Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-05-31

any State, or the general interests of all the
States. Your committee have also shown,
as they think successfully, that the abolition
of slavery in the District of Columbia would
be a deep injury to the citizens OF the Dis
trict, and, therefore, violation OF the trust
'rcposed in Congress as the local legislature
of the District; and, also, that it would inllict
an incurabc injury upon all the slaveholding
States and would, therefore, be an equal vi.
olation Of the trust reposcd in that body as
the Legislature ofthe Union. II, then, they
have established these positions, as they
think they have, can any one doubt that the
action contemplated would be dangerous
to the Union!" being directly calculated, as
it would be, to weaken the confidence ofthe
District in Congress rs safe and faithful
local legislature, and the confidence Of the
slavcholding States as an impartial guardian
of their interests.
! Important as the Union is to each State,
and to the whole American people, every
one will admit that, as far as possible, strict
impartiality and kind feelings TO all the in
terests and all the sections of the country
should characterize the action of the ed
eral Government. The Union was form
ed for the common and equal benefit OF
all the States, and for the perfect and
equal protection Of the rights and interests
of all the citizens Of all the States. Its
only strength is in the confidence of the
States, and of the people, that these great
benefits will continue to be secured TO
them, and that these great purposes will
be accomplished by its preservation Any
action therefore, on the part Of Congress,
which shall weaken or destroy that con-
lidcnce in any portion of our citizens, or
in anv State ofthe Union, must lncvlta-
blv, to that extent, endangcr the Union
ITSELF Who can doubt this reasoning!
! Who does not know that the agitation OF
anv question connected with domestic Sla-
very, as it exists in this country, among
any portion of our citizens, creates appre-
hension and excitement in the slavehold-
inc States? Who does not know that
the agitation ofanv such question in eIth-
er branch of Congress, shakes their conil-
dence in the security oflheir most impor-
! tant interests, and, consequently, in the
continuance to them Of those great bene-
fits, to secure which they became parties
to the Union! Who then does not be-
lievc that any action by Congress, having
! for its object the abolition OF slavery in
any portion of the Union, however narrow
or limited it may be, would necessarily
impair the confidence of the slaveholding
States in their security in relation to this
description of property, put an end to all
their hope of benefits to be derived to
them from the further continuance Of the
Union, and ALLEVIATE their affections from
it? Were Congress, in single instance,
to suffer itself to be impelled by mere
, feeling in one portion of the Union, to at
tempt qualification oftlat feeling at the
sacrifice of the dearest interests and most
sacred rights of another portion, who can
doubt that the Union would be seriously
endangered, if not destroyed! But this
conclusion does not depend upon reason
oning alone. The evidences ofpublic SEN
timent on this point arc equally abundant
and decisive. Your committee having al
ready extended their report beyond the Ii
mits to which they coald have wished to
confinc it, will enter into no details upon
this portion of their duty. Suffice it TO
say that the Legislatures of several, if nof
of all, the sla, cholding States, have SOL
emnly resolved that "Congress has no
constitutional authority to abolish slavery
in the District of Columbia 1t would
be utterly impossible, therefore, that any
such attempt should be made by Congress
without producing On excitement, and IN
yolying consequences, which no patriot
can contemplate without the most painful
emotions. 1t would be regarded by the
slaveholding States as an entering wedge
to scheme of general emancipation, and
therefore, tend to produce the same results
in relation to the Federal Government
and the Union, that would be produced by
the adoption Of any measure directly al
fecting the domestic institutions of the
States themselves. Your committee will
not dwell upon the picture that is thus
presented to their minds. The reflection
it excites is one of .unmingled bitterness
and horror. it is one, they trust, which is
never to be realized. Looking upon their
beloved country, as it now stands, the en-
w and admiration of the world; contem-
plating, as they do, that unrivalled consti-
tuition, by which a beauteous family OF
confederated States, each Independent in
its own separate sphere, revolve around a
Federal head with all tho harmony and
regularity. of the planetary system; and
knowing, as they do, that under the bene-