To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States:
The memorial of Caln Quarterly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, commonly called Quakers, respectfully represents: That, having long felt deep sympathy with that portion of the inhabitants of these United States which is held in bondage, and having no doubt that the happiness and interests, moral and pecuniary, of both master and slave, and our whole community, would be greatly promoted if the inestimable right to liberty was extended equally to all, we contemplate with extreme regret that the District of Columbia, over which you possess entire control, is acknowledged to be one of the greatest marts for the traffic in the persons of human beings in the known world, notwithstanding the principles of the Constitution declare that all men have an unalienable right to the blessing of liberty.
We therefore earnestly desire that you will enact such laws as will secure the right of freedom to every human being residing within the constitutional jurisdiction of Congress, and prohibit every species of traffic in the persons of men, which is as inconsistent in principle, and inhuman in practice, as the foreign slave trade.
Signed by direction, and on behalf of the aforesaid quarterly meeting, held in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, the 19th of 11 mo., 1835.
Lindley Coats,
Esther Hayes,
Clerks.]
The yeas and nays were ordered on the question of rejection.
Mr. McKean moved to amend the motion by striking out all after the word “that”—(namely, the words “the prayer of the petition to be rejected,”) and inserting “it is inexpedient at this time to legislate on the subject of slavery in the District of Columbia.”
On this question the yeas and nays were ordered, on his motion.