Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-01-26

the portcullis of the Constitution may be
dropped between these men and our lives
and property.
Sir, lc. me call upon you for the strongest
possible action; let me ask you to restore
spirit Of peace and harmony to members Of
the same confederacy. to brethren of the
same family, to human beings speaking the
same language, practising the same religion,
having the same deep and solemn interest
in the happiness and prosperity Of our be-
loved country. Such action, consequent
upon moderation, firmness, and good sense
will be at once honorable to you and salts.
factory to the South. Instead of sweeping
away our laws and institutions, our rights
and property, it will 60 abroad with healing
on its wings. Instead Of the fruits Of Bit
tcrness-blood-thirsty t,.mults, house-burn.
ing, and massacre, the whole strength and
fury of this excitement viii be at once sti.
fed and dissipated; and, instead of the con-
fdence of the slave-holding States being
withdrawn from the Government, never
more to be restored, they will look upon it
with yet more of honor, gratitude and atec.
ton.
MIR. Buchanan of Penn. said he had a
memorial from quarterly meeting of,
friends, for the abolition of slavery in the
District of Columbia. He was in favor Of
receiving and acting upon such memorials
though opposed to granting thoir prayer.
In the course of his remarks, he said that
An occasion very fortunately arose in the
first Congress to settle this question forever.
The Society for the abolition of Slavery in
Pennsylvania brought it before that Con-
gess by memorial, which was presented
on the llth day of February, 1890. After
the subject had been discussed for several
days, and after solemn dehheration, the
House Of Representatives, in Committee of
the Whole, on the 23d day of March, 1870,
resolved That Congress have 60 authority
to interfere in the emancipation Of slaves, or
IN the treatment Of them within any Of the
States; it remaining with the several States
alone to provide any regulations therein,
which humanity q true policy may require. ,
The debate was continued by Messrs.
Benton, Tyler, Brown, Leigh, Prestde and
Calhoun, till the hour Of adjournment. Mr..
Benton considered the right Of petition 50.
cred but he, thought men could claim that
right only in case of their own grievances,
and not for the alleged grievances of others.
Mr.. Tyler was for receiving the petitions
and then expressing the views Of Congress
on The subject; because the mere refusal to
receive might be ascribed to tho language,
and not the subject of the petitions. Mr..
Brown was opposed to all discussion on the
subject, and saw no cause for alarm or ex.
element. Mr.. Preston. retorted upon Mr..
B. with much severity. The following is
part Of the report Of Mr.. Calhoun's conclu-
ding speech:
.. "This body (said MP C.) presented to
him portentous, an amazing spectacle.
Hero are assembled the representatives Of
twenty. -four confederated States, to deliberate
on their common interest and prosperity,
seriously discussing the question, whether
they shall or shall not receive petitions,
which basely calumniate the institutions of
eleven of those Suites, which denounce their
citizens as pirates, kidnappers, and dealers
in human flesh! That single individual
from the States thus slandered should ayow
q determination to vote to receive so base q
libel on the State he represents, as well as
the entire South, was to him truly wonderful;
and yet more wonderful, if possible, were
the arguments he advanced in support ofhis
intention. But more Of this in its proper
place.
He again repeated, that Congress had no
such power, no more than il has TO abolish.
slavery in the States.
The fifth amendment Of the Constitution
offers an insuperable barrier, which provides,
among other things, that "no person shall
be deprived Of life, liberty, or property, with
out due process Of law; nor shall private
property be taken for public uses without
just compensation" Are not slaves pro.
pery and if So, how can Congress any
more take away the property Of a master in
his slave in this District, than it could his
life and Eberty9 They stand on the same
ground The one, in the eye ofthe Consti.
tuition, is as sacred. as the other. He would
pass over the latterpart of the sentence cited,
on which his colleague had touched and con.
clusively shown that the proviso which it
contained also opposed impassable barriers
to emancipation ny Congress inthis District.
. He (said Mr.. C. felt the profoundest
gratitude and respect to those watchful and
jealous patriots, who, at the time ofthe adop.
ton of the Constitution. would not agree to
its ratification without proposing these
amended articles which were subsequently
agreed to, and which contain those great
limitations on power, Of the importance Of
which he daily became more sensible. But
It is said that Congress has, by the Constitu-