The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1840-04-09

without the United States. The Petition
was referred to the Committee of Ways
aud Means"
! Extract from this Petition.
"And as we view with deep regret
the prevailing spirit of oppression, which
abounds in our land, the practice of Slavery
which is held up, in some Of the States,
and the rapid increase o.! the black pOpua
ton generally, in the Slave States, we feel
depressed with gloomy torebodings, and de.
precaie the probable consequences which
may result, if the trade in human beings,
and the practice of Slavery is persisted in
by those States; ii this sin of oppression, If
lh,s great national evil is not counteracted
By legislative enactmen,s. Therefore the
Society take the liberty to solicit your at
,ention TO the several points mentioned IN
this memorial.
That your honorable body may take
the subject of Slavery as it exists in these
States into serious consideration and pre-.
scribe some way, whereby they may divest
themselves Of the evils attendant on Slavery,
and the internal slave trade, which is kept
up among number of the slave States.
\ Although we are sensible that the
States have retained certain rights, yet II
is also true that Congress has Coustltu
tional power 10 provide for the common
defence, and general welfare Of the United
States We therefore believe it ought TO
become a national concern. And as the
welfare Of the States is involved in II, We
submit 10 your consideration the proPrlety
Of prohibiting the traffic IN slaves from one
State TO another, under any pretence what
ever
I Such were the statements and prayers oil
/ the Petitions; asking more than modern
Abolition Petitions pretend TO ask not only
that Congress should prohibit the Internal
! Traffic, but under that clause of the Con.
s,itulion which authorizes preceding for the
general ceIfare, that Congress should adopt
some plan to get rid Of Slavery IN the Uni
ted States Aud ye. these petitions were,
by an eminent constitutional Ldryer and
Statesman Of North Carolina, presented to
the House, and on his motion duly referred
to appropriate Committees
THIS act Of Romulus NJ. Saunders, man
vho stands high in North Carolina, and
who Is since Judge of the Superior Court
OF that State, remains as an everlasting re
buke to Senator from free State, Who
lately refused to presen, like petitions of
his constituents and furnishes an example
worthy Of the imitation OF his successors.-
He had mol learned that the reception and
reference Of petitions was violation Of the
Constitution, or a breach of any Implied
pledges between the States Throks y
Judge Saunders. North Carolina herself
furnishes a most triumphant vIDdlcatlon oi
the course Of Northern AboliIonisis, and
The Representatives who insist upon the
right to present and refer their petitions
How many other similar cases could be
found do not know, but have little doubt,
that ia one way or another, nearly every
slave State has committed itself IN favor Of
the right Of petition on the subject OF Slave.
ry, the evil and sin Of the practice and prin
ciple, and the right of Congress TO regulate
and prohib, the Internal Traffic, as well as
slavery itself in the District aud Territories.
And yet, at tins late day, v hen Messrs. Cost
johnson aud Edward Siauly, for political
aud party purposes, set up pretence against
the constitutional right 10 receive sud ACT
upon similar petitions, there are men found
who really seem TO oppose them 10 earnest,
and that Carolina should stand upon her
reserved rights in this matterl Let such
remember the North Carolina Manumission
Society, lis Petitions, aud Judge Saunders
reception and presentrneni oflhem, aud calm
their fears"
/ Ailer reading this extract, We should
! think that the conclusion arrived at by the
Van Buren, party IN this State would be, that
Il is not good policy for them to be eler
nally harpIDg 90 Abolition Ii is a poor
compliment TO the intelligence Of the PEG
pie, TO say the least, 10 suppose that they
can be made TO believe that one man Is an
Abollhonist, because be has said or done
certain things, and that another Is entirely
guthieSs, who has done the same, or infinite
" more cuIpable acts. Such elimination
and recrmlnailon lmparis bl,terer tone To
the political contest going on, aud il would
be wise to avoid II, but do the opponents OF
Mr.. Morehead and Cen Harrison suppose,
that their friends, with such material TO 70
on, vii be silent witnesses of the efTrontery,
with which they SANDER some Of the puresl
men Of the day If they do, they are most
egregiously mistaken. 1.-THE war, however,
is TO be carried (literalIy) into Africa, We
say, IN the language of a hackoed quoyuton
from all eminent Poet
"Lay on Mac DUFF
From The Hadisonidn.
FROM ALABAMA
Extract OF q letter from Lowndes county, Ala
=