Congressional: The Case Of The Brig Creole

The following resolution, submitted yeserday by Mr. Calhoun, was taken up for consideraron, viz: Resolved, Thai the President be requesied to crmmunicate to the Senate a copy of the protest of the officers and crew of the brig Creóle, on her passage frotn iichmond to New Orleans, Bhould any uch have been received, or any authenticated account which may have been received, of the murder of n passenger on board, nnd the wounding of the captain and others, by the slaves on bonrd the same; and of the occurrences which afiervvards took place, particularly after the vessel was taken into Nassau, New Providencej and also to inform the Senate, ifin lis opinión it can be done consistently with the public interest, what step has been aken by the Executive in reference to the transaction, haviug for its object the punshment of the guüiy, the redress of the wrong done to our ciiizens, nnd theindigïity ofFered lo the American flag. The resolution having been read, Mr. Porter moved that the wqrd 'slaves1 je stricken out, and the word jpersops" be subslituted. Mr. Calhoun hoped that the Senator would assign some reason for the motion. Mr. Porter observed, that lh8 reason, was simple: the word "slave" was unknown to the Constitution of the United Slatee. Mr. Calhoun, said that it was a word known to the Constitution; but if it was the intention cf the Senator to deny juslice lo the Southern States, hc wished it to be distinctly understood, and, ifihere was such another individual in this body, they ought to know it. That he might test the question, he would cali for the yeaa and nays on ihe amendment. The veas and nays having been ordered, Mr. Berrien said that before the queslion was taken, he would mersly remark that the Senator fiom South Carolina had described cer'ain individuals in the character in which they exisled under the constiiution and the laws of country. Whether the term "slave" found a place in the Constitution, was not the question, and he hoped that no controversy would arise as to the rights guaranteed by that instrument to those who held this description of property. Whenever a motion was made lo strike out tbat which was correctly describetl, he was induced to inquire, what was the object of such a motion? But, if it was the object of any gentleman, lo disanïrm the character given to certain property in the resolution, he was prepared to meet the question in a becoming manner. Mr. Porter remarked that he believed the word "slaves" was not sed in the Constitution, and thal the framers of that instrument had been careful in avoiding the adoption of the term. The Senate would recollect that such a rnotion as be had made was nothing novel in the legisla- tion of Congress, and he would ask gentlemen to look at the Constitution ltself, which spoke of "persons held to service or labor." He solemnly disclaimed any Euch purpose as was atlributcd to him by the Senator from Georgia, and by the Senator from South Carolina; his mam object in suggesting ihis amendment was merel) to cuntorm to the constilulion, which he had conscieutionsly sworn to support. He was utterly incapable of comprehending why an inference should be drawn from his re marks ihat ho was hosiile to the rights of the slave states, so calied, with regard to iheir property. Such an imputation re sulted from a forced construcüon; and he would now say that his object was to place this 'hing in a decorous position. so fur as his humble efforts was concerned, especially as il may conneel iïself with a correspondence wilh the Government of Great Britain. Mr. Calhoun would observe that ihey were in tbc habit of niaking use of woids in resoluticns adoptcd ly the Senate, which were not tu be found in the Canstiiution ; and, would the Senator from Michigan take the ground assumed by the Government ol Great Britain, ihat thesci slaves were persons, and would he connive with that power? He regretted that our an cestors were ïo fasiidious with regard to certain rights guaranüed in the Coiistitution. The word "slaves," instead of 'persons held to service or labor," ought to have been asserted rnanfully and boldly. He would take this occasion lo state that there had lateiy been manifestcd in the United States a blood thirsly disposition upon this subject, and it was but the other tiight ihat they received the resolutions of a meeting held in Williamsburg, King8 couniy, New York, which justified the whole course of the murderers on board of the Creóle, and asprrted thni they utre prepared to tnke sidea upni; the (jueslionj nnd but recently, in a rdiyious paper oí" New York, an arlicie appeared justifying ihe murder and pfracy, and compaiin i;c tnurdureis to General Washington. Hc had seen another artiele, exiracted frorri an uboliiion paper in Maine, and inserted iu