[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 70 (Tuesday, May 1, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H4238-H4242]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
OBSERVING THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ABOLITION OF THE BRITISH SLAVE
TRADE
Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to
the resolution (H. Res. 158) observing the 200th anniversary of the
abolition of the British slave trade and encouraging the people of the
United States, particularly the youth of the United States, to remember
the life and legacy of William Wilberforce, a member of the British
House of Commons who devoted his life to the suppression and
[[Page H4239]]
abolition of the institution of slavery, and to work for the protection
of human rights throughout the world, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 158
Whereas in 1780, William Wilberforce was elected at the age
of 21 years to the British House of Commons;
Whereas Mr. Wilberforce and his friends were active in at
least 69 different projects focusing on issues such as prison
reform, education, child labor conditions, animal cruelty,
and the reformation of the culture;
Whereas Mr. Wilberforce was mentored and counseled by
former slave trader and author of the hymn ``Amazing Grace'',
John Newton, on the horrors of the slave trade;
Whereas at the time, 11 million human beings had been
captured and taken from Africa to the Western hemisphere and
forced into slavery and bondage;
Whereas at the time, the British Empire controlled the
largest portion of the slave trade;
Whereas Mr. Wilberforce devoted his life to the suppression
and abolition of the institution of slavery;
Whereas a dedicated group of like-minded reformers, the
Clapham group, assisted, supported, and encouraged Mr.
Wilberforce in his fight against the slave trade;
Whereas Mr. Wilberforce fought for 20 years in the House of
Commons to pass legislation banning the slave trade;
Whereas on February 23, 1807, Britain passed a bill banning
the slave trade;
Whereas Mr. Wilberforce helped inspire and encourage those
who fought against slavery in the United States, including
political leaders like John Quincy Adams, spreading a message
of hope and freedom throughout America and the promise of the
future;
Whereas Mr. Wilberforce labored 46 years to abolish the
institution of slavery in the British Empire, ceaselessly
defending those without a voice within society;
Whereas in 1833, Mr. Wilberforce was informed on his death
bed that the House of Commons had voted to abolish slavery;
Whereas in 2006, the United States Department of State
estimated that between 600,000 and 800,000 men, women, and
children were trafficked across international borders;
Whereas the International Labour Organization estimates
that there are more than 12 million people in forced labor,
bonded labor, forced child labor, and sexual servitude around
the world; and
Whereas the people of the United States, particularly the
youth of the United States, are called upon to form clubs and
groups dedicated to working against the modern slave trade,
human trafficking, and the degradation of human dignity: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) commends to the people of the United States the example
of William Wilberforce and his commitment to each and every
person's human dignity, value, and freedom in observation of
the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the British slave
trade;
(2) encourages the people of the United States,
particularly the youth of the United States, to--
(A) observe the anniversary of the abolition of the British
slave trade;
(B) reflect on Mr. Wilberforce's selfless dedication to the
fight against slavery and his commitment to the neediest in
society;
(C) commit themselves to recognize the value of every
person and to work actively against slavery in all its forms;
(D) work to educate themselves and others to recognize that
individuals who are subject to slavery and human trafficking
are victims of those who traffick such individuals; and
(E) form high school clubs and groups working against
modern day slavery and the trafficking of persons; and
(3) condemns to the highest degree all forms of human
trafficking and slavery which are an assault on human dignity
and of which Mr. Wilberforce would steadfastly resist.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Payne) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.
Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution
and yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I would first like to thank Congressman Joe Pitts, who
was the prime sponsor of this resolution, and the other cosponsors.
Congressman Pitts is a strong human rights activist and has worked on
issues of Western Sahara and other issues dealing with suppressed
people, and so this resolution honoring William Wilberforce by
Congressman Pitts and encouraging young Americans to remember his life,
legacy and dedication to the abolition of the British slave trade.
Mr. Wilberforce was born in 1759 in England into a wealthy merchant
family. He studied at Cambridge University, where he began a lasting
friendship with the future Prime Minister of England, William Pitt.
In 1780, Wilberforce was elected at the age of 21 years of age to the
British House of Commons. His self-indulgent lifestyle as a young man
changed completely when he became an evangelical Christian, prompting
him to dedicate his life to social reform, particularly dealing with
the institution of slavery.
During his time, the British Empire controlled the largest portion of
the slave trade. As we have heard, estimates are from 25 to 50 million
Africans were captured and taken from Africa to the Western Hemisphere
and forced into bondage over centuries.
Wilberforce was mentored and counseled by John Newton, a former slave
trader and the author of ``Amazing Grace,'' which was a song that John
Newton wrote when he was caught in a storm with slaves. That is when he
said ``Amazing grace, how sweet the sound,'' and he asked the Lord to
forgive him and he became an Abolitionist. That is where this song
originated, which is still sung at Irish funerals, played by the
bagpipes, and, of course, it opens up many services in African American
churches throughout this country.
But Mr. Wilberforce talked about the horrors of the slave trade and
he devoted the rest of his life to the suppression and the abolition of
slavery. In his major speech on abolition in the House of Commons, he
argued that the slave trade was morally reprehensible and an issue of
natural justice. He described in vivid details the appalling conditions
in which slaves traveled from Africa through the Middle Passage and
argued that abolishing the slave trade would also bring an improvement
in the conditions of existing slaves in West Indies, then, of course,
under the domination of Great Britain.
In addition to his anti-slavery activities, Wilberforce was active in
at least 69 different projects, focusing on issues such as prison
reform, education, child labor conditions, animal cruelty, and cultural
reformation. He was certainly a man who was indeed ahead of his time.
Mr. Wilberforce fought for 20 years in the House of Commons to pass
legislation banning the slave trade; and on February 23, 1807, Britain
passed a bill banning slave trade. Wilberforce died on the 29th of
July, 1833, shortly after the act to free slaves passed. He had labored
for 46 years to abolish slavery in the British Empire.
Wilberforce helped inspire and encourage those who fought against
slavery in the United States, including political leaders like John
Quincy Adams, who actually handled the Amistad Case in Connecticut of
some slaves who in the Caribbean freed themselves and ended up on
trial, and John Quincy Adams won the case. But he was influenced by Mr.
Wilberforce, spreading the message of hope and freedom throughout
America.
As a matter of fact, Wilberforce University, as we heard Mr. Burton
mention earlier, founded in 1856 in Wilberforce, Ohio, and the first
historically black college in the United States of America, is part of
the honored legacy of Wilberforce in the United States.
{time} 1515
Wilberforce University was a final destination for the Underground
Railroad that brought over 100,000 slaves from the South to freedom. As
a matter of fact, currently, the president of Wilberforce University is
a former Member of this body, Reverend Doctor Floyd Flake.
Wilberforce once said, ``Men of authority and influence may promote
good morals. Let them, in their several stations, encourage virtue. Let
them favor and take part in any plans which may be formed for the
advancement of morality.'' I think those words stand today, if we would
listen to what Mr. Wilberforce said at that time.
I ask all of you to listen to the words of Wilberforce and to vote
for this resolution to honor Mr. Wilberforce's work and legacy, his
commitment to each and every person's human dignity, value and freedom.
I urge that we pass this resolution.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
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Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Pitts), for introducing the bill before us, House
Resolution 158, which observes the 200th anniversary of the end of the
British slave trade and commends the heroic legacy of William
Wilberforce, the outspoken British parliamentarian and Christian who
was instrumental in its abolition.
The African slave trade was a heinous practice that inflicted
degradation and misery on those millions of people whose human dignity
it denied or destroyed.
In celebrating the 200th anniversary of Britain's abolition of the
slave trade, we cannot help but reflect on the tragic fact that it took
the United States another six decades and a wrenching Civil War to do
the same, to begin living more fully according to the principles of our
Founding Fathers.
I commend the author of this resolution, the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Pitts), for focusing on the challenges of the present
day, in addition to the sins of the past.
Although the scourge of formalized slavery has been eliminated in the
west and for much, but not all, of the rest of the world, millions of
women, children and men suffer similar severe assaults on their dignity
and liberty today as victims of trafficking, sexual servitude, and
forced labor.
This resolution is a welcomed opportunity to publicly recommit
ourselves to the protection of human dignity. In the words of the man
whom we honor in our resolution, William Wilberforce, he said, ``Let us
act with an energy suited to the importance of the interests for which
we contend, stimulated by a consciousness of what we owe to the laws of
God and the rights and happiness of man.''
Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Pitts) be allowed to control the remainder of our
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I thank the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) for yielding
and for her principled leadership on the Foreign Affairs Committee, and
I thank the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) for his leadership on
this and the preceding resolution, and for his leadership on the issue
of human rights in general around the world.
Madam Speaker, with this resolution, we rightly honor one of
humanity's great heroes. William Wilberforce was a man of integrity, a
man of courage, a man of faith, and a man of principle. And he used
these qualities, Madam Speaker, to forever change the world for the
better. He is someone that each of us in this Chamber can relate to and
draw inspiration from.
In a legislative body of 435 Members, it can be difficult to make
progress on the issues we care about. Indeed, the odds sometimes appear
insurmountable.
But the life and accomplishments of William Wilberforce are proof
that individuals of character truly can change the world. Wilberforce
was himself a member of an elected legislative body. He was first
elected to the British Parliament more than 220 years ago.
In his day, the human slave trade dominated England's economy. As a
result, the interests of the slave traders were firmly entrenched in
the halls of Parliament. Arguments used to justify the sale and trade
of human beings and the horrific injustices that occurred in that trade
were commonplace in that day.
But William Wilberforce refused to accept these arguments. He knew
that slavery was an unspeakable injustice, and he made it his object to
end it. This conviction would lead him on a decades-long effort to end
slavery in England. It was a journey full of setbacks and
disappointments. Again and again, he introduced his bill in parliament
to end the British slave trade. Again and again it was soundly
defeated, and again and again he was ostracized by his peers. For years
this went on, and the discouragement grew.
But all the while, Wilberforce's call to conscience was slowly
winning over hearts and minds. His willingness to stand for what was
right and fight what was wrong was being noticed by his colleagues. And
after 20 years of perseverance, 20 years of unbending principle, 20
years of standing for justice in the face of daunting odds, Wilberforce
at last tasted success.
On February 23, 1807, Parliament voted, and on March 25, the King
signed the bill that outlawed the British slave trade, a move that was
once thought impossible.
And 26 years later, Wilberforce was informed a few days before his
death that the House of Commons had finally voted to abolish slavery
altogether in the British Empire.
Madam Speaker, throughout this year, we celebrate the 200th
anniversary of this tremendous accomplishment. And as part of this
celebration, a number of efforts are underway to inform people of this
often-forgotten hero of humanity and his colleagues who worked to end
in slavery.
We could mention others, like John Newton, who has already been
mentioned. John Newton was a former slave trader who wrote the hymn
``Amazing Grace,'' whose testimony before Parliament was so
influential.
We could mention John Wesley, who a week before he died in 1791,
wrote William Wilberforce about American slavery which he called ``the
vilest form of slavery known to mankind.''
We could mention Wilberforce's direct influence on John Quincy Adams,
and John Quincy Adams' direct influence on Abraham Lincoln. There are
many people who could be mentioned, but this resolution before us today
is part of the celebration of the life and accomplishments of William
Wilberforce, and are certainly worthy of recognition.
Madam Speaker, I would submit this is not merely an effort to look
back and give credit where credit is due, it is also a call to fight
modern-day injustice.
Sadly, every generation must confront evil in its own time, and ours
is no different. Around the world, thousands of people are deprived of
their basic human rights every single day. Good men and women of this
world have a moral duty to fight these modern-day injustices.
The U.S. State Department estimates that approximately 800,000 men,
women and children are trafficked each year into slavery, into the sex
industry, other slave-like labor conditions.
In South Asia, an entire class of people numbering in the millions
are considered to be ``untouchable,'' and as a result, they are denied
basic services and subjected to terrible living conditions. Horrible
human rights abuses continue in places like Burma and Sudan and China
and many others. These are just a few examples. The list could go on.
Madam Speaker, as we honor William Wilberforce, may we also be
inspired today to educate ourselves and others about modern-day
injustice, inspired to not turn a blind eye to millions of people
worldwide who need our help; and inspired, Madam Speaker, to act.
I urge all of my colleagues to support this important resolution.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, we have one additional speaker who has not
yet arrived, so I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, I would like to yield 6 minutes to the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith), the former chairman, current
ranking member, of the Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health and a
great champion of human rights today.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague, Mr.
Pitts of Pennsylvania, for authoring this important resolution
recognizing the abolishment of the inhumane, grossly immoral and
ubiquitous British slave trade 200 years ago, and the highly principled
member of the House of Commons, William Wilberforce, who poured his
life into that noble cause. One man can--and did--make a difference.
H. Res. 158 also links the abolition issue to today's modern-day
slave trade, human trafficking, and I appreciate that the gentleman
from Pennsylvania recognized that there are lessons learned that need
to be applied to our current battle against modern-day slavery.
Madam Speaker, William Wilberforce was 21 years old when he was
elected to the House of Commons in 1780. And perhaps like some of us,
later said, ``The
[[Page H4241]]
first years in Parliament I did nothing, nothing to any purpose. My own
distinction was my darling object.''
But that all changed, Madam Speaker, after a profound conversion to
Christianity and a serious rethinking as to whether politics, with all
of its diversions, distractions, vanity, lies, and deception, was
compatible with his ever-deepening religious faith. He even thought of
quitting politics and entering into a ministry.
John Newton, the former slave captain turned convert to Christ, among
others, encouraged him to fight the battle against slavery where it
could be won, in Parliament. The Commons is the place where you can
stop slavery. Wilberforce agreed, and then poured his life into that
battle.
William Wilberforce once said: ``Never, never will we desist until we
extinguish every trace of this bloody traffic to which our posterity,
looking back to the history of these enlightened times, will scarce
believe that it has been suffered to exist so long to disgrace and
dishonor this country.''
He also said: ``So enormous, so dreadful, so remediable did the
trade's wickedness quickly appear that my own mind was completely made
up for its abolition.''
Madam Speaker, 200 years ago the slave trade was abolished, and he
went on for the rest of his life with a group of prayer warriors, men
and women who prayed every day for the abolishment of the slave trade,
who believed it was a blight not just against man and woman, but
against God himself. And it was through prayer and action that they
came up with a number of very interesting and creative legislative ways
of trying to stop it.
Wilberforce was also tenacious. Time and time again, he would offer
his bill to abolish the slave trade, only to have all kinds of
shenanigans, filibusters and misinformation, diversions, and threats
including physical threats to himself, used as a way of deferring
action, but he nevertheless persisted and in the end, he prevailed.
We need to learn from that example, Madam Speaker, because we have a
slave trade today. In 1990s, the phenomenon of human trafficking, ever
present in all of history, exploded in prevalence, sophistication and
cruelty.
With the breakup of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact nations,
suddenly new mobsters, many of them former KBG operatives, were all of
a sudden on the scene buying and selling young women as commodities.
Additionally, the Internet suddenly brought pornography, including
child porn, into homes all over the world, furthering the demand for
victims. The sleazy X-rated theater went mainstream.
Organized crime in countries all over the world, including the United
States, made profits seemingly without limit while incurring next to no
risk of prosecution.
As Mr. Pitts pointed out earlier, today the United States is the net
importer of upwards of 18,000 people, mostly women or children, who are
trafficked into this country to be exploited. That is an abomination.
We also have our own interstate slave trade where young girls who are
runaways are quickly picked up by pimps and bought and sold like
commodities. That, too, must stop.
{time} 1530
Madam Speaker, I believe that because too much evil is involved here
and because the prospect of making billions of dollars has enticed some
of the most unsavory and cruel individuals, including and especially
organized crime, into this nefarious trade we have to beef up our
efforts to stop this slavery. Because too much demand enabled by crass
indifference, unbridled hedonism and misogynistic attitudes has turned
people, especially women, into objects valued only for their utility in
the brothel or in the sweat shop we have to accelerate and expand our
fight, and because of the relative lack of visibility, all of this
makes the task of combating trafficking in modern day slavery all the
more difficult.
But trafficking, like germs, infection and disease, thrives only in
the shadows and in the murky places and cannot survive when brought to
the light. Light remains a very, very powerful disinfectant.
So my challenge to all of us is that we have to bring the light, the
bright light of scrutiny, of criminal investigations, the disinfecting
of investigations and convictions, probing legislative inquiry, having
the students, as Mr. Pitts in this bill encourages them to do, to form
student groups to look into slavery. We need to use every tool, best
practice and well-honed strategy to win the freedom of the slaves and
to spare others the agony, especially through prevention measures, the
agony of slavery.
Together, we can make the pimps and the exploiters pay by doing
serious jail time, as well as the forfeiture of their assets. The
boats, the villas and the fat-cat bank accounts must go. Together we
can end this barbaric and utterly cruel modern day slavery, just as
William Wilberforce and other great men and women did so in antiquity.
Make no mistake about it; the abolition of modern day slavery is a
winnable war. We need to fight in ways so as to win. We need to pray. I
believe we need to fast, and we need to have good, well-developed
strategies, and we need to work as a bipartisan team, to end this
cruelty.
Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
California (Ms. Lee), a member of the Appropriations Committee.
Ms. LEE. Madam Speaker, I thank again Mr. Payne for yielding.
Let me commend Mr. Pitts and all those who have cosponsored this
resolution, and say how important it is today for us to be discussing
this in a bipartisan way and commending and remembering Mr.
Wilberforce.
This resolution talks about how he devoted his life to the
suppression and abolition of the institution of slavery, but it also
calls upon the youth of the United States, especially, to form clubs
and groups dedicated to working against modern slave trade and human
trafficking and the degradation of human dignity.
Also it calls on the reflection of Mr. Wilberforce's selfless
dedication to fight against slavery and his commitment to the neediest
in society. I think we should today remind ourselves that we need to
rededicate ourselves to the principles and values which Mr. Wilberforce
demonstrated through his life.
Let me give you some examples of how we really can do this today.
When you look at this budget and the appropriations process, we are
talking about cutting programs such as GEAR UP and TRIO that really
help our youth, especially our African American and Latino youth,
receive an education that allows them a level playing field.
When you look at California, affirmative action ended. We have very
few students entering into the University of California, very few
African American and Latino businesses because we have ended equal
opportunity efforts in California, very few people of color employed by
the State of California. And why? Because they did not adhere to Mr.
Wilberforce's ideals and his principles.
When you look at the prison population and the disparities, when you
look at African American young men and women, the huge disparities in
the prison populations, huge disparities in the dropout rate. Why? You
have to understand, and I think this resolution, as minded, talks about
the vestiges and the legacy of slavery; and so in rededicating
ourselves to end this, we need to do what we can do today and close
these disparities and make the right, correct budget decisions as we
look at these budgets that we are putting together.
Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, we have no additional speakers; therefore,
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to
the Representative from the 14th District of Michigan (Mr. Conyers),
chairman of the Judiciary Committee and dean of the Congressional Black
Caucus.
Mr. CONYERS. Madam Speaker, I rise to join in this discussion to
congratulate my colleague from New Jersey Don Payne and my dear friend
who brought this to my attention only yesterday from California (Ms.
Lee). I am so pleased to hear this discussion going on commemorating
the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the transatlantic slave
trade, but also the recognition of William Wilberforce, after whom the
famous African American university, Wilberforce, was named, a
distinguished member of the British House of Commons.
What we are discussing here is not just ancient history. It is not
just a
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recollection of why we have a 13th amendment to the Constitution
prohibiting slavery. But we are talking about one of the great
iniquities of our civilization. Slavery has always been a problem that
we have dealt with across our centuries; but today and in countries all
over the world, we are beginning to examine where it goes.
We heard the distinguished gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith)
recite present problems. We have heard the gentlewoman from California
(Ms. Lee) talk about things that lead us into conditions of such abject
poverty that people are made vulnerable to the whole question of being
subjugated and eventually so impoverished that they end up being
oppressed or exploited.
We know that many are still being trapped in trying to leave one
country to improve their economic conditions, and they end up under
false pretences in a forced work circumstance. Frequently, it's
prostitution for young women. And for this 110th Congress, with these
resolutions, H. Res. 272 and H. Res. 158, are now beginning to deal
with this subject, not only in the present circumstance but examining
the roots and the origins of this obnoxious, inhumane, indescribably
evil circumstance in which we find men, women and children still under
such oppression today.
For that reason, I am proud to stand here as the chairman of the
committee that has jurisdiction over our constitutional amendments and
to join with the distinguished members of the Foreign Affairs Committee
who recognize that after many unsuccessful attempts, the British
Parliament finally abandoned and made slavery illegal, but finally,
after a great deal of effort were able to stop it. It didn't stop
because we passed a law. Slavery and second-class citizenship and the
denial of the rights of Americans didn't stop because we passed the
13th amendment. It didn't even stop after we passed a series of Voting
Rights Acts to enforce the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments.
So here we are today, again recommitting this Nation through the
people's House to make certain that everyone understands how this came
about, how the Atlantic slave trade was so evil and that its legacy
lingers over this Nation today.
I congratulate all of the leaders of these two measures and in
commemorating the legacy and remembering this great Parliamentarian
from England, William Wilberforce. Many of our predecessors worked, as
tirelessly as we do, through the last couple centuries to deliver on
the simple promise of freedom; but guess what, it doesn't turn on us
just keeping people free. A free people have to become educated. They
have to work. They have to raise their family. We have to put this
enormously important consideration into the context of what it means.
To be free is not free. To be free means that you can get educated to
compete in a computerized technology. It means to be able to be healthy
and to live and grow to make everyone have this wonderful opportunity.
It was said so then to every man and woman and child the chance, the
chance, the gold shining opportunity to become whatever they could in
the course of one's life.
We celebrated the life yesterday of our dearest colleague Juanita
Millender-McDonald as she was memorialized in Los Angeles. What a
dynamic, unusual, amazing circumstance of a young girl from Alabama
transporting herself to the first elected chairwoman of color of the
House Administration Committee.
These are the kinds of opportunities that are open to us, to the 43
members of the Congressional Black Caucus, who all have equally
poignant stories. We have an African American chairman who had to join
the Army because he could not get a job. That is existing today.
It is in that spirit of looking back and yet confronting the
realities that I am so proud to join my colleagues on both sides of the
aisle who have made this an important day to remember, to reflect on
and to plan how we move the condition and the plight of all 300 million
of our citizens forward.
I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for yielding me this time.
Mr. PAYNE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Let me conclude once again by thanking the prime sponsor, Congressman
Pitts, for this resolution and just say that as I was indicating before
about a little bit about our history, it is important that we remember
history. It is important that the House of Commons fought and Mr.
Wilberforce would not give up his fight.
Actually, New Jersey back in 1863 passed the 13th amendment that was
proposed by President Lincoln, although New Jersey did not support
Lincoln in his elections. The Republicans passed the 13th amendment,
but interestingly enough, the Democrats opposed this, and in the next
election the Democrats swept out all the Republicans in the New Jersey
State legislature and actually rescinded the 13th amendment.
{time} 1545
So New Jersey did not pass the 13th amendment, refused to take up the
debate on the 14th or 15th amendments. There was a time in our State
where we were called, rather than down south was called up north or
down north, because we did have problems, even in the North, attempting
to get basic things like 13th amendment abolishing slavery; 14th
amendment, due process under the law; and 15th amendment, giving the
right to vote to all citizens.
We still have to fight injustice. No one would think that our great
Garden State, which today is such a leader in the right things, had
such a spotted past and a troubled history.
I urge support of this resolution.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Payne) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 158, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
The title was amended so as to read: ``Resolution encouraging the
people of the United States, particularly the youth of the United
States, to observe the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the
British slave trade and remember the life and legacy of William
Wilberforce, a member of the British House of Commons who devoted his
life to the suppression and abolition of the institution of slavery,
and to work for the protection of human rights throughout the world''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
____________________