Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-05-20


these provisions OF the constitution the Territories treated
States in all respects and see no good reason why
they should be entitled to all the privileges OF States, with
the exception of being represented in the Councils Of the
Nation and in order to obtain this privilege the Territories
must prepared for admission into the confedey
States.
is the exercise of unconstitutional doubtful powers
that creates sectional leaouses and we'll
disposed citizens TO calculate the value Of the Union never
knew of any serious discomfort occasoned by the exercise Of
admitted constitutional power So long the landmarks Of
the constitution Observed long will harmony reign IN
| our councils.
am aware that the opinions advanced by will suit
the views of the extreme North, or an-savey men, they
called, Of The extreme South, pro-savery men,
they termed Our anavey men believe that they have
mission TO execute and that mission to limit the further
extension Of slavery all hazards by the agency Of the action
Of the General Government newly acquired Terrific
ries These an-slayery believe that slavery moral
and political evil should be excluded from obtaining foohod
in Territories, to the exclusion OF The citizens OF
slaveholdng States from equal participation in these Terri
tories To be sure the anti-slavcry to the pro-
slavery man, You may into these Territories but you
must not bring with you certain kind OF property called slave
property, but you may bring with you the kind of pro-
perry that from the nonsavehodng States brng and then
you participate equally with in these Territories which
have been purchased and paid for out of the common stock
But the citizen from the saveboldng State replies that I'M
less he bring the kind of property which he possesses with
him into these Territories he must be restricted in the use OF
and essentially excluded from participation in this common
public domain.
sentiment that slavery moral and political evil then
there would be objection to its admission into Ter
rtories There being this difference OF opinion between the
North and the South the positive evils Of slavery, the
question presents ITSELF Who to be the umpire in this mat
ter Are the opinions of every section of the Union TO be
measured by s Procusean moral standard Of the navery
men in relation the institution of slavery Or of
the North to submit opinions in this matter to the stand
ard Of proslavery Would not be in accord
with the principles justice and the compromises Of the
constitution that leave the whole subject matter with the
inhabitants Of Territories where should belong The in
habans OF these Territories most asuredy will know what
kind of municipal regulations will best suit their condition. II
is admitted by the ardent of the poviso that the
power of the General Government in this matter is limited to
Territorial Governments and be exercised in the
States; that the legislation OF Congress over the Territories
far slavery concerned when they admitted
into the Unions and that all previous legislation upon this sub
jec by Congress within the Territories becomes abogated
when they admitted States unless otherwise provided
for by the inhabitants of such admitted Territory Consequent
~ the exercise of this right Of limiting the Introduction OF
slavery only be exercised while the inhabitants subject
10 the action of Congress- and longer Therefore, upon
the liberal construction of the constitution, there is but
short time that Congress exercise general legislation
| Territories Tor this object.
have stated before that do not believe that Congress has
any constitutional right legsa but that the inhabitants Of
these Territories have this power and the night the
ercise of political power that the States have that they
entitled to all Of the privileges Of segovernmen that States
are, with the exception Of being represented in the councils
of the nation and participating in making laws for the Gene
raj Government.
The inhabitants Of the Oregon Territory have established
Government of their own in which they exclude slavery, and
conclude that Congress has right change this Goverr
of theirs and establish slavery in that Territory think
it that project seriously entertained should find the
anii-slavery stouty denying its constdiionaity
The ordinance Of 1857 wisely conceived The bill Of
rights that portion which guaranteed equal rights to all of
the Inhabitants of such territory worthy OF the fathers OF
the Republic. The principles of this ordinance the
plcaton of those universal principles of right Territory
and which, upon The subsequent adoption Of the constitution
merged in that instrument but at the time made to
embrace mighty empire The provisions Of that ordinance
being superseded by the adoption Of the constitution, left
the territory northwest of the river Ohio untrammeed in its
action, and the States carved out of il could either admit a
very exclude IL, suited their interests But the good
of the inhabitants Of these States determined them
cude the evil from their borders the wisdom of which ap
parent in the une1amped prosperity and progress Of these
States in wealth and numbes The ordinance Of 1857
with the exception Of the slavery clause, also adopted the
Government of the Territories composing the States OF Ten
nessee Alabama, and Mississippi but they all dsegarded
those unaeabe articles OF compact they termed, and
upon which much stress has been laid in this slavery dis
cussion The second article Of this ordinance says that
The inhabitants of said territory ssIl always be entitled
to benefits Of the wris Of habeas corpus aud OF trial
jury propoonatr representation OF the people in the
Legislatures and oudie proceedings according the course
OF the common law, &c.
presume will not be contended that The above guaranty
of political and judicial rights has been regarded in the
States Of Tennessee Alabama, Mississippi far as the
African is concerned
i o.
lest Of her Legislature to disfanchise all persons Of
African blood in the State aud pass stringent laws PIE
the immigration of free blacks into the State. In this
State black exercise the elective franchise be
elected Office. Nor he be witness in Of jus
tee where either Of the parties white aud what
the outages may be which committed by white upon
the blacks, he escapes unpunihed unless there
white persons witnesses TO the transaction. 1t notorious
fact that the ordinance Of 787 has always been dregaded
by the inhabitants northwest Of the river Ohio when IL
their interest do Slavery existed in that territory
the time Of the adoption Of the ordnance The inhabitants
of that territory held Africans slaves and those slaves
emancipaled the positive Of the ord
to that effect Notwithstanding The ordinance also
provides that there shall be but Eve States in this Northwest
Territory, but perceive that the present Congress pre-
pairing make six States, which presume will be carried
into effect.
The citizens Of the Northern States in sentiment are OPP
posed the institution Of slavery upon every ground and
would rejoice the whole system abolished 1t
practicable But the great majority Of both political parties
the difficulty Of emancpang these people. They do not
know what do with them, II they frcs To educate
them and place them on equality with the whites would,
unless all history false, in the end Of races
which would result in the determination Of the other
Of them. take that 1t is impossible, in this country, that
the blacks fully participate in free Institutions
One would have supposed that under the ordinance Of 1857
phanthrops might have been realized But such has not
proven be the fact and the free blacks there little
| If any, better of than the slaves Of the South.
The nsres Of slavery these people in the aggregate
believe imaginary than real; and there large
Of sympathy in the American people which find
somewhere In bygone days this sympathy was par
tally poured upon the poor Indian Now the poor Indian