Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1841-01-28

Hon. RICHARD Nj. JOHNSON.
SENATE CHAMBER OF THE L. s.

ceived, enclosing petition, signed by your
self and thirty-seven others, asking Congress
ITO take ali constitutional and proper means
Tor SO amending the laws, or the Constitution
OF the Union, as to abolish all rcquisi,ion up
on the people and public officers of the nation
and of this State (Pennsylvania) to aid and
assist or participate in holding human beings
IN Slavery" which petition-you request INC 10
present to the Senate.
suppose you are aware that have given
publicity to my refusal to present any petit
lion TO the Senate touching the subject of do
mestic slavery, either in the States or in the
District oil Columbia and on this subject |
am willing that my sentiments shall be uni
versally known.
The Constitution Of the l.. s. (aricle 4,
section "a and Sd clause) provides that "no
person held 10 service or labor in one State,
under the laws thereof, escaping into another,
shall, IN consequence of any law or regula-
ton therein, be discharged from such service
or labor, but shall be delivered up on claim of
the party to whom such service or labor may
be due.' The laws, therefore, of which the
petition speaks are constitutional provisions
and cannot be abolished by Congress. The
only remedy would be to alter the Constitu-
ton, and, if that could be effected, it would
be the destruction Of that instrument and the
tearing asunder of the bonds Of the Union
When our present Government was constitut-
ed, the same clashing interests existed upon
this subject which arc now felt, and it was in
the spirit of compromise that the question
was settled. Each State reserved to itself
the power ofpursuing its own policy in rcla-
lion TO involuntary servitude, and all sipulat-
ed that no State should become the RECEPTACLE
for those who might fee from such service
II now the spirit of Cancellation is SO lost as
That this compromise shall be disturbed, il
must be obvious to every rejecting mind tina,
the Union will cease to exist. " ithout this
compromise, we should never have been a
contederated nation, and without its contin,l-
ance, we Shall become many distinct ma
.se"S as we arc States. And here exists a
deep motive, In the bosom of all, within or
without the limits Of our Confederacy, who
arc hostile 10 Republican Government, 10 u
mite with this hue and cry against domestic
s'ayeTy-to hurry us on to ruin.
The associations of citizens in di(fercn,
States, under the appcllaiion of abolitionists,
are perfectly harmless so long as they confine
their views to their own States; but when
!hey attempt TO extend their action 70 other
states they bee 1me dangerous, for. in tho
powers which the States have reserved to
themselves, they are as foreign to each other,
Ia their choice of policy, as though they were
distinct nations
but what is the object Of such interferencel
Every person must perceive that it 10 not with
ahe !eas prospect Of obtaining the end pro-
posed.
an amendment Of the Constitution would
require vote Of twenty of the States; and il
IS OBVIOUS that no State in which slavery is
1egaiIzed would sanction change for no 9TH
sr purpose than that CT declaring themselves
rom the power OF recovering their property
by rendering their servants secure from ap-
Prchension In other States. will not so i'm
peach the understanding of any of the petit
tiohcrs as to suppose that one among them
ehte!tains hope Of succeeding i'm such q
measure. Is the object to nncliorate the con-
dihon Of the slave? Every movement of the
AooiiHonists has produced she contrary effect;
and III the nature of things must continue to
do So. Is 1t the hope Of effeoting the aboli.
non OF slavery II any measures can tend to
bind the slave more permanently 10 his 10. of
seEYlsude, those which are are pursued by the
Abolition Societies are, ofail Others, most cal.
cul,.ted to destroy the last CLEAN Of hope Cor
that race As their proceedings have but one
thTeatening tcndencA $50 it is difficult TO die
cover any other object than that of a dissolr.
zion OF the Federal compact. It ia wei,
known,as certainly as any thing can be known,
that the pTopEetors nf slaves will not sutfer
those VINO nave no such property to sacrifice,
10 WFesi from them what they haze ever held
u"uoi EIn Sdnchon Oh la& and the Constitu.
tion. They have shown no disposition to in.
teriere with the regulations OF other Sta.es
and they will suffer no foreign interference
with their own; and lift shall ever banner
that Congress should so far transcend her
constitutional powers as TO attempt to wres,
from any portion Of the citizens Of the H. :
shis species OF property, or to deprive them
OF their constitutional right ofreclaiming their
servants whenthey become fugitive by decline
10 other States, il will at once terminate tie
Those who are taking the most active par,