Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1838-12-20

to rake their families The loss cannot be estimated.
Comparatively it is greater than that which result
ed from the fires in New York and Charleston"
We suggest whether steps should not be
Immediately adopted for the relief of the sufferers,
deprived other homes, and perhaps OF the means
of procurne Others at this nclemen, Of the
wear Should send them Christmas GYt!
We throw the suggestion and hope will be act
ed upon
| THE ANTIABOLITION RESOLUTIONS.
The Washington correspondent the Baltimore
Patriot, whose interesting sketch of the proceed
ings Of the House of Representatives on the 18th
inst. copy, not having room for the more e.
labolate reports Of the Washington papers, distinct
ly charges that the sudden and unanticpated
movement in that House. the Slavery question,
is the result of 4" coalition" between certain North
ern aud Southern members Of that body,-he for
mer agreeing, "for consideration" to support
these resolutions, on condition that the latter will
support the Sub-Treasury bill, Invested Of Mr..
Calhoun's iavorlte Specie cause-a feature depriv-
ed of which that distinguished Senator at the last
session declared 1t be +" solemn farce and even
more Objectionable than National Bank, while his
friend, Mr.. Pickens, in the other House, ridlcued
it an cunuch, emasculated and stripped OF It's
vital energy. The course Of these gentlemen and
their friends the SubTreasury Bill, which the
Alexandria Gazette tells has been determined in
Of the party, again to press at the present
session. will determine the truth the fasty Of this
alleged bargain AID intrigue" And il the allega-
ton shall be corroboiated, in what ludicrous pre-
dlcament will the South Carolina Senator and his
friends be placed Yet, doubt not Mr.. Cal
houn's ability TO demonstrate at least 10 his
satisfaction and that of his friends, that " Giro umstan-
cess having changed, he will be entirely consistent
in changing his position; and that, although he
may sustain scheme in 1899, which he ridculed
aud spurned in 1888, he will still be the sun of the
political armament, fixed aud inmovabe, all the
while, upon the broad ground Of principle and pat
rotism Or, probably he and his associates in this
bargain may tel! TIE South that he has purchased its
safety from farther annoyance, by exchanging the
hard money clause of the Sub Treasury scheme for
this seeming recognition Of then rights , Well
let us look into the matter lItte.
We assert, in the first place, that the rights of the
South plainly set forth and carefully shielded
from aggression, far as paper detenees can eff
feet this object, in the federal constitutions lfthat
sacred instrument be Inefficient TO this, one
the great objects oits institution ask with all
Difference, if there be any greater virtue in Congress
sional resolutions, which, TO say the of them,
can only bind the immediate parties to them-which
expire with the official existence ofhc men who a
dept them-and the only dlect effect of which, be-
ing recognition OF the right Of Congress egis
late negatively on the subject, furnish an
argument TO those who claim the right TO egislate
upon it affrmavely also. But give them all their
fofce and they amount simply to declaration OF the
opinions oil the present Congress- and cannot nlu-
enee their successors in the slightest degree Even,
therefore, iithey assumed the highest ground which
the most ultra pro-slavery man at the South might
desire they would be practically worthless. How
worse than worthless they, therefore, when in
ruth they fall Ear short OF the Southern doctrine
and, by negative pregnant" Gen. Waddy
Thompson observed. seem to admit the abstract
right Of Congress to abolish slavery the District of
Columbia! At first view, this may seem, to the
cursory and superficial reader, to be a forced CON
suuclion OF these resolutions but if they are read
auentively it will be that if it is not the only
legitimate meaning of which they susceptible,
they do in effect maintain this doctrine
The third resolution Of the series declares, :" that
the agitation of the subject of slavery in the Dis
trct of Columbia, or the Territories, as a MEANS
and aeih a riep of disturbing oyerlhrowlng that
| institution 10 the several States, is against the
spirit and meaning of the constitutions" &c.
In this phrase concealed the subtle poison which
escapes the superficial reader Bold as this resolu-
ton seems, ii goes farther than the Abolition
ISIS themselves, in the general do most Of whom,
if not all, admit hat they have right touch the
question of Slavery in the several States and affirm
that in their efforts procure its abolition in the Dis
ct and in the Territories, they have Interior pu
poses to accomplishing design to attack the rights
to endanger the safety of the States We ask
now, what is the conclusion, when this resolution of
Congress and these disclaimers of the Fanatics are
considered in connection with each other
Congress asserts that it has no right to interfere
with Slavery in the District or in the Territories
g as means and with view Of over,hrowing that
Institution in the States" Inttrence-il has the
right, when no such purpose is ayowed or conten-
plated.
The Aboitionlsts, in petitionng for the abolition
OF Slavery in the District and the Territories, dis
claim all intention of doing so, as means. and
with view OF Overlooking that institution in the
several States ERGO Cong ress has the rio h, IN >,