The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1836-01-15
FEE AROLHTiOyTSYS.
PREAMBLE

PREAMBLE
10 The Report Of the Joint Select Committee
the SUBJECT OF Abolition Presented 10 the /,
! glsature Of North Carolipa on the OH Deoo,
Der, 1885.
. WHEREAS, the proceedings ofcertain ne,
, sons IN the middle and eastern States dn,
, ing Inc past summer, have furnished clea
proof OF determination to promote. i
means The most unlustiiable and inio,ito,,,
the abolition Of Slavery in the States of n
Union IN which 1t now exists and whore
} as, as well from the wealth. number a.,
assiduIiy OF the persons engaged in tbi
criminal purpose, as from the means the,
nave resorted to, to accomplish theirdesions
serious Tears are entertained that our nron.
eery' The peace of our country, and the
Union Of the States, NAV be endanpered
ihereby--thls General Assembly feel called
upon by just regard for the interests and
happiness OF the good people of this State,
ana OF the other States similarly situated.
as well as by an anxious solIcitude for the
preservation of the Union, which at presen,
so happily unItes all The States into one can.
federated people, to declare the opinions
ana set forth the purposes Of the pcople of
Tins State, IN language at once frm. clear
decided, and temperate.
when The American Colonies first united
Tor protection from the encroachments nnon
Their rights anu privileges, made BIZ the
hIng and Parliament of Great Britain fbey
assumed the character of sovereign and ia.
dependent stales--they united under an or.
gahlzaiion which was, IN strlctness. leaoue
leaving the direct power OF OPERATING an.
on the citizens Of each State. with ,ts own
constituted authorities; and when the nre.
sent Constitution was adopted, though 10 all
general purposes II constituted the peope Of
Tue States one people, with one government,
having direct legislative, judicial. and ey.
ach'ife authority over the citizens. vet II
declared, by specific enumeration, the pow.
'rS intended to be granted 10 tins govern.
hcnt' and express y declared, out Of abnn.
iant caution, that The powers not granted
belonged TO the States respectively. or IL
he people. At the time whenthis const,tp
ion was adopted, as well as al the time
when TIE confederation was formed. each
y The States recognized the right of It's
'Itizeus to hold slaves. The constitution
.ontdlhs no grant Of power 10 any depar,.
aett Of The government 10 control the poo.
tic OF any State ~ regard to its domestic
enthusiastically uo; in regard TO that
ow IN question. 1t is clear, therefore. thai
he Whole power Of regulating this subject
'hmn the State ON, Carolina is vested now =,
the authorities OF this State, as fully as +
u the day the Independence of the States :
as declared; for though much difference j.,
OPINION has existed as TO the principle :,
ron which the grants Of power in the Con. :,
.i'ution are to be interpreted, no one has /.
YER had the temeuty 10 assert that the ;,
'eneFal Government may assume a lower -
Inch Is not granted in terms. and Is moi -
Acessary as an incident to the proper eyer. =
se OF granted power. :,
We have, therefore, al undoubted r;oht
regulate slavery amongst ourselves, ac ;,
'fdlng TO our own views of Justice and ex. -
'aiency continue, or abolish-to mod. i.
or mitigate It IN any form and to any ex. ;;
ut, without reference 10 any earthly au. Il
Iorl'y, and solely responsible to our own :,
'nseiences and the Judgment of the Cover. :,
)r OF the universe. No other State, and -.
other portion of the people of any other a,
ate, can claim to interfere in the matter. q
ther hy authority, advice, or persuasion: 81
ID such an attempt, from whatever omar. -
r 1t may come, must ever be met by MS +,
th dstrust, and repeIed With Indignation. y,
poa the other States of the Union, our 81
iim is clear and well founded. If they "
re foreign States, II would be n violation Or
national law IN theIn, either TO SET ON foot sh
amsel'es, or permit their own subjects 10 la
on loot any project the object or tenden. ~
OF which would be to disturb our peace IN
arraying one portion of society against III
other. The constitution which unites US. III,
d by virtue Of which we have ceased TO nh
foreign States in regard to each other, VIC
d have become bound IN the closest Union mr.,
the most ultimate relations, for the pro. tot
'ilon of the common defence and general lib
Hare, cannot be supposed to have lessen. RE
our mutual Obligations, or 10 have made to
act harmless which would have been il
'ss wrong had we continued in respect 10 wo
n other as we now are in respect to 9th. inf
nations, in war enemies, and only in peace has
'nds. Ii is evident, on the contrary, that sb
Try duty of friendship towards each other ter
lch before existed, is by our Union to
ghtened in its obligation, and enforced cou
motives the most exalted and endearinr. has
,otnyer ,,et;tntta, >r stoto of ooo,ot,. -, =,