Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-11-04

domestic ?nicy anu ,rrjcrerce which terts 20 alien
! 80 ,,,, r,r,nn of orr connIy'S,' nm: H. III y;,,
"s :, ttr f1owncd upon with ln''gnh'lo' ~ 49, L
serves 70 ~ ncplcs of our revolutionary asheTS ana
rc 10 nrcserrc the Constitution by TIC exercise
Win, s,iri, If a:y which animated us TRAINERS; n
thry deprecated Inc conduct "t h"sc WI; S''
~ ~ corrc. their brethren in ether States tnl" Tue a
@ RI slavery bv appeals the fears OF the mas.cT ana
:, The passGs Of iIr slave; and that they ccu! not nu
consider them dis:uThers of the public peace wo
hv all constitutional exert their influence 10 aTS
tho nrorrcss Of such measures THAT whilst they would
maintain in"u!ate The liberty OF speech and the er"
Of the press they considered discussions, winch, RON
their nature lend 10 nasne the public mind, and puS IN
jeopardy the lives ard property 1T Gu! frlow'cz'ns a.
war with every Inic Of moral duty, ana every sa@e'
OF humanity; aid would b" constrancd moreover 20
regard those who, with fall knowlrtge "t lhe'r P'F',
cous tendency, persist in carrying iheni Oh" rs uS'
To the Uniun' That the people of The South would 10
great Injustice if they alnw themselves to brcrr, mat
tho few .yo arc interfering with Tie 9eSuoh 81 s'a'l
acting in accordance WIN ,!c @ s,o ]
upon the subject And finally, ',hat 'hry maze 'hcs'
declarations TO their Southern brelhren ~ The same si'
r of unity which bound together ihei! ia,heFs ana ours
during lnnr aud evsnIin! struggle Tor lndePfnhrhcc
and that they did in full remembrance OF that common
asspcinon prht to then: their faith, to mainain III
practice as far as lies in their power, what they ad mus
soIrunly declared
"Thcse views thus expressed and sanctioned ny my
self appear TO lie to cover the whole ground save The
abstract question 10 which yoH have been pleased to call
my attention. aud chccru'ly embrace tho opportunity
you have felt it yonr duiy to afford me: to captain my
sell fully on that also AS anxious as you can possibly
be- to arrest all apiiaUn upon this disturbing SUBJECT,
| have considered the question you have propouha
cd To me- with sincere des.cc In arrive at the conclu
sion tlatthe subject, in relation to the District OF 20
| lumbia car be safely placed on The same sr"uha on
which It stands in regard to The States, viz: the want OF
constitutional power i'll Congress TO Interfere III The
| matter. / owe it, however, 10 caudor to say 10
you, that r have not heer able 10 satisfy myself
that the grant Congress, in the Conslnli"n Of the
power OF serrasicc legislation all 'ohaiS0crsr,
the Federal District, dcS mt Confer on That body
tho authority The suh'ct that w"ui,. other.
wise have been possessed BY the States oil Mary and
Virginia. that Congress m ht not III virtue thereof,
take such steps upon The subject in this District as those
States Gig themselves take within their own limits and
consistently with their rights of sovereignty.
:" Thus viewing The m!;::lcr, | would not. from the
| lights now before ne, feel myself safe in pronOuncng
that Congress docs not possess the power of interfering
with abols!ug slavery in tic District OF Col"nta
Bal, whilst scl are my present impressions upon The
abstract question Of the legal power of C"ngrcss-In-
pIessiunS which shall al all times be not only ready,
but diSposed to surrender upon conviction Of error,
do not hesitate to give j: TO you my deliberate ana
wcllcousidcred opinion That there objections TO The
of this power agaiast the wishes OF The slave
holding States Imperative IN tier nature Gnd 0bigG-
TONS in regulating the conduct OF public men. as Tie mist
paiaahc 'rant IF constitutional po'ccr 'o0n'd tc
You have alluded III your letter. to the conspicuous
situation in which. have been placed before the public
and take it for granted that is 10 that circumstance
rather than any other, that to ascrbc the solicit
udc felt BY yourselves and your fellow-czens in res
To on TINS SUBJECT recognize,
est extent, the proprety of this desire y"ur part and
although there nothing in your letter making the
avowa necessary. prefer that not only you, but all the
people of the United States: shall now understand that
the desire of that portion Of them which favorable to
my elevation 10 the Chief Magslracy, should be graft
fed, | must go into the Presidential Chair, the IN
flexible and mncnnpronsing opponent OF any attempt
the part Of Congress to abolish Slavery IN the Dis
rct OF Colunia, against the wishes OF the SiaTrhnidng
Satcs and also with the determination equally dccided
resist the slightest Interference with the subject IN
the States where it exists. In saying this, tender neil
thcr TO them nor tn ynu any pledges but declare only
settled opinions and convictions Of duty Those who
doubt ha, they will be carried into full and fair effect,
under ohligatio trust An opportunity is
afforded them 10 exercise their free choice in the matter
and they may he assured that there is no one less likely
TO complain Of its exercise than myself.
s'hc peculiar importance Of the subject and desire
(Which you will allow 10 fecD that my views OF 1t
should be correctly understood, make proper that
should explain the grounds Of the opinions above TX
pressed. They founded, amongst oters on the ul
lowing considerations, viz
lst believe that if had been fnresecn, al the lime
Of the adoption Of the Constitution that the seat of the
Federal Government would be fixed in 4 siavc-oldng
region aud that the subject of slavery wunld br Tier:
aglatcd the prejudice OF those holding this species at
property, the right TO do would with the assent OF Tie
nonsave holding States, have been made exception
The unrestricted Legislative power u Congress
the District 10 be coded.
IDLY. | cannot but rcgald the agitation Of This SUBJ
cct in The District of Columbia, as surprise upon the
people OF Maryland ana Virginia, being confident,
that if the state Of things which exists, had been
at all apprcliendrd by those States the crSson Of the
District would not hasr been made, except upon The
express condition thai; Congress should exercise !.
such power; and thai with such condition the crssnn
would, in the then state Of public opmion have been
readily accepted.
"3dy do therefore believe, that the abolition Of slave
ny in the District Of Columbia, against the wishes Of
The savehcidIrg Stucs (nssulnng that Congress has
the power to effect ill., would violate the spirit Of that
compromise M Interests which lies at the basis Of
social cn,npac and am thoroughly convinced thai it .
could mol he d"S, without imminent peril if not
tain destruction, To The Union Of the States Viewing
the mailer in this light, it is my clear and settled npnnn
that The Federal Government QUE lt to abstain fTcm do
my and that il is hr sacred duty ri these whom The
people of the United States with the control Of
its action. So |" llr constitutional power with which
they arc invested to prevent it.
81 think II due To the occasion, and only simple act
OF lnsticc to my fellow citizens of The North, of all u
teal parties, 20 add the expression Of my in bclirf
that The opinions above expressed, accord in substance
with those entertained by larger ma orty Of the pro
pie of the non savehodng States than has before
existed in tirsc STATES public question of equal
magnitude. 1t is also due to them to say that tleir
sentiments this subject spring out Of considerations
of too high character, and look to consequences Of too
solemn an i"porl, to he shaken by sight With
only generous confidence the pait of The South in
their brethren Of the Norh aud il firm determination
tho part Of each to visit with their dspca-
sure any attempt 10 connect the subject with party puIi-
tics, those sentiments cann"t be ovcrown. All future
attempts Oh the part of the abounsts do So will
then only serve To accumulate aud Concentrate public
odum on themselves. That there persons at the
North who arc far IRON, concurring in tho prevailing
sentiment have described, is certainly true but their
numbers, when compared 10 The of the community
very inconsdcrable; and if The condition OF
things he not greatly aggravated by mprudcnce many
OF them, have NO doubt will ultimately adopt sounGrr
views of Tue sand the efforts OF those who may
persist in the work Of ogitation may be by
son. or rendered imperative by constitutional remedies"
But Mr. Van Buien is Northern man, a New York
cr.-Fcilow cEcns did the NnrI!le1m Demnctais Whom