The State guard., 1848-06-20

l our society recoSnlZe. what would be thought if Congress should undertake to prescribe the terms of marriage in New York, or to regulate the authority of par ents over their children in Pennsylvania And yet it would be as vain to seek one justifying the interference of the National Legislature in the cases referred to in the original States of the Union. speak here of the inherent power of Congress, and do not touch the question of such con- tracts, as may be formed with new States when admitted into the Confederacy.
 Of all the questions that can agitate us, those which are merely sectional in their character are the most dangerous, and the most to be deprecated. The warning voice of him who, from his character, and services, and virtue, had the best right to warn us, proclaimed to his countrymen, in his Farewell Address-that monument of wisdom for him, as hope it will be ol safety for them-how much we had to ap- prehend from measures peculiarly affec- ting geographical portions of our country. The grave circumstances in which we are now placed make these words, words of safety for am satisfied from all have seen and heard here, that successful at tempt to ingrat the principles of the Will mot Proviso upon the legislation of this Cove tnment, and to apply them to new territdry, should new territory be acquired, would seriously affect our tranquility. l do otsuffer myself to foresee or to fore tell the consequences that would ensue 1; for trust and believe there is good sense and good feeling enough in the country to avoid them, by avoiding all occasions which might lead to them.
 Briefly, then, I am opposed to the exer- else of any jurisdiction by Congress over this matter; and am in favor of leaving to the people of any territory, which may be hereafter acquired, the right to regulate it for themselves, under the general principles ofthe Constitution. Because. - l. do not see in the Constitution any grant of the requisite power to Congress and am not disposed to extend doubt. full precedent beyond its necessity y-the establishment of Territorial Governments when needed-leaving to the inhabitants all the rights compatible with the relations they bear to the Confederation.
 ,. Because believe this measure, il adopted. would weaken, if not impair. the union of the States and would sow the seeds of future discord, which would grow up and ripen into an abundant harvest O u16:Samity.
 }. Because believe q genera, convic tion, that such proposition would sue ceed, wou!dl lead to an immediate wthhol ding of the supplies, and thus to dishon orable termination of the war. thinl no dispassionate observer at the seat o Government can doubt this result.
 1 4. IG however, in this l am under { msapprehension, am under none in tn, practical operation of this restriction, adopted by Congress, upon a treaty o peace making any acquisition of Mexican territory. Such treaty would be rejec ted just as certainly as presented to tht Senate. More than one-third of that bo dy would vote against it, viewing such ; principle as an exclusion of the citizens of the slayeholdng States from partici patton in the benefits acquired by the treas ire and exertiors of all, and which shoul' be common to all. am peatng-nei ther advancing nor defending these views That branch of the subject does not lii in my way, and shall not teIn aside t seek it.
 In this aspect of the matter, the peopl of the United States must choose betweel this restriction and the extension of thei territorial limits. They cannot hav both; and which they will surrende must depend upon their representative first, and then, if these fail them, upo themselves.
 5. But, after all, it seems to be gener ally conceded, that this restriction, if car ried into effect, could not operate upon an State to be formed from newly acquires territory. The well known attributes c sovereignty, recognized by us as belong ing to the State Governments, woul sweep before them any such barrier, an would leave the people to express and ex ert their will at pleasure. Is the object then, of temporary exclusion for so shor period as the duration of the territora Governments, worth the price at whic it would be purchased l-worh the discor it would engender, the trial to which
 would expose our Union, and the evil that would be the certain consequenct let that trial result as it might? As the course, which has been intimated "a ther than proposed, of engrafting such
 restriction upon any treaty of acquisition l persuade myself that it would find bu little favor in any portion of this country Such an arrangement would render Mexi ; co a party, having right to interfere i our internal institutions in questions Tel by the Constitution to the State Govern ments. and would infiict a serious bio, upon our fundamental principles. Fe, indeed, trust, there are among US wh would thus grant to foreign power tn right to inquire into the constitution an conduct of the sovereign States of tll Union; and if there are any, 1 am nc among them, and never shall be. To tn people of this country, under God, no, 1 o,I boraa aor In