Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1839-02-22

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and both have been injured, in particular
| iocn'liles, ny the accession or abstraction
of abolition support. II the account were
fairly stated, believe the party to which
| am opposed has prof'ed much more, and
been injured much less than that to which
! belong. But am far. for that reason.
from beng disposed to accuse our adver.
sarics of beng abol,t,onis,s.
And, now, Mr.. President. allow me to
consider the several cases in which the
authority of Congress is invoked by these
abolition petitioners upon the subject of
domestic slavery. The first relates to it
ns It exists IN the District Of Columoia.-
The to'l"w'ngis the provision of the con.
stitntlon o. tho United States in reference
to :ha, matter:
"Tu exercise exclusive legislation in oil
| cases whatsoever over such D,s,tic, fnn,
exceeding. ten miles square, os may by
cessIon OF PARTICULAR states, and the &C.
cpp,nncn * Congress, become the seat Of
Government OF The United States"
I"'s provision preceded, in polnt Of time,
| the ac'ua' cess'nns which we're made by
The states OF Maryland aud Virginia. The
object of The Cess'on was 10 establish n seal
y Gouernment Of The United States: and The
grant N the constitution of exclusive lecis.
'a''on must be understood, and should be
| always interpreted, as having relation TO
the object of the .cssion. II was with
fh'I knowledge o! his cause in the const.
tuition hat those two states ceded 20 the
General GDvernmtnt the ten miles sonrps.
constituting the District of Columbia. In
pps
was 10 De applied, and applied sol ely, to
the purposes Of seat Of Government, for
which 1t was ask d. When It was made,
slavery existed IN both those common
wea''hs. and IN the cedcd territory. as ii
now continues TO exist 10 all of ,hem.-
Neither Maryland nor Virginia could have
anticipated that. whilst the institution re.
NAMED within their respective limits, i,s
abolition would BE- attempted BY Congress
without their consent. Neither of them
would probably have made an unconditional
ces>'on, II they could have anticipated such
a result.
From the nature Of the provision in the
constitution, and the avowed object of me
acqni-i'im of the territory, two duties
arse on the part OF Congress. The f-s, is.
10 render The District available, comfor,a
Die. ana Convenient. AZ q seat of Govern
mon; OF the whole Unon; the other is, to
govern the people within the district so AZ
best 10 promote their happiness and prosper.
ny Ties" objects arc totally ds'ln 10
'ne'F nature ana. IN interpreting and exer
cs'"g the grant Of the power Of exclusive
glslolionJthat distinction should be con.
SANITY bone IN mind. Ia it NECESSARY, IN
} order to render this place a comfortable
seat OF the General Government, to abolish
I slavery ", nm its limits, M one can or
will advance such proposition. The GOV
eminent has remained here near forty yea s
without the slightest Inconvenience from
the presence Of domestic slavery. IL is
necessary TO The well being of the people
OF The District that slavery should be abol.
'shcd from amongst ,bem' They not only
eI'her ask nor desire, but are amnst undn
! 'mnuSy opposed to it. II exists here 10 The
'h'lde-t and most mliiga,ed form. In a
population Of 80 834 there were. at the Lac,
nnnmera'ion OF the population Of the Uni
ted States. but iI9 slaves. The number
ha1 not probably much increased SINCE
| Fhny are dispersed over the ten miles
tqnare, engaged in the quiet pursuits OF
husbandry. or 10 mpnIal offices Of domestic
life. 1t 1t were necessary to the efficiency
Of this place as a seat Of the GeOeraI Cow
" denied, the abolition should be confined
to the necessity which prompts It, that Is.
TO The limits Of the CITY of Washington 1t.
self. Beyond those limits. persons con
cerned ia the Government Of the United
Safes. have no more to d, with the lnhabi
ans Of the DISTRICT. than they have wrh
III" adjacent countries OF Maryland and
Virginia which lie yund The District.
To abolish slavery WITHIN The District o.
Colombia whilst !; remains in Virginia
aud MARYLAND. situated. As that District Is,
within the very heart of those States, would
expose them to great practical inconven.
fence and annoyance. The District would
become place Of refuge and escape for
} fugitive slaves from the two States. and a
place from which spirit of dlscon'ent. IN
subordlnaI,on, and nsurectlon might be
, fns'ered aud encouraged IN The two States.
. Suppose. a. was at one time under cons,d.
Grafton. Pennsylvania had granted ten
miles square WITHIN its limits for the pur.
? pose Of seat of the General Government
! could Congress, without a violation OF gooC
, faith. have introduced and es abllshet
? slavery within the bosom of that Common
wealth, in The coded territory. after she hnc
f abolished it so long ago as the year 1882
2 Yet The inconv snlence TO Pennsylvania "
{ the case supposed would have been mucl
less than that to Virginia aud Maryland it
Y the cases we are arguing.
e II was upon this view of the subject tia
8 he Senate N IT'S last session, so,,en,nlv de
2 cared that it would be violation of i'm
e pl,ed faith. resulting from the ransactlo,
b Of the cesson to abolish slavery within tn
n District of Columbia. And would It no
n be, BY Implied faith is meant that whe
g gran, Is made for one avowed and decar
= ed purpose. known to The parties, the gran