Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-05-31
:Ewcnty-Govartf, Comgress--ast sess.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
.HHy TO. lG'1U
REPORT-(CnncLuIrd !

3.
| AN'FEABOLIrlON REPORT Conciuard.)
Your committee will now consider this proposition in
reference to the interests of the States of Maryland and
! Virginia. They were siaveholtng States at The time
they made their ersson: and they are so STILL They
entirely surround this District, from which they
y separated upon all sides by imaginary lines. They
made the cesson for the great nalional objects which
have been already pointed OUT and they made it from
motives OF patriotism alone, and without any cuupensa
ton from the Federal Government for the surrender of
! jurisdiction over commanding positions in both States.
The surrender made for purposes deemed sufficient
y important, by all The original States, to be rorided
tor III the Constitution Of the United Staes and it
nlnde in conformity with That provision Of the Consu.
ton 1t is surely unnecessary, after this statement of
facts 10 undertake to show that those patriotic States
made this ccssion for purposes Of good TO the Union
evil TO themselves, and consequently tile Uniun and
that the Government of the United States accepted the
ccssion for the same good and not fr evil purposes
IT, them it can be demonstrated that The abolition of
slavery in the District Of Columbia would produce evil
and not good to the Stairs that made the cession the
conclusion is inevitable, that such act the part OF
Congress would be violation of The faith reposrt in
by those States. 70 all whom this is not perfectly pal.
pable without argument the following considerations
presented:
1t has been already said that the States of Maryland
and Virginia surround The District 1t has al SO been
shown that in reference 10 slavery within the District,
the relations Of Congress entirely those Of To-
cal legislature and that lis action, therefore, in this
capacity shond be governed by the same reasons which
would lave governed those States themselves in re-
lann to this subject if their jurisdiction over this
territory had been surrendered Let suppose,
then that this jurisdiction had been surrendered by
Maryland and Virginia, and that it was now proposed
that they sload abolish slavery, and relinqnish all pow
er Of legislation free blacks, within the portions of
those States which constitute the District of Columha
retaining their respective institutions of slavery in ali
the remaining portions of their territory Who is there
that would not be amazed at the folly of such ac!:-
Who docs not that snch step would necessarily
produce discomfort and iusurrccnrs in the remaining
portions of those States? Who does not perceive that
under such circumstances the District would constitute
at once neutral ground, upon which hosts OF free
bucks fugitive slaves and incendaries would be as
senbled in the work Of general aboiliunsn anA that
from such magazine of evil, every conceivable mis-
chief wnud be spread through the surrounding country,
with almost the rapcily of The movements of the anos
plrre: Surely can doubt the certainty Of the
consequential evils in the supposed? How then
| any donbt deny the dangr:s in the before
US The tr!rtnry is the same 1t is surrounded by the
portions CT slave holding Suites; and The only diff
ference is. that in the Supposed the abolition would
be the work Of State authorities, WHILE in the other, il
is sought to accomplish it by the authority of Congress.
The condition Of things before and after it is done is the
i'll both cases, und the opportunities Tor mischief,
in The work be accomplished, are equal IN both.-
Can il be necessary TO say uIne tn establish the position,
that any interference with slavery in the District of CO.
lumba the part of Congress- would be violation Of
the public faith the faith reposed in Congress By those
States, aud without which they could have been
induced to have made that cession:
IT only remains under this head to show That Con-
grcss could Interfere with slavery in the Dis
trict Of Columbia, without a violation Of the public
faith in reference to the slaveholdng States general
w. as we'll us 10 the States of Virginia and Mary
land. The provision in the Constitution authorz.
ing Congress to accept the cesson OF territory for
Of Tie Federal Government, and TO exercise
elusive jurisdiction it, general and unver.
sal any other provision in that instrument In lis
national objects all the States were equally interested,
and far there any danger that the powers g" To-
into
with inurously affect, the institutions of the various
States each State possessed interest propooned 10
the probable danger to itself AS far as your committee
know or believe, however, apprehension OF an inter.
ference the subject OF domestic slavery was enter
tanned in any quarter, expressed by any statesman of
the day. An examination OF the commentaries on The
Constitution will show that various apPrehensons were
entertained TO The powers conferred OF Congress- ~
this clause, such that privileged classes oi society
might be creaLd within tie District; that standing
army dangerous the Liberties OF the country, might
be organised and sustained within it, and the like
but not suggestion be found that under The To-
cal powers TO be conferred: any attempt would be
made to interfere with the private rights Of the cz-ns
.rho might be embraced within the District or to dis
lub change, directly, or by consequence the MUM.
cipa Institutions Of the States or that the cct Of d."
estic slavery existed in the States could be in any
way involved in the proposed cession. AT that nc all
the States held slaves Many of them have since, by
their own independent action. without influence or inter
ference from the Federal Government, from their
Of emanc paon others of the original States, remain
they we're at the time Of the adoption of the Constitution,
in reference 10 this description of property, and several
new members have been admitted into the Union as
slave. holding States. All tie States which have held or
now hold slave property have invariably considered the
institution as one exclusively subject to State autho-
rty and not to be affected directly or indirectly, by
Federal interference. The practice Of the Government,
as we'll its theory, has established this doctrine and the
action of the States, in retaining or abolishing The
institution at pleasure has concerned entirely 10 this
principle Now, the subject OF Federal interference has
become Of citation, and Congress s solicited
10 adopt measures in relation 10 the District Of Coum
bia Which have been shown to be most dangerous and
destructive the security and interests Of the Two slave
holding States by which il coded TO the Federal Co
vernment. Your committee Will not trouble The House
10 proyc that any OF the Federal Legislature
which would have this tendency in those two States:
would from the very necessity Of the case, and the uni
" of the interest wherever it exists have the same ten
dency, measurably, in all the other slaYeholdng men,
bers of the Union This position is Too plain for argu
mcnt If hcn, oil the States were equally interest
ed in the national objects for which this territory
was coded as the seat of the Federal Government:
if that cession desg ncd by the trainers OF Inc
Constitution, TO enure to the benefit of the whole
Confederacy, and made in iurtherance OF that de-
sign; and if Congress- contrary 10 the obvious intent
and spirit Of the cesson, shall do act not required py
the national objects contemplated by IT. but direcly re-
puunant 10 the interests and wishes Of the citizens OF the
ceded territory and calculated to disturb the peace ana
endanger the Interests of the slave holding members OF
the Cuon such an act must be In violation u INC pun
lie faith Of the faith reposed Congress BY the States
that made the cesson, and which would be deeply
injured by such exercise Of power under II; anu
also of The faith reposed in that body BY all the
States, nasmuch independent State IN The Union
can be injured in its peace, its rghul interests ny
the action Of the Federal Government, without cor
responding injury every member Of the conedcrn'ed
Suites.
Your committee have already shown that an inter,
ference with slavery in the District OF Columbia %oG
involve violation of the public faith as regards the
rights and interests Of the citizens thereof Ihey recuf 70