Daily National Intelligencer

On the bill for the relief of the importer of slaves into North Carolina, under alleged misapprehension of the law—

Mr. Foot, of Connecticut, said, the extreme anxiety and impatience of gentlemen to pass the bill under consideration, had surprised him. Six weeks, said he, have been spent on a subject involving no principle which can compare, in point of importance, with this bill. The Missouri question did not involve the question of freedom or slavery, but merely whether slaves now in the country might be permitted to reside in the proposed new state; and whether Congress or Missouri possessed the power to decide. But, sir, we are called upon by this bill to remit a penalty incurred for a violation of our laws "to prohibit the importation of slaves into our country;" a law, of all others, which, in my opinion, should be rigidly enforced, and most sacredly regarded. And, sir, I am astonished to hear gentlemen who, on the Missouri question, which not only agitated this house, but the whole country, to its base, and threatened a dissolution of the Union, and gentlemen too who, on that occasion, denounced all, as the friends of slavery, who honestly differed with them in opinion on the constitutional power of Congress; yes, sir, and who boldly declared that, fearless of consequences, they would impose the restriction—that these gentlemen should now be the advocates for a virtual repeal of the only law which prohibits the importation of slaves! Sir, if you pass this bill, you open your ports immediately to the importation of slaves, without number, under the head of domestics.

I entreat gentlemen to pause, if, indeed, as they profess, they are disposed to prevent the slave trade. Go, sir, with me to Martinique, and witness the attempts made by citizens of the United States to smuggle slaves into the United States under this pretence! If they may be admitted as domestics, every vessel will be full freighted with these domestic servants, and the slave will be as free as before the passage of your law.

But, say the gentlemen, this petitioner is innocent—he was ignorant of your laws. If so, I would ask, why did he apply to the commercial agent, to enquire whether domestic slaves might safely be brought? Look, sir, at the letter of the Commercial Agent to this petitioner, and say, if you can, that the petitioner was ignorant of our laws? No, sir, the petitioner knew our law. He, sir, knew it was in violation of that law; and, if, sir, after this, he was disposed to trust the chance of escape or evasion of that law, which, of all others, should be most rigorously enforced, I shall never give my vote for his relief.

Pass this bill, sir, and you may employ your armies and navies in vain to break up this most inhuman and barbarous traffic.