Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. 3 (of 16)United States. Congress
History
Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. 3 (of 16)
United States. Congress
Law -- United States; United States -- Politics and government
Mr. SLOAN said he rose to observe, in a few words, that however
afflicting it might be to contemplate a certain part of the creation used
as articles of traffic, imported and exported the same as cattle, he
did not consider the morality or immorality of the practice before the
House. We must take the constitution as we find it, and as it is not in
our power to prohibit the importation, the only question to be considered
is, whether we shall most encourage the traffic, by letting the articles
imported remain free of duty or by imposing a tax upon them. This view,
he believed, presented to the mind the true question, and believing
himself that a tax would, in some degree, discourage the importation, he
should vote for the resolution.
Mr. T. MOORE.--I am astonished to hear gentlemen, who advocate the
resolution now under consideration, reprobate a traffic as horrid and
infamous, and yet wish to draw a revenue from infamy, if it is an infamy.
I differ very widely in opinion from the honorable gentleman from
Pennsylvania, who thinks that a tax of ten dollars per head will operate
as a check to the growth of this horrid traffic. If I thought it would
have that effect I would cheerfully vote for the resolution. I believe a
tax of ten dollars will not prevent the importation of a single person of
this description.
The gentleman told us that he hoped the General Government were disposed
to discourage this traffic as far as they are authorized by the
constitution. I hope this House will discourage this impolitic act of
the Legislature of one of the Southern States--not by imposing a tax on
those unfortunate people imported into the United States, but by passing
a resolution expressive of its disapprobation of all acts permitting the
importation of certain people into the United States. As the General
Government cannot prohibit this traffic before the year 1808, I hope
this House will reject the resolution under consideration, and totally
disapprove every measure which attempts to draw revenue from an act that
rivets the chains of slavery on any of the human race.
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