Part 189

Salt Duty.

Mr. J. RANDOLPH, from the Committee of Ways and Means, to whom was referred, on the third ultimo, so much of the President’s Message as relates “to a suppression of the duties on salt, to a continuation of the Mediterranean fund, and to the state of our revenues,” presented a bill repealing the acts laying duties on salt, and continuing in force, for a further time, the first section of the act, entitled “An act further to protect the commerce and seamen of the United States against the Barbary Powers;” which was read twice, and committed to a Committee of the Whole on Friday next.

FRIDAY, January 9.

Another member, to wit, MATTHEW LYON, from Kentucky, appeared, and took his seat in the House.

MONDAY, January 12.

Duties on Salt.

Mr. J. RANDOLPH moved that the House resolve itself into a Committee of the Whole on the bill for “repealing the acts laying duties on salt, and continuing in force the first section of an act, entitled an act further to protect the commerce and seamen of the United States against the Barbary Powers.”

TUESDAY, January 20.

Suspension of the Anti-slavery of the Ordinance of ’87 in Indiana.

The SPEAKER laid before the House a letter from William Henry Harrison, Governor of the Indiana Territory, enclosing certain resolutions passed by the Legislative Council and House of Representatives of the said Territory, relative to a suspension, for a certain period, of the sixth article of compact between the United States and the Territories and States north-west of the river Ohio, made on the thirteenth of July, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-seven; which were read, as follows:

Resolved, unanimously, by the Legislative Council and House of Representatives of the Indiana Territory, That a suspension of the sixth article of compact between the United States and the Territories and States north-west of the river Ohio, passed the 13th day of July, 1787, for the term of ten years, would be highly advantageous to the said Territory, and meet the approbation of at least nine-tenths of the good citizens of the same.

Resolved, unanimously, That the abstract question of liberty and slavery is not considered as involved in a suspension of the said article, inasmuch as the number of slaves in the United States would not be augmented by the measure.

Resolved, unanimously, That the suspension of the said article would be equally advantageous to the Territory, to the States from whence the negroes would be brought, and to the negroes themselves.

To the Territory, because of its situation with regard to the other States; it must be settled by emigrants from those in which slavery is tolerated, or for many years remain in its present situation, its citizens deprived of the greater part of their political rights, and, indeed, of all those which distinguish the American from the citizens and subjects of other governments.

The States which are overburdened with negroes would be benefited by their citizens having an opportunity of disposing of the negroes which they cannot comfortably support, or of removing with them to a country abounding with all the necessaries of life; and the negro himself would exchange a scanty pittance of the coarsest food for a plentiful and nourishing diet, and a situation which admits not the most distant prospect of emancipation, for one which presents no considerable obstacle to his wishes.

Resolved, unanimously, That the citizens of this part of the former North-western Territory consider themselves as having claims upon the indulgence of Congress in regard to a suspension of the said article, because at the time of the adoption of the ordinance of 1787 slavery was tolerated, and slaves generally possessed by the citizens then inhabiting the country, amounting to at least one-half the present population of Indiana, and because the said ordinance was passed in Congress when the said citizens were not represented in that body, without their being consulted, and without their knowledge and approbation.

Resolved, unanimously, That, from the situation, soil, climate, and productions of the Territory, it is not believed that the number of slaves would ever bear such proportion to the white population, as to endanger the internal peace and prosperity of the country.

Resolved, unanimously, That copies of these resolutions be delivered to the Governor of this Territory, to be by him forwarded to the President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States, with a request that they will lay the same before the Senate and House of Representatives, over which they respectively preside.

Resolved, unanimously, That a copy of these resolutions be delivered to the delegate to Congress from this Territory, and that he be, and he hereby is, instructed to use his best endeavors to obtain a suspension of the said article.

The resolutions were referred to Mr. PARKE, Mr. MASTERS, Mr. RHEA of Tennessee, Mr. SANFORD, Mr. ALSTON, Mr. JEREMIAH MORROW, and Mr. TRIGG, to examine and report their opinion thereupon to the House.

MONDAY, January 26.

Another new member, to wit, WILLIAM W. BIBB, from Georgia, returned to serve as a member for the said State, in the place of Thomas Spalding, who has resigned his seat, appeared, produced his credentials, was qualified, and took his seat in the House.

Suspension of the Habeas Corpus.

A message was received from the Senate, by Mr. SAMUEL SMITH, as follows:

Mr. SPEAKER: I am directed by the Senate of the United States to deliver to this House a confidential message, in writing.

The House being cleared of all persons except the members and the Clerk, Mr. SMITH delivered to the SPEAKER the following communication in writing:

Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:

The Senate have passed a bill suspending for three months the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, in certain cases, which they think expedient to communicate to you in confidence, and to request your concurrence therein, as speedily as the emergency of the case shall in your judgment require.