The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-10-03

adjacent counties OF Maryland and Vir-
GINA which lie beyond the District.
To abolish slavery within the District
Of Columbia, whilst it remains in Virgi-
MIA and Mary land, situated, as that Dis
trict is, within the very heart Of those
States, would expose them to great prac
tical Inconvenience and annoyance. The
District would become place of refuge
and escape for fugitive slaves from the
two States, land place from which spirit
of discomfort, INSTRUMENTATION and insur-
rec!ion might be fos!ered and encouraged
in the two States. Suppose, as was at
one time under consideration, Pennsyl>
vania had granted ten miles square with
in its limits for the purpose Of a seat of
The general government; could Congress
without violation of good faith, have
introduced and established slavery within
the bosom Of that Commonwealth in the
ceded territory, after she had abolished
it SO long ago as the year 1880? Yet The
Inconvenience to Pennsylvania in the
case supposed would have been much less
than that to Virginia and Maryland in the
case we are arguing.
1t was upon thus view of the ubject
that the Senate, at its last session, solemn
ly declared that it would be violation of
implied faith, resulting from the transac-
ton of the cession to abolish slavery with
in the District of Columbia. And would
ii not be BY implied faith is meant that
when d grant is made for one avowed and
declared purpose, known to the parties,
the grant should not be perverted TO an.
other purpose. unavowed and undeclared
and inj furious to the granter. The grant,
in the case we are considering, OF the
territory of Columbia, was for Il seat O.
government. Whatever power is neces-
sary to accomplish that object is carried
along by the grant But the abolition Of
slavery is not necessary 10 the enjoyment
of this site as a seat of the general govern
ment. The grant in the constitution, of
exclusive power Of Legislation over the
District was made 10 ensure the exercise
of an exclusive authority OF the general
government, TO render this place q safe
and secure seat of government, and 10 pro-
mote the well being of the inhabitants OF
the District. The rover granted ought
to be interpreted and exercised solely to
the end for which it was granted. The
language OF the grant was necessarily
broad, comprehensive and exclusive, be-
cause all the exigencies which might a
rise to render this a secure seat OF the
general government could not have been
toreseen and provided for. The language
may possibly be sufficiently comprehen-
sive TO include power of abolition, bu,
it would not at all thence follow that the
power could be tightfuIly exercised. The
casesmay be resembled TO that of pleni po
entiapy invested with plenary power
but who, at the same lime, has positive in
structons from his government as 10 the
kind of treaty which he is TO negotiate
and conclude. If he violates those in
structions, and concludes different treaty
his government is not bound by it. An(
if the foreign government is aware of tht
violation, it acts in bad faith. Or it may
be illustrated by an example drawn fIoa
private life. am an endorser for my
friend on a note discounted in bank. HI
applies TO me TO endorse another TO renew
it which do in blank. Now, this give:
him power to make any other use of N,
note which he pleases. But if, instead 0
applying it 10 the intended purpose, b
goes to a broker and sells it, thereby
doubling my responsibility for him, h
commits breach of trust, and violation
Of the good faith implied in'the Who'll
transaction.
But Mr. President, if this reasonin!
were an erroneous one as bellvve 1t to b
correc! and conclusive, is the affair of tn
liberation of six thousand negro slaves il
lhia District, disconnected with the thre
milions of slaves in the United States, c
sufficient magnitude to agitate, distracl an
embiIler this gaeat confedracy2
The next case in which the petitioner
ask the exercise of the power of Congress
relates to slavery in the territory Of Flor
ida.
Florida is the extreme southern por
ton of the United STATES. 1t is bounde
on all lis land sides by slave states, and
several hundred miles from the neares
free state. 1t almost extends within IA
tropics, and the nearest important islam
to it on the water side is Cuba, slav
ISLAND. This simple statement of its geo
graphical position should of itself decide
The question. When, by the treaty o
4 1910 with Spain, it was ceded 10 tn
United States, slavery existed within il
BY the terms of that treaty, the effect
and property Of the inhabitants arc sc
cured to them, and they are allowed Il
remove and take them away, if they thin
proper TO do so, without Limitation as l.
lime. If it were expedient, therefore, /
abolish slavery in it, it could not be don
consistently with the treaty, wilhou
granting to the ancient inhabitants a rea