Cheraw gazette and Pee Dee farmer. [volume] (Cheraw S.C.) 1838-1839, 1839-04-12

ior Maryland and Virginia to have eXer-
cised PRIOR 10 making the cession. The
"excusive powers s.o zsla.ioa," therefore,
posses el by Congress over the "tcn miles
square," are Of the kind which were never
delegated 10 the General Government, but
reserved TO the States. TO say that the
power of"exclusire Legislation" confsrre |
upon Congress by the 18Th article of the
S.h section Of the constitution, embraced
any Of the general powers contained in any
oflbe fifteen preceding articles of the 9th
section, would be to charge the trainers Of
the constitution with granting a repetition
ofpowersby distinct articles. This is not to
be presumed. Neither is i, 10 be presumed
that the lramerx of Ilie constitution, con-
ferred upon Congress Federal powers con.
current viii. existing State powers. No,
sir; the fiamsrs ofthe American constitu
ton, as wise and patriotic men, conferred no
powers upon Congress that wers calculated
to be.et strife and contention, and instead
ofpromotiDg. mar the harmony which ever
ought 10 subsist between the Nalipnal and
State Governments. And equally wise
and cautious were they in combining the
federal and local or State powers in such
manner as tha, Congress, in discharging the
double functions of a Federal and State
legislature, should not confound, nor pro.
duce collision between these powers or
functions. Thus Congress, | repeat, as
tae General or Federal Legislature, exer.
else t,e general powers delegated by the
States; and as local or Sale Legislature.
exercise, from time TO time, the reserved
and undelcgatcd powers pertaining to 'he
States. In the former capacity. Congress
may declare war, or make peace, "coIn
money and regulate the value thereof" &C.,
but cannot legislato with regard to the TO-
cal wants and Interests Of this District.
But in the latter capacity, Congress may
incorporate companies, build bridges,
open strects-in word. supply the wa is
and meet the. exigencies of lhe District,
precisely in the same manner That Safe
Legislature may do with regard 10 State.
And the laws passed by Congress in this
State CT local capacity, are necessarily
limited in their operation to the District o'
Columbia, precisely as State law is con.
fined in its operation to the State limits. II
the laws passed by Congress in their local
legislative capacity had The effect of United
States laws, the banks ofthis District would
be United States banks, and the insurance
companies United States insurance com.
pnHcs.
The District of Columbia is, in I'LL res
poets, whether as sovereignty or as a
community, Us much independent OF The
Federal Legislature, when aclIns in their
federal capacity, as are Georgia and North
Carolina. or as those States are Of each
other. The Federal Legislature, therefore,
as such, possess no more power over the
subject within the limits of this District, than
they do ever that subjee, within The limits
of those States. Consequently Congress
are no more bound to receive pei ions from
the c.,izers of the States praying for the
abolition Of slavery in the District ofColum:
bia, than the Legislature OLA sovereign and
independent State would be bound to re-
ceiv. petitions from the citizens Of the Dis
trio, of Columbia, touching the domestic
interests and Internal police of such State.
Hence the popular falIacy with regard 10
the right Of petition. The question is no!
as 10 the right ofpeli,ion, but as to the DIS.
linallon or direction which petitions should
take. Admitting ,:,at the citizens of a Safe
have right to petition their Legislature,
touching any subject Of grievance, over
which :he Legislature may have jurisdIc-
lion 1; and that the citizens Of the U. ).
have also right 10 petition the Federal
Legislature on all subjects ola federal Guar.
acter does it follow, therefore, that tho cl'I'
zens Of one State have right to pe'i.lon
the Legislature of another State, concern.
ing ito domes ic Institutions and interna!
poIice2 Or, that citizens of the UnreI
States nave Il right to petition the Federal
Legislature on a subject that is not fcderal'
but strictly local in its character, and WI II
which the petitioners have no right to in'er'
NEEDLE? Certainly not. And as the c''i'
Zens Of Vermont or Connecticut, tor exam
pie, have no more right TO interfere win ''e
domestic institutions Of this District t'an
they have with The domestic institutions OF
the State of MARYLAND or Of Virginia, winch
is ius, none at all-hey might, with the
s,me nrour;etv r.ti,ion the Legislature Of
,hose STATES to abolish slavery within their
limits, as to petition the local Legislature Of of
this District to abolish slavery within Its
limits. And as it would rot, and ought no''
10 be considered denial Of the rig sh' OF Pc
ti,on on the part of,he Legislature Of eth
er OF those States to reject such petitions,
Of Of such "st right Ju'o 70, congfsss. the local Legs.
lalure of the District Of Columbia taao II
nsss has been en- air already shown that it is only in
this local capacity that Congress c'n have