Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1848-07-15

vi Oui CUuTCU, lot Tue treatment
of this great subject, and which has hilher.
to been so faithfully sustained, and which
has proved so successful in preserving the
union of these States. to be not only the
wisest which the wit of man could have de-
vised, but The only one consistent with the
safety and prosperity of the whole country.
l do therefore desire 10 see il continued 80
long as slavery exists in the United States.
The extent TO which / have sustained it in
the various public stations have occupied
is known to the country. ] was at the time
well aware that went farther in these res.
poets than many Of my best friends could
approve. Blu, deeply penetrated by the con-
viciion that slavery was The only subject that
could endanger our blessed Union, was
determined that no further effort on my
part. within the pale of the constitution,
should be wanting to sustain lis compro-
misses as they were then understood, and it
is now a source of consolation 10 me, that
pursued the course l adopted.
The doctrine which the late Baltimore
convention has presented for the sanction
OF the nation is, in substance, that the laws
l have referred to were so many violations
of the constitution that this instrument con-
fers no power on congress to exclude slavery
from the territories, as has often been done
with the assent of all. This doctrine is set
forth in the published opinion of the highly
respectable nominee of the convention, who
II is well known received that distinction
becouse he avowed that opinion, and who
it is equally certain would not have recei.
we'd it if he hadn't done so. tits proposed to
give this doctrine the most solemn sanction
col b,,t ba n,
ton of it's declared advocate and supporter
o,he presidency. lift receives the proposed
sanction of The people of the United States,
the result cannot be doubtful. The policy
in regard to The extension of slavery 10 the
territories Of the United States into which
it has not yet been introduced, which has
existed since the commencement ofthe gov
eminent, and the consequence of which
have been so salutary, must cease, and
every act of Congress designed to carry it
into effect be defeated by the vote of the
executive.
The territories now owned by the Uni.
I ted States, and every acquisition of terri.
tory that may hereafter be made by the U.
States, whether obtained by annexation, by
custom for valuable consideration, or bv
conquest, must as long as this opinion is
held, and as far as the action ofthe national
legislature is concerned, be subject to the
inroads Of slavery. And this consequence
is TO be submitted 10 on the assumption that
the trainers of The constitution, with their
attention directed TO the subject. and with
a well understood desire TO do so. have fail
ed TO clolhe Congress with the necessary
mowers to prevent it. ! cannot with nv
vote contribute to this sanction. ] cannot
do so. because cannot concur in the opin-
ion which we are called upon 10 sustain.
Entertaining these views of the consti-
tuition, | could not by my vote contribute to
The proposed sanction of this new principle.
without. at The same time. avowing myself
TO be in favar of the extension of slavery in
The abstract which can never do. Those
who agree with me in regard 10 the exis-
tence Of the power and the expediencv Of
our exercising it. and can still bring their
minds to dissent from this conclusion. must
have more light upon the subject. or have
greater power Of discriminating. than pos
sess. do therefore nnhesitatinglv approve
of the course vou propose 10 pursue. in
Withholding your vote from Governor Cass
and shall do so myself Ifno other candi.
dates than those now before the county arc
presented. 7 shall not vote for President
The manner in which our political breth-
rem in other non. slaveholdng states shall
dispose Of their suff ages is for them to de-
,ermne, and with it we have nothing to do.
But that they accord with us in the opinion
as to the exercise of The power in question,
and the expediency of exercising it when
eAer the occasion for so doing arrives, we
have the hest reasons to know.
The power, the existence of which is, at
this late day, denied, is in my opinion. fully
granted TO Congress by the constitution
) Its language, the circumstances under which
it was adopted, the recorded explanations
which accompanied its formation-lhe con-
slruclon il has received from our highest
judicial tribunals, and the very solemn and
repeated confirmation it has derived from
the measures of the government-leave not
a shadow of doubt in my mind in regard to
, The authority of Congress 10 exercise the
power in question. This is not a new opin-
, ion on my part, nor The first occasion on
, which il has been avowed. While the can
dida,e of my friends for the Presidency,
, distinctly announced my opinion in favor
, of the power of Congress 10 abolish slavery
!. in the District of Columbia, although was,
/ for reasons which were then, and are still
e satisfactory to my mind, very decidedly op'
posed to its exercise there. The question
of power is certainly as clear in respect to
the territories as il is in regard TO that dis
lric,; and as to The territories my opinion
was also made known in still more solemn
v form, by giving the Executive approval re-