Act of 1850. Resolutions
32. McLanahan’s Resolution Against Repeal of the Law of 1850
1851, Jan. 13. Mr. McLanahan moved that the rules be suspended to enable him to introduce the following resolution, viz., “Resolved, That it would be inexpedient and improper to repeal the law passed at the last session of Congress, entitled ‘An act to amend, and supplementary to, the act entitled An act respecting fugitives from justice and persons escaping from the service of their masters,’ approved Feb. 12, 1793.” House refused to suspend the rules.—House Journal, 31 Cong. 2 Sess., 139; Cong. Globe, 31 Cong. 2 Sess., 226.
33. Clay’s Resolution on the Shadrach Case, Boston. [§ 51.]
1851, Feb. 17. Mr. Clay submitted the following resolution, which lies over one day: “Resolved, That the President of the United States be requested to lay before the Senate, if not incompatible with the public interest, any information he may possess in regard to an alleged recent case of a forcible resistance to the execution of the laws of the United States in the city of Boston, and to communicate to the Senate under the above condition what means he has adopted to meet the occurrence, and whether, in his opinion, any additional legislation is necessary to meet the exigency of the case, and to more rigorously execute existing laws.” Resolution adopted.—Senate Journal, 31 Cong. 2 Sess., 187; Cong. Globe, 31 Cong. 2 Sess., 580.
34. Bright’s Bill Explanatory of Law of 1850
1851, Feb. 10. Mr. Bright obtained leave to bring in a bill (458) explanatory of the act approved 18th September in the year 1850, entitled, “An Act to amend, and supplemental to, the act entitled, ‘An Act respecting fugitives from justice and persons escaping from the service of their masters,’” approved Feb. 12, 1793, which was read twice, and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.—Senate Journal, 32 Cong. 1 Sess., 162.
The bill is in the following terms: “Be it enacted, etc., that all action and causes of action, and all proceedings instituted and to be instituted, for any violation of the provisions of said act respecting fugitives from justice and persons escaping from the service of their masters, approved the 12th February, 1793, may be instituted and prosecuted to final judgment and execution as if the said act of Sept. 18, 1850, had not been passed.”—Cong. Globe, 31 Cong. 2 Sess., 492.
35. Fitch’s Resolution Affirming the Compromise
1852, March 1. Mr. Fitch offered the following resolution: “Resolved, That we recognize the binding efficacy of the compromises of the Constitution, and believe it to be the intention of the people generally, as we hereby declare it to be ours individually, to abide such compromises, and to sustain the laws necessary to carry out the provisions for the delivery of fugitive slaves ordered, and that we deprecate all further agitation of questions growing out of that provision of the Constitution embraced in the acts of the last Congress known as the Compromise.”—House Journal, 32 Cong. 1 Sess., 408; Cong. Globe, 32 Cong. 1 Sess., 659.
36. Jackson’s Resolution Affirming the Compromise
1852, March 22. “Resolved, That we recognize the binding efficacy of the compromises of the Constitution, and believe it to be the intention of the people generally, as we hereby declare it to be ours individually, to abide such compromises, and to sustain the laws necessary to carry them out,—the provision for the delivery of fugitive slaves, and the act of the last Congress for that purpose included,—and that we deprecate all further agitation of questions growing out of that provision, of the questions embraced in the acts of the last Congress known as the Compromise, and of questions generally connected with the institution of slavery as unnecessary, useless, and dangerous.” Resolution, as amended by Mr. Hillyer below, agreed to.—House Journal, 32 Cong. 1 Sess., 550; Cong. Globe, 32 Cong. 1 Sess., 825.
37. Hillyer’s Finality Resolution
1852, April 5. Mr. Hillyer moved the following resolution: “Resolved, That the series of acts passed during the first session of the Thirty-first Congress, known as the compromise, are recorded as a final adjustment, and a permanent settlement of the questions there embraced, and should be maintained and executed as such.” Resolution agreed to, April 6, 1852.—House Journal, 32 Cong. 1 Sess., 548; Cong. Globe, 32 Cong. 1 Sess., 979.
38. Chase’s Resolution of Inquiry Into Payments Under Act of 1850
1852, June 3. Mr. Chase submitted the following resolution: “Resolved, That the Secretary of the Interior be directed to communicate to the Senate statements, showing in detail the expenses incurred and claims made under the Act to amend and supplemental to the ‘Act respecting fugitives from justice and persons escaping from the service of their masters,’ distinguishing the expenses incurred and claimed by reason of prosecutions for treasons, alleged to have been committed in resistance of said act from expenses incurred and claimed by reason of other prosecutions for offending against said act, and for proceedings before and under orders made by committee.” No action taken.—Senate Journal, 32 Cong. 1 Sess., 450; Cong. Globe, 32 Cong. 1 Sess., 1519.