The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1844-03-26

right TO drag State TO its bar when such State
is in the exercise Of the great constitutions
power OF proposing an amendment to their com
pact Of Union a
Massachusetts did no more than she had =
right to do In proposing the amendmept referred
| to, however ridiculous she may have been in
making the proposition. She appealed to he,
sister States, not to Congress, the mere agents
of those States. Virginia had answered beI
promptly, justly and fairly. The other States
will also in season give her full response. But,
we ask again. what had Congress 10 do with il 2
What Southern State cared one rush whether
Congress noticed the matter or not? The pro-
posed amendment could only be adopted by the
assent Of three-fourths of the States, and the
slave holding States can give vote for vote with
the non -slave-holding upon this question. So
that if every non -sIave-holding State voted to
adopt it, it would require one-fourth of the
slave holding States to make it part of the
Constitution. Who, then, in the South feels
any more secure now that Congress has acted,
than before?
There was question that Congress might
have reached. A State Legislature that il had
a right TO condemn. The Legislature of New
York has assumed the prerogativs of deciding
that any person has right 10 petition Con-
gress on any subject. 1t has substantially
asserted that the slaves of the South have a
right peaceablY to leave their labor and petition
against their o1omers. This has been done by
vote of one hundred TO three in that Demo-
cratic Legislature. They have also instructed
their Representatives in Congress to rescind the
2lst or 25rh rule We blush to say. also, that
this Democratic Congress did repeal that rule,
for season, and only re-adopted it by majo-
rity OF one in Democratic majority Of Co.
Here was the true cancer on the body polite,
and yet that cancer is permitted to remain
Here was principle vital and controlling in its
character, and yet Democratic Congress has
sumbered over it. New York may resolve
away the rights of the slavehol1ing States
may let loose upon their citizens the Tappans
and Garrisons-the Abolitionists at home and
Abolitionists of England-and yet, Democrats,
State rights Republicans in Congress back
them up by throwing open their doors and invit-
ing them to take seats among them. What a
farce, then, does Congress play They will
scott at State for proposing an amendment to
the Constitution, which she has right to do,
although it was most silly TO have done it, Con-
gress must storm and rave and buster about
that in which no slave State asked them to inter
fere, and which they were perfectly competent
to manage themselves but in matter with
which it has concern, and which is regarded as
of vital interest, it either does not act at ALL or
acts injuriously.
We tell the parties in Congress that the day
for humbugs has passed. The People pry into
actions and motives, and no one can misunder-
stand the motive, which, after sleeping
over the resolutions of Massachusetts, for quite
two months, now all Of sudden has aroused
them so furiously into action. Alas poor hu-
man nature!