n. I don't know that it is
considered of much importance in the South, but at the North it always
has been. Ten years ago it was abolished by act of Congress. I fear
that unless the amendment of the gentleman from Vermont is adopted,
the effect of the committee's report will be to restore the
slave-trade in the District. The section reported by the committee
permits any person to bring his slaves into the District; to retain
them there as long as he chooses, and to take them away. It recognizes
the right of absolute dominion. It secures it effectually. It imposes
upon the soil of the District the right of holding, retaining, and
taking away the slaves by the owner himself, his agent or assignee.
The slave-trade, in my judgment, is thus restored.

Mr. GUTHRIE:--I am satisfied that the article reported by the
committee is not susceptible of misconstruction, and I hope we shall
not mar the report by adopting the amendment. Our intention was only
to permit public officers to bring their servants here.

Mr. AMES:--Two words will cure all this difficulty. The insertion of
the words "for personal service only."

Mr. GUTHRIE:--We have no intention of reviving the slave-trade in the
District. I have no more to say.

Mr. DODGE:--I hope this section will not be left in doubt. When I
first read it I said to myself, "This thing will never do; it will
bring the slave-trade back to the District."

Mr. AMES:--Will the gentleman from Vermont accept my amendment?

Mr. HALL:--No. I cannot accept it. I offer the amendment in good
faith, for I believe it necessary.

Mr. MOREHEAD, of North Carolina:--Cannot we avoid the verbiage of the
amendment?

Mr. EWING:--I shall vote against the amendment of the gentleman from
Vermont, so that I can vote for that proposed by Mr. AMES.

The vote upon Mr. HALL'S amendment being taken by States, resulted as
follows:

AYES.--Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts,
Connecticut, New York, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, and
Kansas--11.

NOES.--Rhode Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware,
Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and
Missouri--10.

And the amendment was adopted.

Messrs. HOPPIN and BROWNE, of Rhode Island, dissented from the vote of
that State.

Mr. McCURDY:--I move to amend the original article of the committee's
report by the addition of this proviso. My object is to prevent the
sale of slaves in the waters of New Yor