Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1836-04-12
Cougrc~-is1a, Debates.
MIR. SHADES SPEFciI.

Assin--ihe grn,lcmsn ffom virgiais savs the
local legislature Of tbs. District cannot enter int,
any treaty, alliance or confederation grant letter,
ct matqUe and refusal ron money" &c and in
icfs. n undersis nd bm iba, beeans. this di.ab,l
~ results. a. he suppos's, by implication from the
inhibition 10 the states OF the exercise of these
I powers therefore the assumed disability of Con.
gross to sbul-h slavery ,uc the slave trade in thu,
District. may. IN Ike manner result from II.
wait OF power 10 put ~ end To these evils in the
StIies.
; The whole Of this argument rests on a false
snpposIiinn with regard h the source Of the ina
b'lity OF Congress as aLegisaiure for this DIS.
trlc, To make treailec gunt letters of msroue aud
coin money aud fals To the ground when !, j.
perceived that that inability results not fon the in
h'btion TO the states Of tn exercise Of such power,
but from their utter ineont'epcy with both the
purposes for which the power to lcgislute over
District was granted, aud the relation which the
District evidently bears to tie Union.
The gentleman from Virginia next proceeds TO
lay down the following general rules TO restrain
lcgslation over this Dltnci;
/. That nothing shich Congress is expressly
prohibited by the Constitution from doing as
"Naiional Legislc,ure, can II do as local Legisla-
"iure for the District If Colombia
.. THAT sn the duties aud obligations which
"the States bound by the Constitution to dis
"charge aud observe, from one to the other, the
District of Columbia, or It's Legislature, Is bound
"to discharge and observe towards the States, re-
''spectisely."
3. "That The Local Legislature of the Dis,ric,
"of Columbia can do no act or pass no law, which
the States prohibited from doing or passing
"by the Constitution"
And how let it be asked, do these rules nf;,ct
the present question: No express prohibition TO
legislate on the subject If State Slavery is found
IN The Constitution unless it be in the amendment
which provides that 'the powers not delegated TO
the United States by the Constitution. nor probib
ned by 1t to the states, ire reserved to the States
respectfully, or to the people, But if Congress
cannot legisate on the Subject OF slavery in this
District, because the rgh to legislste upon it in
The Sta .es is reserved Il the States" how is il
TO legisate for the District at all! The subjects
OF every day Legislation for the District are sub
Jects upon which Congress has no powor to legslae
Tor The States, aud are, therefore, according to the
gentleman's argument, subjects on which it has no
right to legsla,e here
tins subject Are tho States bound by their
"dutles and obligations" towards each other to re-
fran from abolishng Slavery and the Slave trade
within their respective limits a! Nobody pretends
this.
Many States have done it; ant many more NAV
yet do it, for any thing that can be found to the
contrary III ihe Constitution. And can any
greater evil result to any of the Slave States from
the exercise of power by Congress- to abolish
slavery und the Slave trndc within the limits of
this District, than would result fom The exercise
by the States of their admitted ppwer of doing the
same thing within their limits May not Mari
land, for example, if she chose,, put an eud To
these evils within her limits ? And would not the
exercise of the power be dangerous to the peace
of the South; wonlo be the exercise of the
same power by Congress in regard to this Dis
trIci
And has the genlemans third role more ap- |
proprate application To the preset question than !
either OF the others TO what purpose, IN refer |
ence to this Argument is 1t to "a that Congress
Gun pass no law reetcnce to tbs District which
the States prohibited IRON pa nng Are the
States rr'h,hileI from passing avs ajushlny
"iove,r aad ie save trade ai,ua ;pe.i Respective
hnrtl
Tn. gentleman from Virginia s,ys. the C5u,u- !
tuiTn declares that "pfivair prrrrtv -h1ii not bn
taken for public u-c; war-a' So c.1pcasation." ,
Surprising this tnhite any arp,,Il'.n to the pre-
sen, caselt only involves 60" inquiry whether slaves
can be rghudliy enhnc pate! hy Legislative nu-
Ibonty. without pro.IiiHg IIst compensation To
their masters. THIS touches question which | |
will not now discuss, namely: what Is the founda
icu of the right Ia the slave, wldch Is rtId To- be
vested IN the masterP Congress, however are
not asked to take private property for public use;
but fee tie nntcau the unnatural condition
of beng the property Of another 10 the end not
hat he may become the property of the public,
bot the proprietor of himself Bat thls is not all
We called on 10 do. We are asked 10 prohb.
1t men from making merchandise Of their fellow
men; from bylng and ao.hng them 10 get gain
DO gentlemen talk of a compensation 10 the slave
moachant Tor the loss Of such priviiegei DO
they even touch the subject of the Slave trade
within this District Dare they don't Are there
any vested rights in The way Of Legislation on this
subject l. there any question about conpen.a.
ton involved an linatioa growing out of 'lhe
nature Of society, snd Of government. 10 which
tie gentleman from Virginia refers ANY express
or implied infringement Of the rghls Of the S,atesl
any kind of an obstacle 10 short. but the want Of
q will IN those w1o have tie power to put down
;hls abomnabie traffic
Having thos attempted TO show that the power
Of Congress to legslate on the subject of these
petitions, is obviously included 10 the power TO
exercise exclusive legislation ~ all cases whatso-