Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-02-04


TONERS can sustain from the existence Of negro slavery
III thus District, greater than that which the female me-
noriass have discovered and grsvey re to u.s.
messing rbe bor,oyr. ',e oy their dread Of wit
ingtoR 60 hear The dcbaes in Conpress sS This - an,
hrst time ever heard suggested that righ; OF pc
h the duty on Congress 10 receive petitions
acknowledgedy improper end mischie yous no matter
why so improper and rnischievous.
Mr.. Leigh then proceeded remark tb,t tbouob h.
thought the question Of the competency of Cong,es IN
abolish slavery in che District Of Connb, moi
say involved in the decision OF the question proposed
Mon the power mera o. ma IL ts HD
ought yo. receive these petitions II wss OBJ
vous that if Congsess had such power that would be
a conclusive objection tn receiving the petitions, and
therefore the question whether the abolition of slavery in
the District within the constitutional of
Congress, fair topic OF discussion in this de bate
II was Important to the Southern States especially TO
Maryland and Virginia. TO understand the exact state of
opinion in Congress the point; for if the doctrines of
abouoniss should gain ground in holding
States, and Congress should assert its power 10 ah
lIsh slavery IN this District might very well appre-
bend that the power will at distant day be exercis
Ell, and the State Governments ought to be the
more careful and strenuous devise such measures
wiNnn their own competency, as would best to
guard US against the consequences The asse Iton of
such power by Congress, the failure TO discaim it,
mI Il. feared would give energy to the efforts Of
the abolitonsts. The system on which they were act
ing was the system of agation; system inimca to the
stability OF all political institutions 1t was truly asto-
nshing to see how few and what of men, wsro
capable of getting and keeping up such system, and
shaking the foundations Of Government and dissolyn1
the best adjusted political oompacts MIR. l.. said he
held the opinion that Congress had no rightul cons,
tutonnl power to abolish slavery this District and he
should take this opportunity lay before the Senate his
views OF The question: though he hoped trusted that
some occasion would be found bringing il before this
body, directly and singy for decision SO that the slave
holding States might understand exactly the grounds
they standing on.
But first (said Mr. L. let understand tho question
Nobody doubts that Congress may authorize the ownea
Of slaves within the District manumit them and NAV
facilitate the emancipation of them by the owners, by
TO the
question whether is competent to Compress 10 eman
cPae the slaves in this District without consent Of
The owners any slave without the consent of the in
dividual owner.
Such power, if it exists must be deduced from the
provision OF the Constitution giving power $40
exercise exclusive Legislation in all cases whatsoeye,
over such district mot exceeding miles square) u
may, by cession of particular States, and the accept
ance oil Congress become the of the Government
oi The United States, and TO like authority
over all places purchased by the the Legs
ature of the State in which same shall be- for The
: erection Of forts magazines arsenas dock wards and
: other neediul buildings"
pray The Senate to consider, in the first place. that
ths snail be construed grant to Congress of an un
nted absolute despoc power of legislation over hi,
DiSrict and IT. by virtue of the grant Congress NAV
abolish the rights of slave property the District they
may exercise like authority" over the forts maga1n.S
arsenas, &c. which they have purchased in the slave
n":dng states. They may not only organize the negroes
hcy sha!i make Tree into militia reg here but they
may form them into corps of regulars they may station
them as garsons in the forts and places of arms esnb
sh"d among they may commit their safe
Tie magazines and arsenals, the munitions and imple
mcnts of The power claimed is one of NOS, fear
ful import and extent; and no gentleman I nresuus
VIII now wonder at The anxiety which the claim to such
a power raises in minds Let us not be told that
No"Sfess VIII never proceed 10 any such dangerous ex-
es In 'he exercise OF power let its existence ever
so unquestionable Not great many years paased
over my bead since thought it impossible that any set
OF men (but the Quakers could seriously propose the
abolition OF slavery in the District of Coumba in the
actual state OF things in Virginia and Mary land
he argument for the power of Congress- understand
TO be tins That tho grant Congress the powers of
exclusive legislation, in all whatsoever over the
District vests in Congress all powers which the Legis
aiures of Mary land Virginia NAV rightly exercise
within their respective jurisdictions. And shall ad-
mt me principle provided it is admitted the other
hand that Congress has the extent Of power as
the State Legislatures by which the District was coded
and no more; which, surely postulste
presume cannot be contended the State Logis-
inture OF Va or Maryland ofany State in the Union
has ieh'iu power TO make any law Incompatible with
solemn, lawful compact with another State; or that
Congress- IN yne of its of exclusive cgisation
over the District OF Coumbia competent make laws
directly contrary the of of the District by
virginia or Maryland; contrary the compact which
The act OF cession Imports contrary TO the terms on
which Congress accepted the cession. There is an ex
isung compact between Maryland and Virginia con-
cernng the use and navigation of the Potomac and the
jurisdiction over the river; has ever supposed
That either State can constutionally make q law con-
iTnvening that compact, in the least particular without
me consent OF the other. There is compact between
Virginia and Kentucky upon the terms Of which The
latter was erected into independent State; Kentucky
hns passed laws which have been complained Of, and
Hnpugncd, the ground that they were contrary TO the
terms OF The compact; and the question to their yGl
dy was brought before the Supreme Court of the u
states but the only question was, whether the Ken
tucky laws violated the compact not for urst or
Statesman of Kentucky thought of contendinq
lhht those laws really violated the compact they were
nevertheless constitutional and valid Blu, the cesson
OF this District is the only cession which Vrgnia
has made TO the United States She coded TO the
United States all her rights in the Northwestern Terri
tory, upon terms which Congress accepted the
cessIon and which, therefore, constitute a compact be-
tween that State and the United States There is at
thIs moment most interesting question pending before
Congress between the State Of Ohio and the 1errtorv
VI Michigan, touching the boundary between them Mi
chgaD insists that The act of ccssion Of Virginia has SET
lied the boundary, unalterably and concusvely; and
ONO contends that the act of cession gives full mower TO
ongrcss TO ascertain and fix the boundary rs coDve-
nience, good policy and justice shall diciae but neither
tic state OF Ohio any else contends that if the
act OF cession does determine the boundary it is conpe
tent to Congress TO disregard tine compact with VIRGINIA
The only question is what is Tire true meaning and eject
OF the compact So, with regard to this cesson by
Virginia of the District of Columbia Whatever terms
the Legislature oil Virginia has stipulated Congress- ac
cePung the ccsson upon those terms is bound by the
compact ihose terms import aud il not within its com
potency to make any law contrary the compact Now
the act Of cession Of Virginia is in these words
2" tie VI enacted, &c That the tract of country not
exceeding ten miles, any lesser quantity 10 be located
within the limits OF this State, and any part thereof
MS Congress may by law direct shall be, and the same
hereby forever coded and relinqushcd TO the Con
gress and Government Of the United States in full
and absolute right and exclusive Jurisdiction as well
of soil as OF persons residing TO reside thereon
pursuant 10 the tenor and effect Of the eighth section Of
the FIRST article Of the Constitution of the Government Of
the United States Provided, that nothing herein con.
tanned shall be consrucd4o vest in the u States any rgh
Of property IN the SOIL affect the rights Of ipdyidv
ais therein otherwise than the shall or rnay DO