In that respect, therefore, it accords with the motion which is now made by
the Senator from New York, but I am not prepared to vote for this proposi-
tion as an amendment to the bill before the Senate. I have hoped, and still
hope, that the bill reported by the committee for the abolition of the slave-
traide in the District may be adopted by Congrei<s ; and I should be very
unwilling to do any thing which would have a tendency to prevent the favor-
able action of the two houses of Congress upon the bill as it was originally
reported. It is true that the Senate have already adopted, in Committee of
the Whole, amendments to this bill of a character which will prevent me, if
those amendments shall be finally retained, from giving to the bill my vote ;
but if it should pass the Senate in its present form, I am not without hope
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that the objectionable amendments will be stricken out by the House, and
the bill be returned to us, and concurred in by the Senate, in the form in
which it was originally presented. I think there is reason to believe that
such may be the result ; and if so, certainly one very great object will be
attained ; an object, in the immediate attainment of which the Legislature
of the State of Connecticut have manifested a deep and special interest.
