Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-02-15


bed. lev different members stood ia need of
III" mntral snppct, at each ether This was
requisite for the preservation Of that indCpCn-
dence which they had won. blessing which
they pi'zed more dearly than all other cOuSid-
CITATIONS. Hence il became necessary that the
lisamcnts OF their u"ion should be increased
dnd strengthened. 10 this purpose sacrifices
and mutual concessions we're Indispensable -
Slavery existed in many of the states OF the
confederation. The hahltS, prcjuliccs, and
opinions which il had inspired, il would have
been The work Df yeats TO remove or success
fully resist. The very existence of the Union
made II necessary To consult them. Indeed. so
NUMEROUS were slaves in the states where they
existed, that IN the then para,ized condition of
the c0sntry any etiOri TO have speedily eXone-
Tated her from the evil with which she WAS
burdcned, even had those states consented,
Tonid nave been nNuCcessful. Hence uncou-
querable aeCessity-measures of eXpediency on
whose adoption the eriS!eRce OF the republic
oepeuded. competed the Convention of iIS7 TO
incorporate wuh the constitution those ARTICLES
which pertain To slavery. THIS they ere eiIiged
to do, or pcInii the social fabric in hose
erection so much precious blood aud treasure
bad Ueen expended, 10 tumble TO ruins: while
this last asylum of perSecuied liberty became
prey TO anarchy and ali its terrific consequent
Cps.
Ihis submission to the paramount law OF our
nature, that of Observation-Disclosures CON
ccssionS, thus demanded by imperative civ
cumSianceS, afford no evidence that the mem.
berS of that enlightened and liberal convention
| yielded assent TO the position that slavery
! Itself Is inst aud Tigkt This wouJ Lav. hrn,,
admitting those doctrines of tyranny. against
winch theN had been SO long couteudiny and
against which, some OF them in their Signature
10 the Declaration of independence. had
previously entered a solemn nrntest THO
law Of necessity forced them 20 acouipsce
~ RMtted continuance of that which was in
itSeii, wrong, and a great crl TO avoid tho
prevalence OF AZ evil of still greater magui-
tude Some of the siave-holdiuo st,tes
demanded as CONDITION of their arcedinp Ia
me constitution, that II should authorize them
20 permit, tor time, the importation of slaves
nus authority was yielded, reluctantly 10
DOUBT. Those states required also the iutro-
ductOr OF provision COnstrsinjnw states Tn
which their slaves ahSccmd.d, TO d.livet!tl,cm
| up to tue party from whom they had lid
anu clause Tor that purpose was inserted.
! But there rs nothing in those two atscs ,,bich
| recognizes The right and the Justice of citizens
| OF The states, or OF the United States to hid
'nei brethren IN bondage. The bare pe,Bis-
SION ana guarantee of a privilege TO the states
| lpth existing, nll6er The circumstances ,.hicb
0btGRed at tint tine, not evidence that the
privilege Itself was Just aud righteous or that
III ou&ht 10 have heen exercised ne liner Gan
au argument he drawn fhesce, to sustain the
uoclTlhei mat the authorization of slavery
belongs, as right Of sorerciggty TO the states
admitted INTO The Union subsequent 10 the
adoption OF the federal constitutions /, bplon"s
as F'SAt 10 no class, on body of men The on.
| ~ plausible preteXt which enliwhtcned slave
holders, OF any government can Offer FIR
ue'ahihS innocent men III bondage is the
| impnetcabIiity of liberatin. them c0usisieut
~ WIN tne general SGJety OF the community
| how tar tbs plea is entitled to couSjierotic,,
| ih reference to the slavery eXistin,. i'm Tho "
StateS, do not, at present, intend inpniriug.
| ne decision would not materially affrrt the
| present discussion. That the view which
nave mus tdf taken OF the subject iSsnsiajnec
by the constitution Itself is [ thiuk satisfac
tOfliy demonstrabie Sucb was the 3ihor,ence
~ winch slavery was held by the trainers Of
that instrument such their cOuyicfion If ire
! hostility aud Inconsistency with tie oouiIable
| and sublime principles of the 20, nmeut
winch II was i6eir design To- esIabI.Sh-that IN
necessarily referring to the subject of sIay,es
! OF that hated word The rhrascnlory ot tbn9a
! sections IN winch that reference il made
strongly 'avourS the idea that ii was fle,irrted
| thai the justice aud right of slavery. shonId
nnot ne inferred from The measures, which
Tor The purpose OF appedsna iealnnsie,
ana obtaining the ratification of tie crn-
stiiution, were therein establish. d and an
ihoflzed Indeed, the general tenour and
| spirit Of the constitution-tha, iudicious
adjustment OF the powers 1t conferS nv which
! tiey are so tremendously couuterpOised az IN
| afford security against an oppressive prrpon-
| derahce OF cIther-and that regard for iuSfjce
| and equity which distinguishes il from hcriu
| ming 10 ehd all prove that nothing eau be
! more luiInlcal To IFS true purpose and mcauinr
than the deduction from il of arguments ard
authority, To sanction the extension of slavery
" '. 80 flgy1 10.
tins standard rs the merit of the preau,b aui
resolutions before us? II is asserted that tbc
treaty ceding Louisiana TO the Uuitpd States
taxes from Congress the power of e,nbraciuo
IN the law admitting Missouri into tIie unior
The contemplated prOhihiiory condition a.,
relation 80 slavery. And this assertion ie
founded upon that clause of the trestv y,I,icI,
says, The inha biants of the territory shall he
| Incorporated into the union of the Il STATES
| ana admitted as soon as possible accordino In
| me pFWcLDie Of the tedfral constitution 10 tbe
| eUOEmon OF all rights, advantages and inn
| minutes OF citizens ot the URitpd StGfes Sc ="
| Now, Sir, it all men ne ~ nature. free aud
| eqnai, IT tie pTostTatiOn Of the liberties of
| man, except Tor the punishment OF crimes is
! not warranted bN any principles of jysfjce aud
| rght-li tie Constitution is based upon these
| pFinciples--aud If the clauses il confirms in
! relation TO slaves, were joTsed into il by the
! nsccSvrg which has aforementioned and j,gplv
| ~ themselves no recognition OF the iHsiire Of
! SIAYery-t the power of ubiugating and hold
! ns III slavery one class OF men--aud every
! chhd winch u made slaVe-lor remember
| " al mrH are horn cquai'-is doomed In the
| most "UjeCI sHbJugatiOn-ii this power beIoup
| not TO the right OF SOvercignty-if il is no
! "hefc ~ me constitution recognized as one
\ OF The r%hts, immunitieS or advantayes of
! citizens NJ the URited Sfqfrs whose ,iphts
| A. such. arc clearly aud evideutlS ContTadtstiu
J gul hdbIe rOm The rights Of persons as citizens
! OF Pdrt'c"tar stmfS--then pronounce it to be
| prominent truth, that CONGRESS have the
| Goa. tiuilOual power, TO CnACt the nrCSosed
condition ard that its euact!ou viii ,akeaway
| no rehi mm1n'ty, or advantage, pertaining
| 10 cHizras Of The UHiiCd Suites.
| Congress. accounting Ia the priRcjpieS NJ the
constitution, has a right, il She thrk IL exi.edi-
/ en- 10 do go, to'cugct other conditions. as Tie
! basis Of territorial admission into tic Union
/ Ope OF The PyWcipics Of the Consultation is
! tiidi Congress HiGy admit new states info fine
/ Uripu Size thsn is TO be the iudop Of the
/ terms Of this admission. Il she were uot--if
/ this discretion belonged 20 the president and
! senate, or 10 any other pOwer-ttsut this clause
I would he dead letter. The treaty itself Is
/ bound by the corSutut.on-its own language
/ p'csurposcs hie-iOr its own language binds
! q To- yleld 20 The principles Of tlr constitution.