Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1844-07-03

fathers and are unworthy 10 bear thei
honored names, If they did not repei, as &
stain Oh their own personal honor, any
reflections upon The morality of their.insl
1rtUlions.
Its admitted blythe gentleman from
New York, that Congress can exercise M
jurisdiction over slavery the States. ano
That whether public opinion m rhe Nortl
ard Westsbe hOstifeto that institution, !!
an inquiry thar has no relevancy 10 The
1Iquestiou under debate and yet, withou
! purpose or propriety, he chooses gralul
lously and wanIonly 10 Introduce rha
Topic into this discussion.
The municipal regulations and domestic
ipoIicy ofa State are considerations which
address themselves TO its own cit.
]izens; and this hall is not The forum in
which they are to be discussed. Wills,
1 will promptly repel any lnpufalioh upon
the institutions of my State, am re-
strained, no less by myDwn self:esteem
ihan just respect for my constituents,
from4euteriHg into any Nndfcatiou of Them
here. But, sir, | choose 10 say. that Ian
guase cannot ulter The scorn with which
iheSo coniemns and :despises the up
Start and hncksterihg morality which
strives to hold up 10 the reprobation ni
Ethe world that ancient institution, TO which
il ascribes mucf: that is ilfustfious in lis
history and ennobling inits policy. And,
sir, as Southern man. cast back 10
gentlemen every offensive word and epi-
Ihet which they may be conscious of hav-
ing applied TO it in this discussion. The
gentleman from New York exhibits irrita-
talion aud resentment if not.of reproach,
to an institution with which my constitu.
ents and myself arc identified, and if my
language is offensive 10 him, acknowl-
edge The right ofthe angry 10 determine
The mode and measures Of his REDRESS
Sir, let him who caters for the shUlirs Of
the mobs of the North, address to them
such topics as may be suited 10 their los,e
ii, is no business Of mine !; but profess,
that The slang ofilre hustinss he not intro
duced in the debates of this House.. -.
In proceeding now, sir, 10 consider The
precise question before the House, | shall
con6ue my remarks TO the cardinal posi-
,ion-rhe .head and ifont''-of the arsu-
Uncut which urges The abandonment Of the
rule agains; The reception Of iucendiary
petitions and memorials. The duty Of
ihe House to rescind chat rule is assumed
as tho correla,ive oflhe right Of petition
and il is conceded, thatif Congress has no
jurisdiction over the matter Of the petit
iiou-no power 10 grant lis prayer-the
rights of the citizen are not abridged by
The rejection of the petition in the most
SUMMARY manner. That Congress should
do au act SO idle and migratory as ie en'
ter,ain memorials upon subjects clearly
not embraced within the sphere OF IT'S
powers. is a proposition so nlanifesty ab-
surd. that no one is found TO maintain II.
The memorials excluded BY the rule
which it is sought to abrogae-whatever
else they may contain-pray that slavery
be abolished in tie District OF Columbia !;
and it is asserted that the right of "exclu-
sive legislation" in this District. which IS
conferred by the Constitution. delegates TO
Congress The power 10 abolish slavery.
The fundamental principles Of civil liberty
repel the idea that Congress possesses
such mons,rous power of confiscation
over the rights and property of The cili-
zen-a power no less repugnant TO the
theory of our Federal Government, and
the limitations Of the Constitution, lhan
to the statutes Of Maryland and Virginia,
by which The territory of the District was
ceded to the Government of the United
States. ..e< -;
Upon this clause Of the Constitution,
and the statutes Of Virginia. and Mary.
land, the jurisdiction OF Congress- over the
subject Of slavery, 80 far, has been rested;
and must be permitted 10 say, that the
argument against lis sjurisdic,ion is conclu,
sive and unanswerabe. Yes, that vasrant
fieud, which, in the unohtrusive and peace.
full name Of petition, wages mercilcss
and Infamous war Of plumber and massa-
ere agains, The South, has been driven
from The Constitution, under which it
sought shelter; then, like some guilty
thing, it iimidly and meanly skulked be-
hind the obsolete rules and exploded prac-
tice of the British House of Commons; {;
but it has been dragged from even this
miserable retreat.
But, sir, other views OF this question
are suggested by The hislery and provisions
Of The Constitution. 10 which invite the
attention of The House; and unless greatly
estimate their importance, they will
tomonstrate thar Copgre IS possesses not a
power connected with the subject Of sla-.
very, thai, was not designed 10 protect aud
defend it, no less against domestic attack
.han foreign invasion. -
No subjes;; that was submitted to the
Convention which framed the Constitution
of the United States, engaged more ear.
nestly and anxiously the deliberations OF
that august body, or brought into more
alarming collision the sectional prejudi-
ces of lis members, than that Of slavery.
The South cherished it as policy which
.I.11 noyo, ,h,,Jo, for o,x, ,,Ion nj