Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-01-16


Che citizens ofte District might ma, unit their slaves
. onS'ess should With or without th-ir consent,
snanc'pate tiiem Note would conc, tlat this could
De uone without compensa,ing the owners Such pro-
c Is would be simply TO confscaie their property
Nnr could II be taken from he against their c,,se,t
although lis foil value should DC paid The U States
ha NO power under The Constitution TO take private pro-
pery, unless for public propnsog e, wresi This
Kind OF property from the owner was not 10
appropriate it to the Of the United States They had
no occasion Tor H. he Object was on the contrary,
property, To destroy its usc--to annili:late IL
Should the owner even be willing 10 surrender IL for n
Jos' compensation he knee of rghtful authority 10
slaves He doubted whether the IT, States could awfiJlv
become saveodcr IL did vary the case TO saw the
purchase would be nadc with the purpose Of
bold; if they could Buy they might SELF if they could
enancpate they might prescribe the conditions of cman
cipaton And what conditions he desired 10 know was
RESPECTED to impose; lie kc, Of no clause in The Con-
s"uton by which the restraints be laid upon enanc
pat-I slaves, were deincd nor which paye ia IL mower 10
create another distinct and clnss in ajo -,
mat already existing in Ia District pc nornnallv
nee, but politically slaves. Or it designed to make
privileges of citizenship Were they 10 he admitted to
the Council Board! To take their seats in the ury boy
DC elevated TO the Bcrch To lie cuibe to an the
Offices Of Governments Were they to be Introduced in
10 our social circles The Southern People while they
retained their present feelings, would tolerate such
state oil society Those feeling deeply ncrwo
ven ID their nature, and would continue to have their
influence possibly, ill the Ethiopian shoud change his
s@in, or the Leopard his spots
The 9Th section Of the lst article Of the Constitution
was regarded by some comforting on Conurcss sn
Peme authority over The District II was true il rave
10 exclusive legislation the ten miles square bn
eIei"ssrc was not Synonymous with nnlinuited II mos
sun ieglslate within constitutional limits 1t could no
more transcend those limits wi hin the District than be
yna ~. IL naa no more power to coniscatc the proper
~ oil It's INHABITANTS than TO subject them TO &C yoa fsef
ms OF eePrve tcni OF the liberty Of speech or the
INC gentleman from Pennsylvana (AIr Incersoln
ad adyerted to clause in the Virginia Act of Cession
That clause was intended 20 prevent the United S,,es
rom acquiring an interest in the soil or nietfernr with
ineea u'cs It's literal import mi h, SEEM at Tie FIRST
o's 70 warrant the construction alluded to- because il
was confined IN terms to land only But that
was not warranted by the spirit of the iustrumen, m
OF NE constitutions, tho The right of the citizens 10 their
lanes was expressly guaranteed BUTT hy no means fol-
, mat an Gamer property was lcn at the mercy Of
ne Constitution protected all private proper
y %sanS SEIZURE unless required for public use 1t not
~ W ocHeVeu mat Virginia and Maryland would ever
nave consented TO their citizens subiec,;n
the to be dspossessed OF their property or be xled
rom her homes at the viii of Legislatures in vboso
election they had voice. Let us suppose The Ds,~;c
had been coded by States whue institutions did moi I'D
init of slavcry--by ~ York and pennsvlvon;a WI.
uu aVe oceh thought OF petition from the South To
establish slavery within the limits of the orant, II
Wouid nave been regarded ought as asking viola
uon OF Jaw, and breach Of good faith Yet the same
ciisy w'Nen was supposed 10 warrant the abolition
% ssdteIy ~ congress, would warrant lis es-
lt aai me one attempt would be less a
preach OF good faith Than the other
PIT said, lie had not thought il relevant or nroner
~ a.ie general question OF slavery still less lad
ne considered himself at liberty vindicatc the ri,t Of
tiie sAvehoding States mould their domestic ins,
ions, In accordance with their own views He could
recogn2e no authority in Congress To call INV a, 20
ANS bar for the exercise of this undoubtet RIGHT
ne excepted the jurisdiction of the tribunal He tc
uouhu 10 oppose The attempt at the threshold In doing
ms, howefcr he was very far from dcsrino 10 ardoe
the sacred right Of petition The gentleman from NJ
sachasets (Mr AdamS) need feel no alarm Tint rigbt
Iber, ~ DC ~ ue u or an attempt made TO destroy the
.'S ~ speech or OF the Press. There was no DANCER
Of another Sediiion Law. Yet scnie limits even 10 The
freedom OF speech and The press had all times existed
ana seemed essential to The protection of society One
VINO should counsel or command another TO comr;,
murder, or who should print and circulate sanderons
impu'atons apon character would scarcely, be ner.od
10 pead the liberty OF speech the press in bar OF nro
seculn slIl less ought such defence TO avail those
VINO would nsgate The massacre of whole community
Gentlemen had complained Of the warmth moniTes,eed
IN TINS debate by members from The South Greaf al
lowances he thought, ought TO be made if situated
us tey were hFy could not wholly repress their fcc
,nSs, OF view TINS subject calmly those who in
hep cooler regIons, and distant from the scene
o t u'"ser, but whatever heat mgbt be exhibited ON
s Paly feeling at least should not be mingled
with IT. Considerations OF infinitely greater mngn5Snda
IMAM ue Pety interests OF party influenced the peonle of
te South They contcnding for The nresert.t;on
o' uelr property, for tie security of their lives He
would confidently appeal to his colleague (Mr Nlason1
wS came from that SECTION of the State in which The
new sect had celebrated its orgies in the blood of yo
men and ehlde, to say, whether tie ovemen MIS- on ts
sugect IN Virginia was regarded of party charac-
ill., no No. or. from one extremity Of the State to the
"tieI me people had met together without respect to
party aIsunehons, 10 consult their common infeyes,
ana safety land bad eoncurcd il universal
VI eNecaiion and abhorrence for the enemies Of our
peace IL was true, as had been often repeated fire.
brand had been cast among But it came not from,
tue south II came from the North or rather from, n
shia Odnu OF TuihaDs which tic North harbors in its
bosom The South desired To exlnenish Il 10 ie,ve
no PafS alive that at some future day might be blown
INTO iaine to consume the temple OF our peace orr
union, and our liberty -
Mr.. Johnson of louisiana not pcrceiying that anv
good could result from prolonging the debate fell rc
i"eHce ia saying any thing upon the subject; ,uf eor
hg from state from ITS peculiar situatio more deenl
interested IN tie question than any other and knsuJ
ng Tue intense excitement recently produced among
ms constituents by the daring attempts of the fannf;r
Oi the North TO stimulate their saVe In ;pe,r.n,;s
he considered it Lis duty to offer few rcmarks -,
he had the honor, IN part, he said TO represent n
brave ana patriotic people, aFdenty attached to thc
union OF the States; but they are als, attached 10 t
anlies and TO their rights OF property aud arc pre
pared TO defend them wh'n assaulted from any o,,sr
ter Ihcy would not look silently and permit their
hVes ana properties TO be endangered by the awcss
proceedings Of wicked and eontcmpiibe set OF e,nnr
OF different section OF the Union WHO are pnnoonaot
ed with them and with the condition Of their savcs
VINO are ~ Happy stuatlon compared with the pcasan
~ nhu pPeInIlVes ~ any other part Of the world He
would not discuss the power OF Congress 10 abolish ala
very IN tic District OF Columbia He CONQUERED i'm tbe
0Pnon expressed BY tlie honorable member from Snuth
taroiina, thir ihoinpson1 that the members from Tho
Southern states, should not on any occasion rrgue
such question lie would as coon discuss pron5si.
ton TO dvest the people O! the Southern States Of fhe
lands or OF proposition 10 abolish the Government -
bul he would say to the a00lcnsts. and cofer
tanning the opinions, be did I've could not say less that The
exercise OF such power by Congress world con.
Ynisc the Whole Union. The oplc OF the South would
sol submit 10 such act Ihoy do not bolicgr that
Congress pofsssscs The power to lepislac npon tbc
SUBJECT ond they know, that such act Of legislation
would be Immediately followed BY an aempt IL en,nn
cPate s lic sisvcs in the Uul1n Under these Giro nm