Monday, February 17.
Non-Importation of Slaves into Territories.
Mr. David R. Williams, from the committee appointed, on the seventh instant, “to inquire whether any, and, if any, what, additional provisions are necessary to prevent the importation of slaves into the Territories of the United States,” made the following report:
That the act of Congress, passed the 7th April, 1798, authorizing the establishment of a Government in the Mississippi Territory, permits slavery within that Territory, by excluding the last article of the ordinance of 13th July, 1787. The seventh section of this act prohibits, after the establishment of a Government, the importation of slaves from any port or place without the limits of the United States; of course, the right to import slaves from any place within the limits of the United States is not restricted.
The act of 2d March, 1805, further providing for the Government of the Territory of Orleans, secures to its inhabitants “all the rights, privileges, and advantages, secured by the ordinance of 13th July, 1787, and now enjoyed by the people of the Mississippi Territory.” The importation of slaves, from any place within the limits of the United States, is one of those rights; consequently, the inhabitants of the Territory of Orleans may exercise it also.
The tenth section of the act of 26th March, 1804, “erecting Louisiana into two Territories, and providing for the temporary government thereof,” prohibits the introduction of slaves into that Territory, from any place, “except by a citizen of the United States, removing into said Territory, for actual settlement, and being at the time of such removal bona fide owner of such slave or slaves.” This tenth section, being repugnant to the first section of the act of 2d March, 1805, was repealed by the last section of said act, which declares: “that so much of an act, entitled ‘An act erecting Louisiana into two Territories, and providing for the temporary government thereof,’ as is repugnant with this act, shall, from and after the first Monday of November next, be repealed.”
The committee are in the possession of the fact, that African slaves, lately imported into Charleston, have been thence conveyed into the Territory of Orleans; and, in their opinion, this practice will be continued to a very great extent while there is no law to prevent it.
Upon this view of the subject, the committee believe it is expedient to prohibit any slave or slaves, who may be hereafter imported into the United States, from being carried into any of the Territories thereof; they, therefore, respectfully recommend the following resolution:
Resolved, That it shall not be lawful for any person or persons to import or bring into any of the Territories of the United States any slave or slaves that may hereafter be imported into the United States.
The report was referred to the Committee of the Whole to-morrow.