Southern Argus. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1834-1842, 1839-03-05

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this place safe and secure seat Of Go.
vernnent, and to promote the well.being
of tie inhabitants Of tie District. The
power granted ought to Be Interpreted and
exercised solely 70 the end for which It
was granted. The language Of The grant
was necessarily broad, comprehensive and
exclusive, because all the exigencies
which might arise to render this a secure
seat Of the General Government, could
not have been foreseefan provided for.
The language may possibly be sufficiently
comprehensive to include power Of abo-
lition, but il would not ell thence follow
that the power could be Fightfully exer-
cised. The case may be resembled to
that Of a plenipotentiary invested with a
plenary power, but who, at the same time,
has positive instructions from his Govern
ment as to the kind Of treaty which he is
to negotiate and conclude. IF be VIC.
lates those instructions, and concludes a
different treaty, his Government Is not
bound by'il. And il the foreign Govern
ment is aware Of the violation, it acts in
bad faith. Or it may be illustrated by an
example drawn from private life. /
am an endorser for my friend on a note
discounted in Bank. He applies to me
to endorse another to renew it, which | do
in blank.-Now, this gives him power to
make any other use Of my note which he
pleases. But If, instead Of applying it to
the intended purpose, he goes to a Bro
ker and sells it, thereby doubling my re.
spOnsibility for him, he commits breach
Of trust, and violation Of the good faith
implied in the whole transaction.
But, Mr.. President, if this reasoning
were as erroneous as believe it to be cor.
rect and conclusive, is the affair of the
liberation of six thousand negro slaves in
this District, disconnected with the three
millions OF slaves in the United States, of
sufficient magnitude to agitate, distract,
and embitter this great Confederaey 7
The next case ia which the petitioners
ask the exercise Of the power Of Congress
relates to slavery in the territory of Fleri-
da.
/ Florida Is the extreme southern portion
/ of the United States. It is bounded on
all its land sides by slave States, and is
several hundred miles from the riearesl
free State. II almost extends within the
tropics, and the nearest important island
to it on thewater side is Cuba, a slave IS
land. q
This simple statement Of its geographi
cal position shodld Of itself decide th'
question. When, by the treaty Of 1915
with Spain, it was ceded to the United
States. slavery existed within it. BY the
terms OF that treaty, the effects and Prop
erty of the inhabitants are secured "a
them, and they aregallowed to remove
and take them away if they think pfopei
to dOsO, without limitation as ioaime. II
it were expedient, therefore, 10 abolish
SiaVeryin it, it could not be done consis.
tenhy with the treaty, without granting &c
the ancient inhabitants reasonable time
to, remove their slaves. B0tfurtheF. By
the compromise which took place on the
passage Of the act for the admission oi
Missouri into the Union, ID the year 1920.
Il was agreed and understood that the line
of SO deg. 80 min. Of north latitude
should mark the boundary between the
free States and the slave States to be crea,
tedin the territories of the United State;
ceded BY the treaty Of louisiana; thost
situated south of it being slave States
and those north Of It free States.4 Blu
Florida issouth of that line, and, conse
quently, according to the spirit of the M
derstanding which prevailed at the peTioC
alluded tos should be slave State. il
may be true that the compromise does moi
in terms embrace Florida, and that 1T !.
mot absolutely binding and obligatory
but all candid and impartial men mus
lRgreestllat il ought not to be disnegardet
without the most weighty consideration
and that nothing could be mora 1depTeca
ted than 10 openanew the bleeding wound
that were happily bound up and healed B,
that compromise. ~ florida istheunly re
manning Territory TO be RdnItted into th
Union with the institution of domesti
slavery, while Wisconsin and Iowa ar
i now nearly ripe for admission without It
/. PasT heinexf instance in which the exer
! cisaof the power Of Congress is solieitet
] is thatof prohibiting what IS denominatel
] sby,fne petitioners the slave trade betweel
J 1.-The States, Or,ias it's described 10 aboli
] tionpetit4ons, the traffic in human being
between the Slafess This exercise of %
. power of Congress Is claimed under tia
clause of the Constitution which invests
] with authority to regulate commerce wit
+! foreign nations, and among the severi
/! States, On ! with tbe. Indian tribes.-Th
{ poWert0 regulate commerce among ID
!. several States, like other powers il d
!. Constitution, has hitherto remained dol
! mani nfespect tOi me interior trade b
|. land between the States. ltlWas q pOUe
!. granted, likeall the other powers of ID
{ General Government, TO secure peac
6 and harmony among the States. HhheE
5 10 L has not been necessafy 70 exercis
8 litg An the eases il which, during -
hpfogrss 81 tims,il may become expedi
{ TENT ioexsTl The general aolhority 70 regg
s Hate commerce between the States cannC
+ h oanGeived We may easily iHaginl
!. h0we1srs coniing encies which Il tne
wers 10 happen. might fequine ihe ipisl
q fp0silo OF the common authority,
5 lcfexaulples he tate Of Ohio were,
9 Law. Is prob any vessel from enterln
q BE pom q cinc;ppall ffom tne pprI
3 .ouRil 81 eplpc 81, 4 that case
j. not already pr09idPd fer - t8s aF
Is which re eur cQaslipg trades
sf mou e cpnelsnt ~ the 6enel e
s g eppn re pEQhiPiiioR eIqPt
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