Register of Debates in Congress, Comprising the Leading Debates and Incidents of the Second Session of the Eighteenth Congress Page: 627
iv, (742 columns), 123, vii p. ; 25 cm.View a full description of this book.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
6-27
GALES & SEA TON'S REGISTER
628 I
H. of R.] Suppression of the Slave Trade—Canal Boats, $-c. £Feb. 18, '895.
liouse sanctioned whatever was contained in it. But.
he sa'ul, he, with others, desired the report to be print-
ed, to diffuse correct information among those whotakt-
an interest in this subject. He wished them to know
what this Government has done in the mafter ; and, al-
though they might not approve all that had been done,
yet, when they saw what had been the exertions of the
Government on this subject, they would see the matter
in its proper light. He therefore hoped the printing
would be agreed to.
Mr. FORSYTH said that the gentleman from "Virginia
had risen to correct a misstatement of fact, but he had
not, in Mr. ¥ s opinion, fulfilled his purpose. The gen-
tleman had said, that the acts of the Executive in regard
to the measures for suppressing the Slave Trade were
hot so full as the restitution on the subject which some
sessions ago passed this House. 1 (said Mr. F.) think
the acts of the Executive have been fuller than the re-
solution of this House. 1 think that, in the negotiations
on the subject, the Executive has looked beyond the
resolution, even to expressions in a report of a commit-
tee of this House on the subject, made at a preceding
Session, and not acted upon.
Mr. MERCER explained. He supposed, he said,
that the gentleman from Georgia adverted to a cotem-
porary misconstruction of the resolution to which he
referred, that had arisen from an application of the pre-
vious question to the debate which it had occasioned. It
had been erroneously stated, that the House rejected an
amendment proposed to the resolution by a gentleman
from Maryland, no longer a member of this House. It
was absurd, Mr. M. contended, to introduce the princi-
ple into the public law of nations—that the slave trade
shall be deemed piratical, and yet to deny the conse-
quential power of detecting, condemning, and punishing
the pirates. Such was not the intention of the former
Congress.
Mr. FULLER said he was in favor of printing the
report, as contemplated by the resolution. The sup-
pression of the slave trade had attracted great attention,
and was, in fact an object of great interest to the coun-
try. He did not agree with the gentleman from Georgia,
(Mr. Fohsyth,) that it ought not to be printed, because
the committee had proposed no resolution, no legislative
measure to grow out of it. His wish was, to make
known to the nation the measures adopted by the tlo-
vernnient, the course it had pursued for the purpose
of putting an end to the slave trade. He thought
the nation had a right to know what had been done. If
the Government had discharged its duty, or if it had not
done so, it was equally desirable that the facts should be
known.
Besides, Mr. F. said, it was well known that our con-
duct on this subject, had attracted the attention of
foreign nations, and it was incumbent on us to show that
we had performed whatever we were able to perform,
with sincerity and good faith. That we were neither
hypocritical nor indifferent in our professions.
The objection that the report had proposed no legist
lativc measure, had, in his, Mr. 1's mind, no weight
against the printing. The same objection might be
made against printing the ['resident's message at the
opening of the session,and the accompanying documents;
the report of the Secretary of the Treasury on our com-
merce, and many other documents which we were con-
stantly in the habit of printing for the information of our
constituents. Asno resolution was offered hy the report,
it could not even be pretended that the House adopted
the reasoning which it presented. He, therefore, hoped
the resolution would prevail.
Mr. TEST said, he understood that the object of
printing the repot-', as proposed, was, to let the people
know the sense of this House on the subject of the mea-
sures for the suppression of the slave trade. At present,
said.lie, we only know that such a report has been made
by a committee of the whole on the State of the Union, j
That committee would decide what to do with this re- i
port, and perhaps they might, after examination ot it,
think a diffusion of it among the people desirable. At I
present, he thought the motion for printing' it prema- I
'lire. I
The question was then taken on the motion for print- i
ing extra copies, and decided in the affirmative, 73 votes j
to 57. J
CANAL BOATS, &c. 5
Mr. NEWTON moved to discharge the commlttcc of i
the whole from the consideration of the bill concerning ,
canal vessels and boats. The motion was carried, ayes
72. The bill was then taken up and read.
Mr. NEWTON, (Chairman of the Committee on Com- ;
merci,) stated the circumstances which had led to the
introduction of the bill, and explained its provisions at
considerable length.
Mr. STORKS, of New York, objected to the bill on
constitutional grounds, because it speaks of the remission
of the tonnage duty on canal boats, as a thing granted
by Congress, whereas, he held that Congress had no
right to impose such a dutv on boats navigating it canal
lying wholly within the limits of a single state; and he
moved the following amendment, viz :
To strike out the first section, after the enacting t
words, and substitute the following;
" That the several acts regulating the commerce of
the United States, and imposing duties on tonnage, and i
the acts supplementary and amendatory of the sane,
shall not be construed to extend to boats employed ex-
clusively in navigating the canals within the respective
states."
Mr. NEWTON spoke in reply to Mr. STORKs, and
in defence of the bill as reported, contending that Con- ;
gress possessed the right in its fullest extent, but were
willing to waive it in the present instance, provided,
that suitable guards were introduced to prevent smug- '
gling.
Mr. STORKS again rose and spoke at some length in
support of his former proposition.
Mr. TOMI.INSON, of Connecticut, supported the
principles of the bill, in a speech of considerable interest
and length.
Mr. CAMRRELENG maintained there was but little
substantial difference between the original provision
and the amendment. He did not think the constitutional
principle was involved by either, but rather preferred
the amendment to the bill.
Mr. WEU8TEU made some observations on the bill.
He did not consider it as involving any dangerous prin-
ciple.
Mr. P. P. BARBOUU coincided with Mr. STORRS
in his constitutional objection, maintaining that the
amendment, thoug-h it reached the same end as the
bill, was widely different, inasmuch as it involved in
it no claim on the part of Congress to impose the
duty on canal boats, hut was merely declaratory in its
form, &c.
Mr. OWEN, of Alabama, moved to lay the bill and
amendment on the table ; but the motion was negatived.
Mr. M'LANE suggested to Mr. STORRS the propriety
of omitting that clause of his amendment which extends
the exemption, not only to boats navigating the canal,
itself, but, also, the artificial works connected therewith.
One of these works was a basin in Luke Erie, and the
words of the amendment would exclude all the naviga-
tion of Eake Erie which entered that basin, from ton-
nage duty.
Mr. STORRS accepted the modification proposed by
Mr. M'LANE.
Mr. FOOT, of Connecticut, and Mr. MARVIN of New
I York, opposed this amendment, as thus modified, which
| rendered the bill itself nugatory; for all the boats on the
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This book can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Book.
Gales, Joseph, 1761-1841. Register of Debates in Congress, Comprising the Leading Debates and Incidents of the Second Session of the Eighteenth Congress, book, 1825; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc30752/m1/318/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.