Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-09-11

nent OF the United States IL congress.
If this be not correct, there is nothing
within the jurisdiction of congress. Pri-
yate local concerns can be better provid-
ed for by the state governments than by
the United States. SO can general mat
tiers be better arranged by all the people
of the United States, SO as to accommo-
date themselves. There Is no reason for
the general government swallowing up
state governments, while the people have
the right of the free choice of their re-
representatives.. The franchise of election
ought to be kept holy and pure. While
this is the case, and the WILL of the peo-
pie is spoken into laws by their mem
bers, there is no danger of the general
governmen t encroaching on state sove-
reignty.
The constitution of state, or of the
United States, is nothing more than a
rule of civil conduct, prescribed by the
same power, though in manner differ
ent than the power making a law, and is
more permanent. 1t is the basis Of our
republican government: but still it is
nothing more than rule of action pre-
scribed by the people for themselves
There is nothing mysterious in constl-
tuition more than IN law. The people
are the same that make one that make
the other; and consequently the people
OF country ought not to be allowed, in
making their constitution, more indepen-
dence, or sovereignty, so as to affect other
states, than would be allowed them in
making laws. A person contending for
the contrary doctrine, deals in the article
of absurdity. A people ought not to
have more independence or sovereignty
in making constitution, which is made
to be introduced into the general govern
ment, than they would have had if they
then were in the union. 1t is beyond
reason, that people can do what they
please, be ignorantly sovereign, make a
prodigy IN government, and ultimately
bring this newly created monster into the
union, to the destruction of the whole.
Then allowing constitution to be no
more than rule Of action prescribed
by people for their own government,
it will follow beyond contradiction, that
that people have no power to affect 9TH
ers than themselves: that they are indie
pendent and sovereign onty in matters
that exclusively concern themselves !;
and matters that have general influence
throughout the unien, are within the
power and jurisdiction of congress.
The next inquiry will be to know, if
the admission Of slavery into any new
state will have general influence on the
United States collectively. A reasona-
BILE man would conclude at the first
blush, that congress is bound to restrain
the introduction of slavery into any new
state, on reason of the constitution of
the United States guaranteeing to each
state g a republican form of govern
ment." Reason revolts at the idea of
having slavery contained in I" republi-
canism." A government that legalizes
slavery, is not republican government.
The government that permits legally one
man to hold his fellow being in slavery,
as much outrages the principles of re-
publicanlsm, as the government that Or
dams all the Johns, or the Williams, or
all the whites or blacks, and their pos
terity, to be slaves for ever under the
direct control Of the government.
This reasoning does not apply to the
original states that tolerated Slavery
Slavery was allowed in some of them
before the independence of the United
States, and at the federal union were
permitted as being property of indivi-
duals, and thereby could not be Invested
by government. Many of the new states
had that evil OF slavery secured 10 them
by the contract of cession of the state or
states to the United States, of the coun-
try of which the new states were after
wards formed. This was the case with
the states of Mississippi, Alabama, and
Tennessee perhaps likewise secured to
Kentucky by the Virginia act. Free
dom was secured on the northwest of
the Ohio river.
But slavery in any state has direct
effect and Influence on all the other
states. The constitution of the United
States binds the general government to
"protect" and defend each state 90 against
domestic violence"
To" protect" or defend mans per-
son from another person, is not to wait
until the aggressor kills the person wish
ing to defend himself: then it is too late.
Ii is too long abiding in the passive
mood, to be shot to know if bullet will