Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1836-02-04

~ ana establish community of goods. Now.
certainly, do not apprehcnd any such absurd and
mlsehie, ous legislation but il is fair N ], even.
necessary, 10 pursue this claim Of power !. its con
sequences IN order to test its Justice. The truth,
Is sir, that grant Of power Of exclusive lceisla-
ton in all cases whatsoever, over "a territory and
tho people in II, does not, the Just sense Of that
language, as used by Amrican law-givcrs, import
a grant OF absolute, despotc. sovereign authority,
or OF any authority At al TO assume, abolish, or im.
pair private rights Of property. II imports, a
grant of the power of ordinary legislation. The
proper ~ well as ordinary business of legislation
is 10 regulate and secure the rghls Of property.s
never TO annihilac them.
desire tie Senate to understand that do no
contend that the States of Maryland and Virginia
have no power to abolish slavery within their in.
rlsdieiion-l only maintain that ,l,e ordinary Lc-
gslaures al ih"sc States have not under their ex.
'stme constitutions, any >nel power, not DENYING
thai the sovereignty OF either STAT" may, by an n.
mendmeni of lis Constitution, confer Nich power
ON the Legislature. do hot deny THAI the two
Suites have parted with their dominion over the
District nor do | contend that power can by no
means hc ln,ctcd IN Congress IN abolish slavery
N the District, III any stnie Of circumslaueef. ].
N anhn that the Stat coded their dominion IN tie
United States. not To Congress- that the MY
over III. territory and the people is in The United
States, by virtue Of the provision Of the Constu.
ton authorizing the State Legislature To redc and
Congress 10 accept ihnt Congress has only the
poweroi ordinary legislation no absolute, .oycr-
''th power whatever ; no power to impair, mncl,
more abolish, any private right Of property Of any
Kind; and that the power Ia abolish slave property
IN the District can no Otherwise be conferred on
Congress th,n by an amendm,n, Of the Cons,itu.
ton OF the L. States.
i'ni independent. oflh,s view of TIE subject Mr.
LEI6n sand, there were otler objections To the conn
p'iehee oil Congress I" cNeicse the power in Qies-
uon,"lleli seemed Ia him ipsaps fahG and eoneln-
slve. hat, he asked, would liz lic,c Of tie abo-
'iionof slavery IN this District and what was, and
must ht the only object OF >fol a measured To
the consequences, he supposed. no man would af-
IL CT 10 ht bind ; u large body of free negroes
would nj once be established u the md, Of two of
the principal sa,ol,ollinp States the District
would become the receptacle in which other uop-
ula',on o the same class would soon be conrrr-
gated and these people, from ,Le.r POSITION, onld
necessarily have opportunities at daily intercourse
WIN Tie slaves ~ the two adjoining States of hold.
ing oui to them every motive 10 revolt melting
'he'n In continual and dangerous tnsuirrctions and
| supplying tlt'n nh The means of wprinP II seville
Wa' against uS. And ns la tie Gli,ct and dcsipD
OF The abollilon'Sis IN urging this measure il could
not be- disguised that abolition in this District WINS
moi SOUGHT MS an end, hut rs II q means Of success
III Other and FAR greater enterprises. that their rnr.
pose was tn gam point, arl n most commanding
point too, from Which they mipl, prosecute thor
schemes OF ahol'iion, frs, IN MARYLAND and Vir-
e'n'a and then, in regular process, in all other
slavcholding States.
(TO NE CONCIUDyp)