CHAPTER XX.

NEGRO TESTIMONY.

THE BILL TO ABOLISH SLAVERY IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. - MR. SUMNER'S AMENDMENT. - SUPPLEMENTARY BILL TO ABOLISH SLAVERY IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.-MR. SUMNER'S AMENDMENT. - MR. SUMNER'S BILL.- MR. SUMNER'S AMENDMENT TO THE CIVIL APPROPRIATION BILL. REMARKS OF MR. SUMNER, MR. SHERMAN. — MR.. BUCKALEW'S AMENDMENT. - - REMARKS OF MR. SAULSBURY, MR. HOW

ARD. MR. SUMNER'S AMENDMENT ADOPTED.

HE original bill for the abolition of slavery in

THE

the District of Columbia, introduced by Mr. Wilson (Rep.) of Massachusetts on the 16th of December, 1861, provided that the claimant may be summoned before the commissioners, and examined on oath; and that the party for whose service compensation is claimed may also be examined before the commissioners, and may testify. This provision simply secured to the person claimed to owe service or labor the right to testify before the commissioners.

Mr. Sumner (Rep.) of Massachusetts, on the 3d of April, moved to amend the bill by empowering the commissioners to take testimony, "without the exclusion of witnesses on account of color." Mr. Saulsbury (Dem.) of Delaware demanded the yeas and nays; and they were ordered, yeas 26, nays 10. This amendment empowered the commissioners appointed to assess the sum to be paid for each slave claimed to own ser

tion bills, with amendments that are likely to create controversy between the two Houses." Mr. Carlile would "appeal to the senator from Massachusetts to withdraw this amendment." He demanded the yeas and nays upon it; and they were ordered. Mr. Buckalew (Dem.) of Pennsylvania moved to add to Mr. Sumner's amendment, "or because he is a party to or interested in the issue tried." Mr. Sumner was in favor of the proposition taken by itself, but did not wish it put upon his amendment. Mr. Brown reminded Mr. Sumner, that that is just what other people said about his amendment. Mr. Sumner understood that, but wished" to secure this justice." Mr. Buckalew wished "to secure the additional justice provided for by his amendment." Mr. Saulsbury did not wish "to say any thing about the 'nigger' aspect of the case. It is here every day; and I suppose it will be here every day for years to come, till the Democratic party comes into power, and wipes out all legislation on the statute-book of this character, which I trust in God they will soon do."—"Is it to be presumed at the outset," said Mr. Howard (Rep.) of Michigan, "that, because a man has a black skin, he either cannot or will not tell the truth in court? It seems to me that those persons, who object to the examination of black persons as witnesses on the ground that they are black, put it upon this most unphilosophical, and, I may add, most inhuman and cruel presumption, that a negro either cannot or will not tell the truth in any case. I shall be guilty of presuming no such thing." Mr. Wilkinson (Rep.) of Minnesota suggested to Mr. Buckalew the modification of his amendment, so as to apply only to civil actions; and he so

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CHAPTER XXI.

THE COASTWISE SLAVE-TRADE.

MR. SUMNER'S BILL.- MR. SUMNER'S AMENDMENT TO THE CIVIL APPROPRIATION BILL. — REMARKS OF MR. SHERMAN, MR. SUMNER, MR. JOHNSON, MR. HENDRICKS, MR. COLLAMER, MR. JOHNSON, MR. SAULSBURY, MR. DOOLITTLE. — ADOPTION OF MR. SUMNER'S AMENDMENT.

In the Senate, on the 23d of March, 1864, Mr. Sumner (Rep.) of Massachusetts, from the Select Committee on Slavery and Freedmen, reported a bill to prohibit commerce in slaves among the several States, and the holding or transportation of human beings as property in any vessel within the jurisdiction of the National Government. The bill provided that there shall be no commerce in slaves among the several States, by land or by water; and any person attempting or aiding to transport slaves as an article of commerce from one State to another State, or any person who shall take part in such commerce, either as seller, buyer, or agent, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, being convicted thereof, shall suffer imprisonment for not more than five years, and be fined not exceeding five thousand dollars; and every slave so treated as an article of commerce shall be free; and no human being shall be held or transported as property in any vessel on the high seas, or sailing coastwise, or on any navigable water, within the jurisdiction of the United States; and every vessel violating the provisions of this act shall be for