Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1836-02-23


The enclosed exposition of The grounds OF Il recent
Of the Representative Of this District in Congress-
contained in letter addressed to Inc, to pro-
per- both from the magnitude Of the question involved
and in Justice to that gentleman, 10 Le LAID before his
stituens. request its nscrlion-and respectfully,
&c. w. X.
WAsHIso1ox, 9th February, ls:G.
The Resolutions offered by Mr. Pincknry, from S. Ca.
rolna, taken up yesterday. They prOprse To
refer the Abolition Subject TO Committee with nstrc-
TONS among Others to report that Congress possesses
constitutional authority Ia interfere IN any ,cay mh the
institution Of Sarery in any Of me States IN tts C0ede
rncy. Debate speedily stted by call for the Pre-
vous Question voted against tile Reference and, sub
seuucny, in minority of seven, against the Inslruc.
ton Two other Southern members Garland, (oI L..
and Glascock, (nf g., voted in this minority.
Among those who know nc have apprehe nson
that my motives Will be well understood, and duly ap.
prccatrd But aware that BY strangers and at future
day, they might readily be msinlrrprr,ed concurred
with those gentlemen i'll application for leave to insert
upon the Journal the reasons which governed US, and
which we hac been prevented, by the Previous Cues.
lion from assigning at the time. The House refused
suspend the rules with view to entertain the motion,
and again, this morning, overruled similar application,
(lf3 IL ST.
fou will find no difficulty in comprehcnding at once,
the grounds upon which my vote given IL was not
that entertained The slightest doubt ut the truth OF the
proposition involved in the instruction proposed Far
from it, regard the institution q snrery exist
ing independently Of the Federal Constitution, and
satisfied That clause of that instrument can he tortured
by human ingenuity, into concession vi authority the
part IF Congress interfere ,ch IL, nin Inc limits Of
the Sncc-holdiny StuteS None seriously believe that
authority would have been conceded 1t were
needless to refer In The provisions OF the Constitution
cognisng the institution in question, suusIstIng and
valid If rational doubt could be entertained
this subject, looking 10 the Constitution originally
adopted, the 9th and 10Th articles Ut the alncndue ns
utterly dispc it.-lhese declare that & The emu
" meraon in the Constitution. Of certain rights shall
" not be construed to deny dispara.e others retained
"by the PcopIe-And again, more emphulically, " the
powers dcicgatrd to the United States by the Con.
stitntion, prohibited by IT the states are RE-
" SERVED 10 the STATES respectively, or tho
PEOPLE,. The right 10 retain their domestic insti.
tutons, such they then existed, and to mould them
might sul themselves in this particular bring among
those gnay pertaining to the Stues clearly
yer surrendered, and therefore necessarily RESERVED
in ais primitive force. From the pernd Of tIr adoption
OF the Federal Constitution to the pesrn, day nearly half
century has elapsed without any attempt having been
made pretenson set up, by lhr General Government
any ofthe States, 10 interfere with that right No such
pretenson, far am informcd has been asserted by
any member OF Congress, suggested in any petition,
resolution, or notion before the House l could not
discern the proprety Of grotuionsy submitting this
uncontested and ncontpstGe right TO tribunal, whose
jurisdiction over had at early period OF the session,
expressing the sentiments, as believed, not OF my native
State only but of every slave holding Stale IN the Union,
felt it my duty 10 discountenance and dscam. voted
therefore, against the reference and against the ns,ruc
ton.
Because, the reference itself seemingly implied thai
the assem- acquescence Of Congress requisite to
give validity 10 claim: