Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-02-04

friendly feeling towards thoss VINO may u'"Ii
with me in opinion OIL that subject. But, sir,
when see men, like the troubled sea, constantly
throwing up mud and mire. and waging eternal
war against our fixed institutions and consti'u-
tional rights, am unwilling so great, abomiha-
bic and gratuitous anintrusion should be so OIL
ten attempted, without entering my solemn pro-
test. and giving it passing notice.
1t is believed but few, if any, OF those who
show so much zeal, ard affect so much concern
and philanthropy in relation 10 this SUBJECT
have any Of tina, species Of property which Will
be operated on, and finally destroyed by the a.
dop,ion Of the measure: they are, then, perfect
" secure, and feel no kind Of concern however
much they may injure" -thers, among whom Is
the widow and the orphan, whose. o:.iy support
is the labor of this. species Of property. There
are men in this, as also in other communities,
who, by their own personal labor, aided by that
Of their slaves, procure hard earned sutti-
cheney TO support themselves and families
They pay for their bread and pork, hog and
hominy, by their own labor, and without the a.
gency Of discounts. They are entirely WIKI
out, and cut shor: with their scan,y loaf, as to
those facilities. 1t is to tlis.class Of our fellow
citizens, who have slave labor, that this exter-
minating war is sought to be declared-a war
tba, the whole federal power Of the Union can
not maintain, without violating that consitu-
ton which called il into existence, and which,
of right, secures equal protection 10 all the
citizens Of this confederacy. know the term
exclusive legislation, in all cases, over" &c.
is constitutional one, and, doubtless, was in
tended 10 preven, the action Of any other legis-
la,ive body, within tie range of fixed Territory
for the Federal Seat; but to suppose it delega'-
ed power in Congress, as local legislature,
70 do an act at variance with the constitution
itself, by the destruction OF private property,
would be an insult offered TO the memory OF
the patriots who framed that instrument, and
to the Congress Of the United States, that they
would become the yielding instrument, in The
hands of certain citizens Of other States, who
have no identity or feeling Of interest with the
certain society, who do not, perhaps, own one
dollars worth Of that species Of property which
they would feign destroy. i is true. have no
pre,en,ions to legal learning; Blu, it is my de
| cded opinion. tina, the only correct way t"pro-
coed, would be to call a convention Of the peo-
pie, and, even here, have my doubts, as we
possess none Of the attributes of soyereiHn
State in relation TO that subject. but be thai
a, il NAV, fundamental principles cannot Be al
tered without the consent Of the people, pro
perIy expressed in their sovereign capacl'y;
and any &C, Of legislature Cana Congress
stand. in no other relation to u.s. without such
authority. i. not sanctioned by the constitution
Of he United States. Al the time the States Of
Virginia and Maryland coded to the United
States a part Of their sovereign Territories
slavery was then, and is now, ,oler ated in each
of those States; snG feel confident, that il ne
yer Ell cred into the imagination OF either Vi
the contracting parties, that the Congress OF the
United S,ates-ex- officio the Legislature oil 'ht
Di,tric, of Columbia would plant in this Dis
trio, FREE Territory, surrounded as il is by
slave population. Presuming this to be thu
| fact, would no, the adoption Of such messur'
be a VIOLATION Of the contract, and a, war will
the interests Of the adjoining States! II form
no palliative to the SHAREHOLDERS, to be toll
the measure is TO be prospective, and 10 TAX
placr at future day, and NOT to Interfere Will
existing interests. Such language is not enti
tied to any respect, and does not accord viii
|common sense: for no act of Legislation can >
made applicable 10 The subject, without inter
frr,ng with the value Of the female part OF tn
slave population But if, contrary TO my e1
prcta,ions, we should be outnumbr'ed, 9Th
vantage ground in argument am certain "
shall have) AMI the District Of Columbia be
com. the receptacle Of free persons of col"
from every State in the U"ion, that choose
come, and all those who shall be born after
certain day, I would seriously ask you, MI
Printer, what will be the state OF our society
the metropolis, bearing the name OF our g'ea
l:u.,r;.,- md dsn,rted Washiuptonl But. si