of the word _emancipation_. He feared lest the use of it should
spread an alarm through some of the States. It might imperceptibly lead
from step to step till it ends in mischief.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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