True American. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1835-18??, 1839-03-08
This provision preceded, in point oftime

This provision preceded, in point of time
the actual cessions which were made bv the
States of Maryland and Virginia. Tie OF
iect of the cession was to establish u sea,
of Government 9fMe United States; and the
grant in the Constitution of exclusive lie gis.
lation must be understood, and should be
always interpreted, as having relation to
the object of the cession. 1t was with a
full knowledge ofthis clause in the Con-
stitution that those two States coded to the
General Government the ten miles square,
constituting the District of Columbia. In
making the cession, they supposed that it
was to be applied, and applied solely, to
the purposes of seat of Government, for
which it was asked. When it was made,
slavery existed in both those Common
wealths, and in the coded territory, as it
now continues to exist in all ofthem. Mel
thcr Maryland nor Virginia could have an
ticipated that, whilst the institution remain
ed within their respective limits, its abo.
lltion would be attempted by Congress
without their consent. Neither Of them
would probably have made an uncondtion-
al cession, if they could have anticipated
such result.
From the nature of the provision in the
Constitution, and the avowed object of the
acquisition of the territory, two duties arise
on the part of Congress. The first is, to
render the District available, comfortable
and convenient, as a scat of Government Of
the whole Union; the other is, to govern
the people within the District so as best to
promote their happiness and prosperity
These objects are totally distinct in their
nature, and, in interpreting and exercising
the grant of the power of exclusive legi3la-
ton, that distinction should be constantly
borne in mind Is it necessary, in order to
render this place comfortable seat of the
General Government, to abolish slavery
within its limits No one can or will adj
vance such proposition. The Govern
mcnt has remained here near forty years
without the slightest inconvenience from
the presence of domestic slavery. Is it ne
cessary to the well being of the people of
the District that slavery should be abolished
from amongst them They not only ne-
Their ask nor desire, but are almost unani-
mously opposed to it. 1t exists here in the
mlldest and most mitigated form In po-
pulatlon of 1884 there were, at the last
enumeration ofthe population of the United
States, but Clio slaves. The number has
not probably much increased since They
are dispersed over the ten miles square, en-
gagged in the quiet pursuits of h,lsbandry,
or In mental offices in domestic life If it
We're necessary to the efficiency of this
place as a seat of the General Government
to abolish slavery, which is utterly denied,
the abolition should be confined to the ne
cessity which prompts it, that is, to the linn
its of the city of Washington itself Be-
yond those limits, persons concerned in the |
Government of the United States have no
more to do with the inhabitants of the Dis
trict than they have with the inhabitants of
the adjacent counties of Maryland and Vir-
ginia which lie beyond the District
To abolish slavery within the District of
Columbia, whilst if remains in Virginia and
Maryland, situated, as that District is, with
ia the very heart of those states, would ex-
and annoyance. The District would be-
come place of refuge and escape for fugi- |
tive slaves from the two States, and place
from which spirit of discomfort, insubor-
dmation, and insurrcclion, might be ttstcred
and encouraged in the two States. Sup
pose as was at one time under considera-
ton, Pennsylvania had granted ten miles
square within its limits for the purpose of
as eat Of the General Government could |
Congress, without violati on of good faith, |
have introduced and established slavery
within the bosom of that Commonwealth
III the coded territory after she had abol-
ishcd it so long ago as the year 1880 Yet
the Inconvenience to PENNSYLVANIA in the
case supposed, would have been much less
than that to Virginia and Maryland in the
case we are arguing
1t was upon this view of the subject that
the Senate, at its last session, solemnly de-,
clared that it would be violation of implied
faith, resulting from the transaction of the
cession, to abolish slavery within the Dis
trict of Columbia. And would it not be
BY implied faith is meant that when grant
is made for one avowcd and declared pur-
pose, known to the parties, the grant should |
not be perverted to another purpose, una
vowed and undcclared, and inuri Gus to the
grantor The grant, in the case we are
considering, of the territory of Columbia,
was Tor seat Of Government Whatever
power is necessary to accomplish that OBJ
ject is carried along by the grant. But the
abolition of slavery is not necessary to the
enjoyment of this site as a seat ofthc Gene
raj Government. The grant in the Consti-
tuition, of exclusive power of legislation
over the District, was made to ensure the
exercise ofan exclusive authority of the Gc-
neral Government to render this place n
safe and secure seat of Government, and to
promote the wcll-bcing of the inhabitants of
the District. The power granted ought to
be interpreted and exercised solely to the
end torwhich it was granted. The language
OF the grant was necessarily broad comprc-
hensive, and exclusive, because all the ext
gencies which might arise to render this n
secure seat of the General Government
could not have been foreseen and provided
Tor. The language may possibly be suffi-
clently comprehensive to include power
OF aboliti on, but it would not at all thence
follow that the power could be rightfully
exercised. The case may be resembled to
that OF plcnipotcntiary invested with
plenary power but who, at the same time. I
has positive instructions from his Govern
ment as to the kind of treaty he is to neeo-
tlate and conclude. Ifhc violates those in
structions, and concludes different treaty
his Government is not bound by it. And if
the foreign Government is aware of the vi
olation, it acts in bad faith Or it NAV be
illustrated by an example drawn from nr;-