First Session -- 37th Congress

(MR. HALE’S REMARKS – CONCLUDED.)

The Senator from Kentucky, (Davis) looks upon it in that view entirely.  He says the negroes to be liberated by this bill will become a burden and a charge on the white population – become criminals, paupers and pests to society, and the power which undertakes to liberate them should relieve the white population of such burden, but there are other predications and other facts which show different consequences of emancipation.  He referred to emancipation in the British West Indies.  The Island of Jamaica was the only one that has deteriorated in exports since the emancipation.  In Barbados, the exports have increased more than double since emancipation, and in what are called the Leeward Islands, the exports have increased since emancipation, some three million pounds and the imports still more, resulting in an increase of 21,000,836 pounds.

The opportunity is now presented to the nation to try the experiment in the District.  He (Hale) did not ask that any provision of the Constitution be trampled under foot – the Supreme Court had not decided against the right of the Congress to legislate for the District of Columbia.  The inauguration of emancipation in the West Indies did not lead to any such results as the Senator from Kentucky feared, but the result fully proved the justice, wisdom and expediency of the measure.  He (Hale) said nothing was more unkind and unjust than to enslave and keep in degredation and ignorance the black race and then abuse them because they were not able at once to rise to an equality with their masters.

On Motion of Mr. WILSON, the subject was postponed till to-morrow.

The Senate then went into Executive session, after which it adjourned.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, March 22, 1862, p. 3