Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1839-05-16

rccpncieHOle WIN the pTnclpleS ~ mummy
and Justice and whereas both his Majesty
and the United States arc deslrous OF con-
li,niug their efforts TO promote It's entire d6o-
HtiOn it is hereby agreed that both the con-
tracing parties shall use their best endeavors
to accomplish so desirable an object"
! The TRAFFIC ~ sLAvEs-not the African
slave trade. This article is "A part Of the
supreme law Of the land. 1t pledges the
United States 10 use their best endcavors to
promote its entire abolition II petitions for
lis ABOLITION between the states are part OF a
plan Of operations set on foot to affect, aud
thus indirectly destroy, the institution Of
slavery within the limits OF the several stules,
what is this article
The next of these sylogistic resolutions is
anoth,r curious compound, the hrst part OF
which is, "That Congress has no right 10 do
that indirectly which 1t cannot do G'rectiy;"l
a position too absurd for serious reiutalon.
The second part of it is, "And that the og'-
faiion or thfsubject of slavery in the District
OF Columbia or the territories, Ms a means and
with the view Of disturbing or over,hrOwlng
tina, institution in the several states, is against
the true spirit and meaning of the conslitu-
ton, an infringement of the rights OF the
states affected, and breach OF the public
federacy."
! The obvious purpor, Of this resolution is
to DO that indirectly which It's trainers could
not do directly. The dncctproposl,ion would
have been that Congress have, by the con
siitulion, no right to abolish slavery iI the
District of Columbia or the territories. But
the Northern men with Southern principles
were not yet quite prepared Tor that ana so,
by laying down as an 0Alom that congress
has 10 right 10 do that indirectly which IL
cannot do directly, and coupling with It an
averment that "thc ogiatlon Of the subject
! OF slavery in the District oi Columbia or ihc
territories, as means and with view OF
disturbing or ovelthrowng that institution IN
the several states affected, is against the true
spiri, and meaning of the constitution, an
inring ement Of the rights OF the states al
fcctcd, and breach of lie public ial'h," the
strancrs ut the guat were brought 10 swal.
low the camel.
This resolution is, by its internal evidence,
n Southern composition, to relieve The Nofth-
ern men who were to vote for 1t from their
scruples of conscience, siralnlng at direct
averment that Congress have no right 10
abolish slavery in the District Of Columbia
or the Territories. But III its wary general
tics, It's loosencss of phrascoIogy, and It's
total want OF precision 1t brought thom to an
assertion far more comprehensvey false
than would have been the dirctt DENIAL OF
the constitutional right Of Congress to abol-
ish slavery in the District or the Territories.
If the first part Of The resolution were true,
the logical conclusion from It would be that
Congress has not, and, .)ortior', that neithci
House of Congress has, the right to refuse tG
read or consider any petition whlch they have
received; because that is indirectly to d6rtdg'
the right Of petition, which the first article @
the amendments to the constitution expressly
f0rhids them to DO drecHy. But If Congress
has the constitutional right to abolish slavery
in the District or The Territories, how Is II
possible that the agitation OF the subject ot
slavery, with whatever purposes or designs.
or as means to whatever end, can be uncon-
stlutonaI Nor does tho resolution even
affirm il to be unconstitutional. The Gg1fd-
ion-by whom? BY petitions? BY Con-
grcss? BY the press? You are eit at loss
10 conjecture. The dg3qiion-of what !?
OF the subject Of slavery IN the District or
Territories? OF the SuLjCci, not OF abolition,
but Of slayery-as a certain means and WIN
a certain rioc--al this the rcsul"tion pro-
nounces unconstitutional No! But against
the true spirit and meaning OF the consiitn'
ton. Sc. breach Of taith, &c. Why all thl'
world of windy citcumloculion but to evad,
the denial of the right of Congress to abolisl
slavery in the District Of Columbia and th'
Territories, and yet affirm that the dgii0'i0'
Of the subject as means and with view t.
something else, Is nal unconstitutional, On
against the tue spirit and meaning OF th'
constitution.
The fourth resolution is another pillar o
the composite order IA two plits:
First. "That the constitution rests on the
broad principle Of equality among the mem
bers OF this confcdcrocy." Equality Of what
The constitution provides that no state. with
out it's consent, shall be deprived OF us equal
suffrage in the Senate; but Delaware aS
member of The couicderacy, has one member
in the House Of Representative, aud Ne"
York, as member Of the conicdcracy, has
forty. Is this upon the broad pruCiple of
equality? In the election Of President OF
the United States, Michigan, as member OF
the confederacy, has three Votes, and Penn
syvania has thirty. What sort OF an eqlaliy
is that ? The Constitution was on the broad
principle Of equality among mon as members
Of this Union; but # the lrumcrs of iGIs rcso'
luton were to inquire, equality OF what? they
might be puzzled to Gud an answer IN The
institutions Of one portion of the states"
Secondly. "Aud that Congress, IN the
exercise Of Its acknowledged powers, has no
night to discriminate between the institutions
of one portion OF the states and another, Will
view OF abolIshlng the one aud Promoting
the other"
There are III the constitution Of the Untct
States many things which al the states ar,
expressly ntcldlcted from doing; some II
an unqualified manner, others without tn,
consent Of Congress. Suppose one state o.
one portion of the states should have, or u
the exercise oftheir sovereign powers shoul'
adopt, institutions directly III the face OF thos'
prohibitions; would Congress, in the exercise
Of its acknowledged powers, have no right Il
discriminate between these unconstltutlona
institutions and the constitutional institutions
OF the other states, with view 10 abolish tn
one and TO promote the other?
put no imaginary case. The SECOND
section Of the fourth article of the consliiu
ton declares that "thc citizens of each state
shall be entitled to all privileges aud imnl"
mites Of citizens Of the several states. -
Among the petitions presented by INC hn'
by others ut the recent session oi u onsrcts
which were roceired but, under the gther"
order, neither read, printed, dchtlcd, ho'
considered. there were several rom P'''.