Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-05-21
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THE MISSOURI SLAVE QUESTION.
To ise Edit,r Of tie pitslield San.

The MISSOURI SLAVE QUESTION.
10 tae E,iit,r Of Tie pitts,ield Sun.
SiR-So'ne OF ny'rienjs having expressed
wish To hear from, me tine reasons and motives
winch induced the vote gave ca the Bill To
authorize Missouri 10 form Constitution :"
aud since the election is past, " ~ motive but
the real one can be ascribed I embrace, with
cheeri"!uess, the opportunity afforded OF com
plying with their request. The TIGHT of the
constituent To demand o his representa-, e an
explanation of his con ,nct is acknowledged.
Inc liberal aud candid will always try to be
jmst-thcir opinions l value. The factiuuist
aud the critic can never be appEased their
applause or censure il imma,eri. TO the repose
oil a conversations man.
Ihe Territory of Missouri forms a part of
The country purchased of FRANCE, under the
genera. denomination OF Louisiana. Its in
hab.tants petitoued Congress tor permission
To form a Constitution OF State Government,
preparatory 10 their admission into the Uni
oa- ~ bill VAS reported in con- tlance with
their wishes. II was, in substance, siaii,ar
10 those which had passed IN favor of leu
neSsee, ONO. louisiana, Inarina Mississippi
pi. Illinois, and Alabama. " hen the ki,i was
called np III the House of Representatives. an
aniendmen,, TO the tultowug effect, was SUN
mitted: " Aad provided, hat ihe further INTRO.
F" dnciion OF slavery. orinvoiuntary sefviiide,
he prohibited, except FOR the punishment Of
crimes whereof The party shall have b. en- duly
:" ronyicted-and tsat IL! chi.u,eu bora rithin
fbe sata state, Gterta admission thereof into The
" Onion, SHALL he free at the age OF - wears"
!l:is Amendment formed condition, with
which missouri must comply before she be-
came IA state, and Incorporated with her con-
siiiution, denied 10 Missouri the exercise of a
ftght IF s,rereisRly after her admission into the
C,nH
Twas opposed'to the amendment, because
t'fuevtdit contrary 10 the constitution. In
a.tcie 18th, section Sd, IL is declared tina,
NV States may be admitted by Congress
iiito this Union. And IN sec ton itlI Z" rhe
UMt.d States shall guarantee to every State
~ TIL Union Republican form OF Govern
meat, States ace regarded throughout The
Whuie INST ume'a as sortreign and iadsoendent
rss,s w. ma J To- The fdr, government no,
o. reserved 20 the people. IT, THEN new state,
my he aafiitt1e.iinto this union by ihe Con-
stt>>' tleS, Irstd he Admitted as sovereign aud
independent The only condition Congress
tsn annex * prescribed by the Itli section of
tee 4th article If any other is ATTEMPTED
congress tranScends its powers Every Gu
i"r%t'nrht ct The movers of CONGRESS beyoud.
what rs expressly granted, IL an infringement
on the sovereignty of The states on the rights
OF the people. The federal government is one
o! de"sWed P"ress. Its essential 10 The imde-
fen"ehceoi All the states that the rights of
each be Srrupuousy maintained HntifCon-
sress has the power offEsiting The exercise of
sovereignt! IN a hetc Stafe. wha shall prevent
n from stretching its prerogatiy, a, err lilo a.
vereigiiy ofan od.oAe And where is the ,rea
Inhn OF Massachusetts that would taucIy nh
mn io'see tie Congress Of The United State,
itthg us iGriy iiand against the mos iriliu.
o. III rights NassIchusett, p,tce hell sl,vcs
w MD he have b9rne 10 li;ye had C,nu~res
said to her, yog AaA not G5efish slrreru - H.,
me Ut exercise al her soyereiguuu,vpr and n
me Split 81 ifus philanthropy. Size wiped
iio" her CHARACTER this snui Staiu-sbe re
Sponded tn the sRbiinieut thi;' all ,nf,,.,r.
born equal, and wh,Ie she be re tnis ,rsti,,n
ny against a Vio'aIinn Oi';he rights of her fell
To-" in'"- site p!dihty evinccd her Ie,oIutio,, IN
resist Any ehcToachGcnts on her owu
ttA'su''hu>tits t,aA claim upon ihp Ce'arai
government, Tor lie services Of u.r militia to
81 ,,o t''. ainount 10" was this claim ere
a.
srreien pOWFrsy And npon \, hat ,ti,sr ,,r;nn;.
pie docs shr calculate 10 urge ais Iiruia,inn
BAL ~ NAV hr sdid. that. aIiioush Nissouri
s1optd c"ne iHt0 the UHi,a win, tI,is rnndit,,
d! "cve' "lShty, that after her admission >be
inI2hi alter her constitutions aud e,I,hIitt
slavery. III CHS he admitted tl,eu The amend
iReni. agdlnSt which voted m5uii Sc uyg,ior,,
NAY, u wi'nlJ be worSe-fnr n mn nrsci;r,J
good could flow from the i,rDnosit,nn ,,,,,o
With the dSSent oil the peo.Ie OF Missouri viz
lesiS'Hte az ailoh the subject 1t was the wish
THOSE WHO voted drainsi The Proposition IN
leave Mfss0ufi. as All the other new stat.s h,d
been left, to ACT Oh tSs snitiect as the lo,,,L,
TIT aDd proper. was also iIIaucncpl in so,re
deg'r", 'y reasons towing generally iron, nv
Viriss OF the constitution have learned ,oi
.iiy ~ regard the federal government AS one
o. deLfedtPd pouers, but mat those myers
h"iag expressly granted, should he Construed
sTiciB. Constructive or incidental movers
~ Congress, give 10 that body loo ,lreat a
scope. Depart once from the land marks
~hiSh, the constitution has fixed aud Cor-
guess mas take 10 Itself ans power IL pIeases-
tht figsti> OF the states will bp denied or d..
cga ira--ihe government W ilI become a ron
soiinatcd oue--and tir liberties of this npopIe
VIII be lost forever. ] would confiac Co,,yress
10 tIr powers expressly granted The dsnger
oi. consolidation was Tie apprehension which
stariied some Of the nrinest patriots In tl,e
country "iIen the construction was ADMITTED
There IS constant Tendency iu The federal
government L. accumulate power II "a, bv
construction tnu lie SedltiO1 Law yysS ua.,.d
ufipi Que characterization. IL Was bv ,a,.gro4-
flSH tirat sac Bd1k NJ the United STATE. ,s,s
rte@ted uudrr an0tner And tie Su1r.ins
.bndicial prweT 81 tr cruJ.irg Zone branch of
tie ~cArfAi government. nave tdindq Ell tl,rrn
b. 4 20 bc cont. piiOHai Aud / veuiure In
believe lisa "h1f. yer pn,rrrs Conertss a, N
pi raSs u exert, thry 50 aIyvavx 6rd tbr >t,-
eregpe CO'sij Trii' 80 su-t tan tht "a On.erv,-
t.rts 90 tt- genera clue" If iiIo fed raj On
Ver1ment hlt satf<li'l fuc ih.d ~ fhe b l,t,d-
en- tntN oi Nte . o. THE i.eaple aud M st.ts
riga 50 W ur'' sfi'i jhc ~ 5l0.f ..rfupuoSil,
en- ..cr"Ht VI ~" pos ~ at ca gtess y
al tiir sam n,.. U1nla v0t b. uudrtstld
as ig.tbuitinf inai 1u'r ~ u.r gpail, men ,,lo
voted ii iasur vf iiie dnIendisrnt a.; t,p Mi.
sour it'i aD,U .ioupd tp6.s sacred JLt,cs ~,
tie ctiI fcter aud copses; si..i,c.. So tlcfr -.
thcs ,.nu btie.s tsN themselves re..,nt, itI, Nv
Ngd'n 1 voted 1srt' 81 tie a,uau,t,nsnt -
GICst.v because beaeVce lta ,4..a,.., ~