Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1837-07-21

o'a'e can, whenever she chooses. alienat.
poruon OF her territory and transfer il. to-
geiher with her citizens, and their .unalien
aoie rights. to foreign government "a
doctrine as absurd and iyrannical as was ev
Les supported BY che m6ss dsspo,ic priree IN
ancient or modcrn daysl Il was as necessa.
~ that the people OF the District of Colum
bia should give their consent TO this transfer
as It was that the respective States to " bieb
they originally belonged should give theirs
we nnd.ln accordance with this Fundamental
republican principle. that it was stipulated in
Inc deed OF cession. that the citizens of said
territory should continue to enjoy all the
i'gnts and immunities to which other CHI.
gems are entitled, under the Constitution OF
Inc United States. Exclusive Legislation.
therefore. over the District, cannot confer on
Congress- the right to exercise power no,
conferred by the Constitution. The cons,;.
tuition defines what powers NAV be exercised
oy 'he general government, g. u declares tina,
al other powers reside in the States or ppo.
pie; consequently, Congress never can legis.
late on any reserved right withou, first OBJ
tanning the consent of those whose interests
would be effected.
This subject is one, know, on which
some OF our abcst lawyers have Differed
and candor requires me to say, that when nv
attention was first called to the subject, |.
though no lawyer. strongly leaned to the
opinion that Congress could righ,fully legis-
late on Slavery. without the consent of The
people OF the District But moments re-
Election convinced me that was mistaken
We have only to ask ourselves this question
VIZ; Who gives Congress any power what.
ever! The States, or the people. But the
people had already adopted, as a fundamental
principle OF government, that mo man shall
be deprived Of his life, liberty, or property.
without due process of law" Exclusive
jurisdiction therefore, over the District can
not be construed so as TO make the people
contradict themselves by seeming to have
yielded up certain rights. which they es.
pressly declare. in their fundamental law,
shall never be surrendered Ii would be a
curious absurdity, indeed, to suppose that an
article or clause which was inserted in the
Constitution merely for the convenience and
better security Of those individuals who were
to administer its functions, should be 80 an.
dcrstood as to destroy some of those funda-
mental republican principles on which tina,
very Constitution resist Congress posses
SEES exclusive jurisdiction also over our Navy.
yards. Arsenais. Forts. &C.. but this exclu-
sive jurisdiction was granted for specified
purpose, and cannot effect the private inter
ests Of any citizen, when such interests do
not Interfere with such specified object.
Then. my dear sir. we shall look in vain
TO the Constitution for any authority to just.
fy Congress in interfering or egislaling on
Slaves or Slavery in the States, or in the Dis.
tIict OF Columbia. How inconsistent and
how useless then is It for your pious and
well-meaning females. and other friends 10
humanity, to continue pouring in petition up
on petition, praying Congress TO do that
which the people have long since declared
Congress shall not do? DO your Abolition
lists wish Congress to violate the Constitu-
ton? DO you wish them to perjure them
srlves2 Would il be safe for Congress to
exercise even doubtful power, when the ex.
ercise Of such power would destroy the
peace and harmony OF the Union, and at
the same time jeopardize the property and
lives of one half Of cur citizens2 There
are thousand benevolent and praiseworty
objects and acts. which come within the circle
of Christian duty, and many Of which really
ought to be accomplished. but they are
things which belong to the respective States
or to the people Of the States But Congress
has no power to do any benevolent or chris
tian acts. except such as naturally or Incl
dentally flow from the Constitutional exer-
else Of those delegated powers enumerated
in the Constitution. Can Congress expend
the peoples money for the purpose of print
ing the Bible? or can they send Missiona-
rics to India? Can they take money out Of
my pocket and distribute il among the poor
and needy in your ncighborhood2 Can
they take the peoples money without their
consent and discharge from prison all the
victims of revenge and malice. who have
been unjustly thrown into your jails for the
crime Of poverty? Can they employ agents
to go from neighborhood to neighborhood
for the purpose OF administering to the needy.
and ITO visit the widows and fatheress 10
their affection? Can they erect mills.
churches and colleges; make roads and ca
mails; establish factories and endow universe
ties in the different States for the ordinary
purposes of commerce. for the improvement,
the convenience,or TIE prosperity OF those va
rious local interests and neighborhoods
which might happen to be beneiil.cd there
by2 No; these and thousand other pow
ers are among the reserved rights Of "the
people of the respective States" Our faith
ers Justly thought that the people could best
manage and regulate their own domestic and
neighborhood affairs in their own way. and
agI eeably to their own notions Of right, or Of