Chapter VII: Appendix: List of Reports of Committees

--+------+-----------------+-------+---------+----------------+--------
N | | | | | |
u | | | | | |
m |Where | By whom |Commit | Date. | Bills and |Detailed
b |repor-| reported. |-tee. | | reports. |reports.
e | ted. | | | | |
r.| | | | | |
--+------+-----------------+-------+---------+----------------+--------
1|House |Mr. Giles[265] |Select |April 22,| |R.
| | | |1802 | |
2|House |Mr. Marion |Select |Feb. 18, |Favorable |R.
| | | |1807 | |
3|Senate|Mr. Roberts |Claims |Mar. 3, |Adverse |R. 124
| | | |1818 | |
4|House |Mr. Russell |Foreign|Jan. 31, |Adverse |R. 32
| | |Affairs|1822 | |
5|House |Mr. Forsyth |Foreign|Mar. 25, |Adverse |R. 94
| | |Affairs|1824 | |
6|Senate|Mr. Holmes |Select |Feb. 8, |Favorable |R. 48
| | | |1827 | |
7|House |Mr. E. Everett |Foreign|May 21, |Favorable |R. 264
| | |Affairs|1828 | |
8|Senate|Mr. Chambers |Select |May 24, |Favorable |R. 206
| | | |1828 | |
9|Senate|Mr. Chambers |Select |Feb. 11, |Favorable, bill |R. 76
| | | |1829 | |
10|House |Mr. E. Everett |Foreign|Feb. 16, |Favorable |R. 82
| | |Affairs|1829 | |
11|Senate|Mr. E. Livingston|Select |Feb. 22, |Favorable, bill |R. 68
| | | |1830 | |
12|Senate|Mr. E. Livingston|Select |Dec. 21, |Favorable, bill |R. 32
| | | |1830 | |
13|Senate|Mr. Wilkins |Select |Jan. 26, |Favorable, bill |
| | | |1832 | |
14|Senate|Mr. Chambers |Select |Dec. 20, |Favorable, bill |
| | | |1832 | |
15|Senate|Mr. Webster[266] |Select |Dec. 10, |Favorable, bill |
| | | |1834 | |
16|House |Mr. E. Everett }|Foreign|Feb. 21,{|Favorable }|R. 121
| |Mr. Cambreleng }|Affairs|1835 {|Adverse }|
17|House |Mr. Howard |Foreign|Jan. 20, |Favorable, bill |R. 445
| | |Affairs|1838 | |
18|House |Mr. Cushing |Indivi-|Mar. 31, |Favorable |
| | |dual |1838 | |
19|House |Mr. Cushing }|Foreign|April 4,{|Favorable, bill}|R. 343
| |Mr. Pickens }|Affairs|1840 {|Minority Adv’s }|
20|House |Mr. Cushing |Foreign|Dec. 29, |Favorable, bill |R. 16
| | |Affairs|1841 | |
21|Senate|Mr. Choate |Foreign|Jan. 28, |Favorable, bill |
| | |Relat’s|1842 | |
22|Senate|Mr. Archer |Foreign|Jan. 5, |Favorable, bill |
| | |Relat’s|1843 | |
23|House |Mr. C. J. |Foreign|April 17,|Favorable, bill |
| | Ingersoll |Affairs|1844 | |
24|Senate|Mr. Choate |Foreign|May 29, |Favorable, bill |
| | |Relat’s|1844 | |
25|Senate|Mr. Choate |Foreign|Dec. 23, |Favorable, bill |
| | |Relat’s|1844 | |
26|Senate|Mr. J. M. |Select |Feb. 2, |Favorable, bill |
| | Clayton[267] | |1846 | |
27|House |Mr. Tru. |Foreign|July 13, |Favorable, bill |
| | Smith[268] |Affairs|1846 | |
28|Senate|Mr. Morehead |Select |Feb. 10, |Favorable, bill |R. 144
| | | |1847 | |
29|House |Mr. Tru. Smith |Foreign|Jan. 4, |Favorable, bill |
| | |Affairs|1848 | |
30|Senate|Mr. Tru. |}Select|Feb. 5, {|Favorable, bill}|R. 44
| | Smith[269] |} |1850 {|Minority Adv’s }|
| |Mr. Hunter |} | | |
31|House |Mr. Buel |Foreign|June 14, |Favorable, bill |R. 355
| | | |1850 | |
32|Senate|Mr. Bradbury }|Select |Jan. 14,{|Favorable, bill}|R. 26
| |Mr. Felch }| |1852 {|Minority Adv’s }|
33|Senate|Mr. Hamlin[270] |Select |Jan. 17, |Favorable, bill |
| | | |1854 | |
34|House |Mr. Bayly[271] |Foreign|Jan. 4, |Favorable, bill |
| | |Affairs|1854 | |
35|House |Mr. Pennington |Foreign|Mar. 3, |Favorable, bill |
| | |Affairs|1857 | |
36|Senate|Mr. |Select |Feb. 4, |Favorable, bill |R. 53
| | Crittenden[272]| |1858 | |
37|House |Mr. Clingman |Foreign|May 5, |Favorable, bill |
| | |Affairs|1858 | |
38|House |Mr. Royce |Foreign|Mar. 29, |Favorable, bill |R. 259
| | |Affairs|1860 | |
39|Senate|Mr. Crittenden |Select |June 11, |Favorable, bill |
| | | |1860 | |
40|Senate|Mr. Sumner |Foreign|Jan. 13, |Favorable, bill |
| | |Relat’s|1862 | |
41|Senate|Mr. Sumner |Foreign|Jan. 20, |Favorable, bill |
| | |Relat’s|1863 | |
--+------+-----------------+-------+---------+----------------+--------

NO PROPERTY IN MAN: UNIVERSAL EMANCIPATION WITHOUT COMPENSATION.

SPEECH IN THE SENATE, ON THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT ABOLISHING SLAVERY THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, APRIL 8, 1864.

The property in horses was the gift of God to man at the
creation of the world; the property in slaves is property
held and acquired by crime, differing in no moral aspect from
the pillage of a freebooter, and to which no lapse of time
can give a prescriptive right--JOHN QUINCY ADAMS, _Speech at
Bridgewater_, November 6, 1844.

* * * * *

Swift with her Pand she issued and unclosed
The loathsome sties wherein the swine reposed.
…
They men became, but younger than before,
More beauteous far, and far majestic more.

_Odyssey_, tr. SOTHEBY, Book X. 398-407.

* * * * *

The Christian religion is equal in its operation, and is
accommodated to every nation on the globe. It robs no one of
his freedom, violates none of his inherent rights, on the
ground that he is a slave by nature, as pretended; and it well
becomes your Majesty to banish so monstrous an oppression from
your kingdoms in the beginning of your reign, that the Almighty
may make it long and glorious.--LAS CASAS, _Address before
Charles V.: Prescott’s History of the Conquest of Mexico_, Vol.
I. p. 379, Note.

* * * * *

In a clause of his will Cortés expresses a doubt whether it is
right to exact personal service from the natives, and commands
that a strict inquiry shall be made into the nature and value
of such services as he had received, and that in all cases a
fair compensation shall be allowed for them. Lastly, he makes
this remarkable declaration: “It has long been a question,
whether one can conscientiously hold property in Indian slaves.
Since this point has not yet been determined, I enjoin it on my
son Martin and his heirs that they spare no pains to come to an
exact knowledge of the truth, as a matter which deeply concerns
the conscience of each of them, no less than mine.”--CORTÉS,
_his Testament_: Ibid., Vol. III. p. 345.

* * * * *

Mais certes, s’il y a rien de clair et d’apparent en la nature,
et en quoy il ne soit pas permis de faire l’aveugle, c’est cela
que nature, le ministre de Dieu et la gouvernante des hommes,
nous a tous faits de mesme forme, et, comme il semble, à mesme
moule, afin de nous entrecognoistre tous pour compaignons, ou
plus tost frères.--LA BOËTIE, _De la Servitude Volontaire_:
Œuvres, ed. Feugère, (Paris, 1846,) p. 26.

* * * * *

Quand est-ce donc un homme de Dieu goûtera le plaisir de la
liberté dans toute son étendue? Quand il ne la goûtera que dans
ses frères affranchis.--BOSSUET, _Panégyrique de Saint Pierre
Nolasque_, Point II.

* * * * *

Et qu’on ne dise pas, qu’en supprimant l’esclavage, le
Gouvernement violeroit la propriété des colons. Comment
l’usage, ou même une loi positive, pourroit-elle jamais donner
à un homme un véritable droit de propriété sur le travail, sur
la liberté, sur l’être entier d’un autre homme innocent, et
qui n’y a point consenti? En déclarant les nègres libres, _on
n’ôteroit pas au colon sa propriété_; on l’empêcheroit de faire
un crime, et l’argent qu’on a payé pour un crime n’a jamais
donné le droit de le commettre.--CONDORCET, _Note 109 sur les
Pensées de Pascal_.

* * * * *

Allegiance to that Power that gives us the _forms_ of men
commands us to maintain the _rights_ of men; and never yet was
this truth dismissed from the human heart,--never in any time,
in any age,--never in any clime where rude man ever had any
social feeling, or where corrupt refinement had subdued all
feelings; never was this one unextinguishable truth destroyed
from the heart of man, placed as it is in the core and centre
of it by his Maker, that man was not made the property of
man.--RICHARD BRINSLEY SHERIDAN, _Speech on the Trial of Warren
Hastings_, June 6, 1788: _Moore’s Memoirs of Sheridan_ (London,
1825), Vol. I. p. 505.

* * * * *

In each of these cases [the United States and Russia] the
slaves and the serfs are not ripe for freedom; no enslaved
people ever are; and to wait, before you bestow liberty or
political rights, till the recipients are fit to employ them
aright, is to resolve not to go into the water till you can
swim. You must make up your mind to encounter many very
considerable evils at first, and for some time, while men are
learning to use the advantages conferred on them.--ARCHBISHOP
WHATELY, _Annotations to Bacon’s Essays_: Essay XXI., _Of
Delays_.

* * * * *

Non-seulement ma liberté est à moi, par la seule grâce de
Dieu, comme ma vie, et personne n’en peut disposer à ma place,
mais je ne suis pas maître d’en disposer moi-même. Ce n’est pas
assez de dire, que la liberté est un droit: la liberté est un
devoir.--JULES SIMON, _La Liberté_, Tom. I. p. 26.

* * * * *

The first public movement for an Amendment of the National
Constitution, abolishing Slavery, was a resolution presented
by the devoted Abolitionist, Henry C. Wright, and adopted by
the American Antislavery Society at its anniversary meeting
in Philadelphia, December 4, 1863. In a letter to Mr. Sumner,
January 13, 1870, Mr. Wright recounted the history of this
resolution, which he set forth, prefixing the original in the
handwriting of Mr. Sumner:--

“That the voice of the people is heard through petitions
to Congress, and this Convention earnestly recommend that
this voice be raised in petitions for an Amendment of the
Constitution, declaring that Slavery shall be forever
prohibited within the limits of the United States.

“CHARLES SUMNER.
“ON BOARD OF STEAMBOAT EMPIRE STATE.”

Mr. Wright adds:--

“This is in your hand. On the back, in my hand, are the
words: ‘Saloon of Steamer Empire State, on Long Island
Sound, Wednesday, A. M., December 2, 1863. Adopted by the
American Antislavery Society, at its thirtieth anniversary
or third decade meeting, held in Philadelphia, December
3d and 4th, 1863. Adopted December 4th, Friday. Presented
by Henry C. Wright, of Boston, and adopted by the Society
without a dissenting voice.’

“HENRY C. WRIGHT.”

Mr. Wright afterwards communicated these facts to the press.

December 14, 1863, in the House of Representatives, Mr. Ashley,
of Ohio, introduced a Constitutional Amendment abolishing
Slavery, in these terms:--

“Slavery is hereby forever prohibited in all the States of
the Union, and in all Territories now owned or which may
hereafter be acquired by the United States.”

On the same day, Mr. Wilson, of Iowa, introduced another, in
these terms:--

“Slavery, being incompatible with a free Government, is
forever prohibited in the United States, and involuntary
servitude shall be permitted only as a punishment for
crime.”

January 11, 1864, in the Senate, Mr. Henderson, of Missouri,
proposed the following amendment:--

“Slavery or involuntary servitude, except as a punishment
for crime, shall not exist in the United States.”

This was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

February 8th, while the Committee had the question still under
consideration, Mr. Sumner proposed an Amendment as follows:--

“ARTICLE --. Everywhere within the limits of the United
States, and of each State or Territory thereof, all persons
are equal before the law, so that no person can hold
another as a slave.”

Mr. Sumner moved the reference of the joint resolution
containing his Amendment to the Select Committee on Slavery
and Freedmen, of which he was Chairman. Mr. Trumbull thought
it had better go to the Committee on the Judiciary, to which
the other proposition had been referred. Mr. Sumner remarked,
that already petitions against the Fugitive Slave Act had
been reported from the Committee on the Judiciary with the
recommendation that they be referred to the other Committee,
that the terms of the resolution raising this Committee were
broad enough to cover every proposition relating to Slavery,
and that, in fact, petitions relating to a Constitutional
Amendment had already been referred to this Committee. If after
this statement the Senator desired that the joint resolution
should be referred to the Committee of which he was the
honored head, Mr. Sumner consented with the greatest pleasure.
Mr. Trumbull expressed the opinion that “the appropriate
Committee for all propositions to change the Constitution was
the Judiciary Committee,” and in this opinion Mr. Doolittle
concurred. Mr. Sumner was perfectly willing to follow the
suggestion made. His chief desire was that the Committee would
“act upon it soon.”

Meanwhile Mr. Saulsbury, of Delaware, moved that the joint
resolution be indefinitely postponed, which was lost,--Yeas 8,
Nays 31. It was then referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

February 10th, Mr. Trumbull reported back the two joint
resolutions, and the various petitions on the subject, with
a substitute, as an amendment to the joint resolution of Mr.
Henderson, in the following terms:--

“SECTION 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude,
except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall
have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United
States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.