The Rodney telegraph. (Rodney, Miss.) 1838-1840, 1839-03-16

our system would be infinitely greater than
any which does, | hope, actually exist
Whilst neither party can be, think, justly
accused of any abolition tendency or pur-
pose, both have profted, and both have been
injured in particular localities, by the access
sion or abstraction of abolition support. If
the account were fairly stated, believe the
party to which l am opposed has profited
much more, and been inj.red much less
than that to which belong But / am far,
for that reason, from being disposed to ac-
cuse our adversaries of being abolitionists.
Andnow, Mr.. President, allow me to con.
slider the several cases in which the author.
ity of Congress is invoked by these aboli-
ton petitioners upon the subject Of domestic
slavery. The first relates to it as it exists
in the District Of Columbia. The following
is the provision of the Constitution of tho
/ United States in reference to that matter:
| "TO exercise exclusive legislation in all
cases whatsoever over such District mot
exceeding ten miles square) as may by ces-
sion Of particular States, and the accep
lance Of Congress, become the seat of Co
vernment of the United States"
This provision preceded, in point of time,
the actcAl cessions which were made by the
States of Maryland and Virginia. The 90
ject of the cession was to establish a Seat Of
| Government Of the United States; and the
grant in the Constitution of exclusive le
gislation must be understood, and should al.
ways be interpreted, as having relation to
the object of the cession. 1t was with full
knowledge Of this clause in the Constitution
those two States coded to the General Co
verrment the ten miles square, constituting
: the District Of Columbia. In making the
cession, they supposed that it was to be APP
piled and applied solely, to the purposes ola
seat Of Government for which it was asked.
When it was made, slavery existed in both
those commonweal hs, and in the coded ter
: ritory, as it now continues 10 exist in all Of
them. Neither Maryland nor Virginia could
have anticipat: ID that, whilst the institution
o remained within their respective limits, its
. abolition would be attempted by Congress
: without their consent. Neither of them
would probably have made an unconditional
u cession, if hey could have anticipated such
> result.
From the nature of the provision in the
constitution, and the avowed object Of the
Il acquisition of the territory, two duties arse
~ on the part of Congress. The first is, to
e render the District available, comfortable
and convenient as seat of Government OF
a the whole Union; the other is, to govern
r the people within the District SO as best to
l. promote their happiness and prosperiiy.-
IS These objects are totally distinct in their ma
+ ture, and, in interpreting and exercising tho
s. grant of the power of exclusive legislation,
; that distinction should be constantly borne
/, in mind. Is it necessary, in order 10 render
al. l. e al IL
e Government, to abolish slavery within 3
e limits? No one can or will advance such a
i proposition. The Government has remained
: here nearly forty years without the siishtes
|, inconvenience from the presence OF domes
j. tic slavery. Is it necessary to the well he
/ ing of the District that slavery should be
y abolished from amongst them? They not
'r only neither ask nor desire, but are almost
: unanimously opposed to it.
l. 1t exists here in the understand most mi
e tisated form. In population of 80, S3f
. there were at the last enumeration OF the
81 population of the United States, but GIG
"a slaves. The number has not probably much
10 increased since. They are dispersed over
: the ten miles square, engaged in the quiet
;" pursuits of husbandry, or in mental offces
III in domestic life. fit were necessary to the
H. efficiency of this place as scat OF the Gen
~ eral Government to abolish slarery, which
u Is utterly denied, the abolition should be con-
80 fined to the necessity which prompts It, that
:, is. to the limits of the City Of Washington
% itself. Beyond these limits, persons IN the
y Government Of the United States have no
IS more to do with the inhabitants OF the Dis
0, trict than thew have with the inhabitants OF
u the adjacent counties Of Maryland and VIZ
d GINA which lie beyond the District.
u To abolish slavery within the Districa OF
y Columbia. whilst it remains in Virginia and
y, MARYLAND, situated, as that District IS, With
q in the very heart Of those States, would ex-
II pose them to great practical Inconvenience
~ and annoy ance. The District would become
{ a place Of refuge and escape for fugsuve
slaves from the two States, and place IRON
'e which a spirit of discomfort, insubord'natlon'
and instruction might be fostered ana en-
couraeed n the :wo States. suppose as
: wa, ut one time under consideration, rem
. sylyania had granted ten miles square WITH
70 in its limits for the purpose of seat OF the
81 General Government; could Congress, with
: out violation Of good faith, have ,ntrodu
= ced and established slavery within the &c
= y som of that Commonw eal,h, in the cede6
= territory. after she had abolished it SO long
e ago as the year l7S0f Yet the inconven.
fence to Pennsylvania in the case Supposed
!. would have been much less than that to var
;. ginia and Maryland in the case We are al-