Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1839-12-12

II is wholly IN coafict with my notions Of
national policy. Justice and right, for Congress
20 dispose of these lands, by any system OF
laws which, while they sacriiic6the property
at a price much below its value, enhance the
growth and prosperity Of one portion of the
States, At the expense and TO the manifest in
jury Of the rest. l cannot but regard such
system as being in violation OF the sacred
trust under which ,his property was coniided
TO Congress, and 40 better warranted by the
terms OF spirit Of The acts of cession and the
genius Of our confcderacy, than il would be
tor Congress to sccdc the lands 10 the States
in which they are situated, and al once and |
absolutely, TO recognise their exclusive right |
to the property and dominion Of the public do |
inain.''
have felt it to be my duty to state the re-
Aections which have occurred to my mind, i'm
reference to the opinions declared by the lie
gislaturr OF Maine. l submit them to be
Judged and disposed vi, as you may deem most
tit and proper.
A vacancy has occurred in the command of
the second division of the militia by the re-
signation Of Major General William Madison,
which communicate, in order that it may be
filled. II becomes my painful duty also to
inform you of the death of William Daniel, a
Judge of the General Court, elected and as
signed to the eighth circuit and fourth district
of the Superior Courts of Law and Chancery.
In his death the Commonwealth has lost an
able and faithful public officer, and society
one of its most valuable members.
transmit communication from the Adiu-
tant General, accompanied by return of the
Militia for the year lS39-and also Law before
YOU the report of the Visitors # .srhc Virui-
MIA Military lnstitute," lately organized at
the Arsenal, near the town of Lexington, in
Rockbridge county, under an act of the last
session of the General Assembly. You will
be gratlhed to learn, as you will do from the
report, that this school has commenced, under
the most favorable auspices as to its future
usefulness and that nothing is wanting to
carry out the enlightened views of the Levis-
lature but small additional appropriation.
l transmitted to the General Assembly at
its last session the proceedings of the Legis-
lature of Georgia in relation to an unsuccess-
tul demand by the Executive of that State, ,lp-
on the Governor of the State of Maine, for
the surrender Of certain persons CHARGED with
the crime of secretly and feoniously carrying
away slave frcm the State OF Georgia.
UNIFORMED of the particular grounds on
which the demand was disregarded by the
Executive of Maine, supposed that the au-
thority of the State OF Georgia to make such
demand, was of the most ndispntable valid
ity. 1t thought also that the obligation of
compliance, when all the preliminary forms
We're observed was placed beyond controver-
sy by the Constitution of the United States
ventured to indulge and express the hope
and belief that upon these general PROPOSE
tons there could not be any division of opin-
ion any where in the Union, resting rs sup
posed they did, upon the plain terms and un-
deniable intent ofthe Constitution.
regret to have TO communicate t. You that
in these confident expectations find myself
,,nIn uaA 10
which dispels my confident belief that the in
depreciation of the Constitution, deemed bv
Inc so manifest, would be acquiesced in, and
makes 1t necessary Tor us to enquire whether
any, and what means must resort to, for
the purposs of securing the enjoyment of those
rights, and that safety, which the C0nsttu-
ton was supposed to furnish. During nv
absence from the seat of government i'm the
Summer, 4 demand was made upon the Gov
ernor of New York by the Lieutenant Cover
nor Of this Commonwealth, for the surrender
OF three persons. charged by affidavit with
having ieloniously stolen and carried away
from the State of Virginia, a negro slave, the
property of citizen of the Borough of No.
folk, in this State.
These men (being found in the harbour of
New y ork, with the negro alleged to have
been stolen, concealed in the hold of the yes
sci in which he was carried away from the
port of Norfolk were arrested, for the purpose
Of awaiting the demand of the Executive OF
this State, for their surrender in the mode
prescribed by the act OF Congress. The de-
mand was made, and the Governor of New
Work, raising some technical objections of
form which might have been easily obviated,
refused to comply with the demand of the En-
ecutive OF this State upon the broad and I'M
disguised denial Of his obligation to deliver
mp any person charged with felony or crime
in stealing slave.
send herewith the correspondence between
the Executive Of this State and that of New
York upon the subject.
TO remove all possible doubt of the princi-
pies on which the Governor of New York has
refused to perform what | regard, with all
proper respect for his own opinions, as plain
and manifest constitutional duty, will quote
from his letters to the Lieutenant Governor so
much as is necessary to exhibit his conclr-
sions.
He says, ssadmitting the affidavit to be suf-
fcient in form and substance to charge the
defendants with the crime of stealing negro
slave from his master in the State of Virginia
as defined by the laws ofthat State, yet in my
opinion the offence is not within the meaning
Of the Constitution of the United States.
The Executive of New York then admits
that the words employed in the Constitution,
"treason, felony, or other crime. are very com
prehensive''-s.thatc citizens of the State on
which the requisiton is made, are liable to be
surrendered as well as citizens of the State
making the demand-that the Executive up