Ago and we were able to see him take some of the things and develop it and work it into his phd dissertation, which is the basis for his first book. He teaches at the university of miss and we are fortunate to have him come all the way up here from d. C. I want to thank the other people who made this a truly National Event with a scope that goes beyond this area code. We have a visitor from california and another wonderful. Riend from new york city for some reason, im forgetting your name john. Harvardesents the conservative conservancy. A real destination in Lower Manhattan for a study of the early congresses. Welcome to everybody, whether you came from near or far. [applause] paul thank you for that introduction. I would like to thank the u. S. Capital Historical Society were inviting me here today for top my talk today entitled congres first debate on slavery and race is going to attempt to demonstrate the central ways this First National congressional debate set the tone for these larger issues of slavery and race as they would play out over seven decades stretching all the way to the out rake of the civil war. The subject focused on the debate as it unfolded in 1790. In the early months of 1790, the house of representatives was consumed by the issue of slavery. Asking the First Federal congress to take antislavery measures, this debate the lower house for days. Historians have interpreted this early episode in a long history grappling with slavery in various ways. Some have pointed to this as establishing the infinite the gavin will which would silence future additions to slavery to congress. Have highlighted the congressional resolutions resulting from the debates, arguing they would close substantive action on the sector level and represent a lost opportunity for legislating against slavery in early america. Others have downplayed please visit victories, insisting the debate concluded with an antislavery victory, namely the assertion congress could lay it could regulate the slave trade. With what they all share is an implicit this and implicit assumption that a hold restriction over slavery in the slave trade. At the heart of this debate is a struggle or not just by merely , but ratherutional one over fundamental principles. Human overighlighted Property Rights and imagine American Revolutionary ideas of natural and equal liberty as applicable to those with black skin. In a series of petitions that generated this heated debate, antislavery activists, and the Pennsylvania Abolition Society put forth a vision of a new nation that imagined a racially inclusive republican where the basic rights of an slaved africans were respected. Petitioners, a congressman from the lower south, here, im referring to georgia and South Carolina, these men answered the antislavery rhetoric of the petitioners by undermining the sanctity of Property Rights and as inferior tos their white counterparts, unfit for the liberty the petitioners argued was a natural as right of all. Thus, congressfirst debate over slavery exposer wrist in a place of human bondage in the american nation. A rift over principles that would shape the contours of the nations growing division regarding the peculiar institution for generations to come. Hardfought battle to ratify the constitution, the First Federal congress convened in new york in eight and 79. If the constitution gave a blueprint for federal governance, the First Congress was left to interpret it design and set residents in national lawmaking. An illustration of federal hall, where the First Congress met during its first two sessions before moving in december to philadelphia where it would stay for a decade. Federal hall is located in northern manhattan. Such issues as creating a financial system, funding the revolutionary war debt and locating a permanent of government were some of the most important subject tackled by the nations first conduct. One topic the congress did not expect to address with slavery. The federal convention of 1787 resulted in a concert to show that gave no indisputable victory to proor antislavery interests will as with many devices standing in the way of creating a stronger union, the federal constitution had enough ambiguity to allow states opposed to and in favor of slavery to ratify the document. So, it would fall to congress to flesh out these ambiguities, either embracing or reject principles hostile to slavery. 11, 1790, 1 month into the second session of the First Congress, representative thomas that simmons and John Lawrence presented antislave trade petitions from their quaker yearly meetings. Quakers were the leading religious Group Opposed to slavery during this time. These petitions argued the slave trade violated the sanctity of the social contract and debased and humanized all those who took part. Trafficking of our fellow men, one of our petitioners read was in human tyranny, werent too common humanity and destructive to the virtues and happiness of the people. In asking the First Congress to turn their attention to a case so interesting to the rights of men, the petitioners wanted the house to exert full extent of their power in discouraging the abominable commerce that was the slave trade. If the petitions of february 11 sent tremors through the house, a third petition from the Pennsylvania Abolition Society reach the floor would register as a massive earthquake. Petitionse previous called for congress to examine its powers regarding the slave trade, the Pennsylvania Societys position address the house in much broader and much more threatening abolitionist terms. Here an image of the petition as it was submitted to congress. It is worth quoting from this petition to capture the scope of this attack on human bondage, so i will quote at length from the petition. From the regard of the happiness of mankind, and association was warmed several years ago in the state. They are referring to the Pennsylvania Abolition Society. A just and accurate consumption of the two principles of the pretty as as it spreads through the land produces many friends in the legislative cooperation of their views. Which have been successfully petitioner here, the is referring to the pennsylvania abolition act of 1780. Today, the petitioners have the satisfaction to observe that in consequence of that spirit of philanthropy which is generally diffusing, similar institutions are gradually warming at home and abroad. That mankind are armed by the same almighty being, the object of his care and equally designed for the enjoyment of happiness, the christian religion teaches us to believe and creative america coincides with this position. Memorial is start other term for petitioners. Your memorial is have observed with great satisfaction that many hours are vested in you. They quoted the quantum quoted the constitution securing the blessings of liberty to the people of the united states. As they concede these ought to be administered without distinction of color to all descriptions of people, so they indulge themselves the pleasing expectation that nothing which can be done for the relief of the unhappy object of their care would be admitted or delayed. From a persuasion that equal liberty is the birthright of all men and influenced by the strong tides of humanity and the principal of their institution, your memorial lists can use all justifiable endeavors to loosen the bounds of slavery and promote a general enjoyment of the blessings of freedom. You will be pleased to countenance the registration of liberty for those in this land of freedom are degraded into perpetual bondage. That you will devise me for removing this inconsistency from the character of the american people, that you will most mercy and justice toward this distressed race and step to the verge of the powers vested in you for discouraging every species of traffic in our fellow man. It would have been read out loud just like that. In fact, it was red by the speaker of the house, so you have to imagine other congressman receiving this. Petition technically to applyd the house jurisdictional powers over the slave trade specifically, its aims, as you have all heard, were much more encompassing. The pennsylvania to apply jurisdictional powers over the Abolition Society led the movement in its state. Pennsylvania passed the gradual emancipation law in 1780 and society was working on incorporating former slaves into the republic as citizens. Calling for the application of its principles, the Abolition Society rejected confidence that the course of history was on its side. It is referencing there are societies worming at home and internationally. Theres a real sense of confidence in this petition. The petition argued people of african descent were entitled to any liberty with their free white counterparts. Exercising the humanity of slaves rather than their status as a already, they urged congress to approach the topic of slavery in this light. The petition link the founding principles of the new nation, what it called the political free of america with the cause of slaverys abolition. Point, wethis Pennsylvania Abolition Society had it president and leading figure of American National identity sign the document. You can see in the bottom right corner, for those of you who dont spend your days reading 18thcentury handwriting, take my word for that is indeed Benjamin Franklins signature. This edition asked the house not only to assert immediate powers over regulating the slave trade, that to ratify a larger vision of the republic as a land of genuine liberty. The rights of humanity and enslaved blacks were acknowledged. Here, i want to show you the Pennsylvania Abolition Society, which i think neatly in campuses the ideals. A slave, having broken its chains having broken his slaves is standing up and an said, the petition is asking the house not only to assert its immediate powers over regular eating the slave trade, but ultimately to endorse its larger vision. There are seven congressmen we will hear more from coming up, they quickly denounced the petition. Thomas scott of pennsylvania projected a strong voice of support for the antislavery petitioners. Entering lower southerners contention that africans were a species of property, it was answered that it was not possible for one man to have property in another feud in another. Scott offered that were he a federal judge and slaves asked him for freedom, i am sure i would go as far as i could in emancipating them. Thers recommend that petitions be referred to a committee. After two days of debate, the house voted to commit the petitions to a special committee for consideration. The select committee charged with drafting a report on the antislavery petitions completed their work on march 1 and submitted to the house the product of their deliberation four days later. Cause of the report reiterated the pledge to not interfere with the slave trade before 1708. The second said that congress emancipation within the period mentioned it this section of the report was interpreted by William Lawton smith of South Carolina as leaving open the possibility that after 1808, congress could only ban the slave trade but regulate and perhaps in the slavery altogether. The third permission granted that only the individual states could make balls relating to the makeballs leading to happiness ofg the to tax slaves and to endorse the antislavery intentions of the petitioners. Informing the petitioners that in all cases where congress could advance humane objects based on justice, humanity and good policy, they would do so. To the lower southerners who had opposed considering the petition altogether and wanted to table them and silence them, any report was bound to disappoint. Especially disappointing was a second clause that could be read to opening the door to federally sectioned emancipation, even though every cumbersome and who spoke in the debates would deny the right of the federal government to abolish slavery on the state level. The final cloth implied solidarity clause implied solidarity. Succeededsoutherners to grilli in tabling the report, but the house agreed to take up the report on march 16th. To fully grasp why the lower southerners would offer an elaborate justification for slavery, it is important meet knowledge the defensive position of these congressmen found themselves in. In 1790, it was far from certain whether slavery would survive in the new republic. Many of the founding generation felt slavery was doomed to die out. The firste congressmen, all five of the new weakland states and pennsylvania had either ended slavery judicially or put them on the path. They would have the passage of. Radual abolition asked acts in virginia and maryland, the declining viability of the tobacco economy had led to the spring of slaves voluntarily, and lifted restrictions on the slaveholders. As they took of the antislavery petitions, only South Carolina and georgia appeared unequivocally committed to the longterm presence of slavery in america. Furthermore, there is no what we would call solid south political alignment, completely or unabashedly committed to favoring the institution of slavery at this time. Revealingly, virginia was often lumped together by National Politicians with new york and pennsylvania. A mix of the rhetorical championing of the ideas of liberty and equality by some of virginias leading political figures and the state economic self interest, they stood to gain economically from any congressional action taken against the slave trade. S meant lower cover southerners could not count on their northern neighbors for ideological support taking into account these factors, lower southern members of the house mustve been alarmed by the Abolition Society petition that was read before the house. To apply theress societys principles as a guide to dealing with the issue of slavery on the National Level. Finding themselves boxed and fromically, cumbersome and South Carolina and georgia would feel compelled to combat the principles of the antislavery petitioners with what they viewed as a principal defense of slavery. Relied on aoponents bevy of arguments in defending homage. Repeatedly, lower southerners attacked the quakers as subversive. Quakers ton of many remain neutral revealed to them as being cowardly traitors, posing as Conscientious Objectors while they brought it their loyalty. As parte of evolution of a religious text rather than a universal one american independence. Yet, sullying the character of the quakers left the content of the petitions on answer appeared slavery defenders also turned to engine but revered sources in making their case. Both the greek and roman empires, two influential models for america, use slaves. Precedents of this carry little weight. In a country already celebrating itself by its exceptional nature, endorsement from the past ring hollow. Slaverys defenders scoured the bible for passengers that condoned slavery and recited to their colleagues those excerpts the interpreted as doing just that. Turning to the bible was a mixed blessing for slavery defenders. Antislavery activists could harness the christian precepts of altruism, benevolence in answering slaverys advocates. The inconclusive effect of these strategies in defending slavery left lower slippers southerners to compromise. Compromise, economic utility only people of economic the senate could work in the tropical environment of the south, lacked a rationale and did not counter the claims of underlying black equality. This left Property Rights and race purity as we shall see, in defending american slavery, the lower southerners would merge Property Rights with racial and for your reality racial inferiority. Carolinam south initiated the second round of debates on slavery when he offered a motion to substitute the entirety of the report with that congress could not take said memorial into their as beingtion, unconstitutional and tending to injure some of the states of the nion. James jackson of georgia, regarded as a cantankerous or the motion anded spoke for over one hour. Attesting to the sanctity of Property Rights, jackson asked his colleagues at the rights of liberty are not adequate to the rights of person. Of thethe meaning constitution was not to secure the citizens in position of one as well as the other. In other words, Property Rights were indistinguishable from natural rights. Jackson was pushing back against the petitioners emphasis on the natural rights of slaves to freedom. But in defending slavery, jackson went young underscoring the centrality of Property Rights to the founding of the new nation. To counter the petitioners order it of the equal humanity of slaves, jackson weight out his version of the nature of enslaved africans and African Americans. The west african countries from which american slaves originated followed a despotic social model , in which a king had absolute ose in hisover th dominion, according to jackson. Thus, africas were habituated from their earliest experiences in what jackson considered barbaric africa month in a theirsally even in mothers milk, their disposition to serve as slaves. Jackson also turned to the prospect of emancipation. If the slaves were freed, what next . Jackson pointed out that Thomas Jefferson in his notes had already examined the question of slaverys abolition