Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1845-12-03

tAo ColstItH.io3, Dd. upon lis FIo1lo1.-nOt upOl
the support which oar peopo are bound by lie
Constitution 10 lend to H. ba, upon tn, SUPPORT
which has been ex:o.tcl from them By violation
OF the Constitution. u lien the day shall arrive
that Northern mon viii insist upon their rights.
and refuse 10 contribute the Substance acquired by
their Toll for the maintenance Of Southern slavery.
that scourgo Of our land viii cease. ami ours viii
become indeed free people.
In nay political duties. am LoanG b. the san,a
rule rs 10 my c..urc relations. NJ arst duty is
10 pfon'd'gato iacts-to lay truth before tho poo
pie II the great mass of our citizens OF tho free
7;2tes were tuIiy conscious that they arc involved
III iac mo'aI guilt of thirty thousand murders
every year; TINT tho continuance Of these murders
and otacr crimes attendant: upon slavery cost the
people of tie free States annually. more money
taan NO pay for all the internal Improvements OF
our State tor our lake harbors for tho support of
light houses. and for the Improvement Of our river
naslgot'on:-wero they further sensible tina. this
money was extortcd from them wit the shadow
Of Constitutional authority: with no moro color OF
legal right than is possessed by the hiehwavnan
who comne.s his victim to devcr his purse.--I
think they W onld stand forth united in resisting
further outraGes. believe they can be induced
10 Go tilIs IN less time Than tcy can be induced
TO dissolve the uaon with the slave States. | pro
fer tais mode OF vins!ica.inc oar rights Ga this
point consists tlc most important difference be-
twcon tho views entertained by tho monbar of
tho American An:i-SIavcry Society and those
which | entertain.
As 70 tho character Of tbs Constitutions differ
from th0so members of tho American Anti-5.a-
very Society with whom havo convcrsod.
think true construction of that instrument gives
FAR less protection to slavery than the construction
which they put upon H. ! canao. saw the cause
respecting fugitive slaves; That which prohibited
Congress from abolishing tho slave trade until
3 - and thar which gives % the save Statos Il
representation in Congress pr8poriioned 10 tho
number OF slaves they possessed were not
cesslons made by tho Northern States in favor
OF Slavery. MS fac: IS so perfectly evident
from the debates in the Convention which framed
the Constitution; in the Conventions of tho several
statc5 at their adoption Of the Constitution; by all
contempoFnneous history; By tlc uniform con
stracton given to II by the Executive tho Icgsi1-
tive, ana the judicial departments of the Federal
Government, and By tl.ose of each of the several
states; bv all lurists, statement and legislators,
from the day OF its adoption TO tho present dav,
that it appears ne difficult for an Intelligent
man 10 believe Constitution to be an anti
slavery document. There can be 10 doubt that
tho trainers Of that instrument intcndo1 to grant
certain privileges 70 tho siavonoIding interest
i2u. i was carly seen That these provisions carred
into full practice lend bat an uncertain, aud, at
best Il temporary seaport 10 slavery. The slave
hotdlag power. therefore, 81 tho necessity of
uslrplag uHdc|cgatcd authority. which had not
been granted by The Constitution. bat wn III was
instrument. In cxac. proportion the slavohold-
ing States have usurpcd power, they have violated
the Constitution, md cncroached upon the sacred
rights Of tho free States. Thus, it IS n usurpaton
Of power to appropriate money collected in the
free States to suppor. slavery, and it is as much
violation Of tho Federal Constitution, as il is an
encroachmon: upon our rights;-and in proper
ton as these usuTpatlons become fragrant. in the
same proportion will the Constitution be violated,
and tho interests and the honor Of tao free States
DO outraged.
Much is said as TO tho character Of the trainers
Of the Constitution. They un4lcstionabIy made
concession in favor Of the slavclolding Interest,"
This would no; be done at the present time; bu.
had NC lived at that period, surrounded by the cir
caasiancos with which they were surrounded; it
Is rot un lNciy tlai might l.ayo ,-9sa1 for IL
adoption. Bat do no: $50 that oar opinions of
the Constitution ought in any wa 70 BE- affected by
the character Of X trainers. If bo defective. lct
!. be amended. To say that i IS imperfect, is 10
impeachment: Of The integrity Of It's trainers.
'Inov were doubtless honest, patriotic ncn. and
did VIVA: they then thought hes. for tho country;
Dat wcro they now living, and had they witnessed
the outragos committed upon tho Constitution by
tho slavcholding power, have 10 idea thoy would
frame another compact, bcstowing upon the slave
States the unequal inference given them by our
present Constitution. The fatal error into which
they were drawn, was The adoption o: that clause
which gives TO tho savo States political power
proportional to tho slave they hold in bondage.
Slavery and freedom arc anta gonisms. They arc
irrcconcabIy opposed TO each otner. Southern
statesmen arc accustomed 10 lcgslate for slavery
and oppression: Northern statesmen for freedom
and the rights Of man. Tho interests Of slave
labor controls the Southern Folicy.-.hat Of free
labor dictates the North. Hence. the error Of
giving unequal power 70 The saveho'dns interest.
That clause Of tho Constitution p which refer
gaze IN undue and disprorortiona:e power II the
Federal Government the slavcloi ilg interest.
From the fatal hour of It's adoption 70 the present
DAY. tha, power has been ezerted agains. the
rights of tho free Statcs--against the very Con
s:ftution which gives it--and against the libor-
ties Of mankind. Under this clause Of the Con-
stituIion, slavery was introduced into the gov