Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-07-14

NloiOllSs VI q HlIulOl u ltSS DdIlltlDdllOn III |
their enactment on the part of the representa-
tives of the slaveholding or of the non-slave-
holding States, ] am not apprized of it.
| believe the plan devised by the founders
of the government, including the fathers of
our political church, for the treatment of this
great subject, and which has hitherto 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 devised, but the only
one consistent with the safety and p%rosperi-
ty of the whole country. | do therefore de-
sire to see it continued so long as slavery en-
lists in the United States. The extent to
which | have Sustained it in the various pub
lie stations | have occupied is known to the
country. | was at the time well aware that
| went farther in this respect than many of
my best friends could approve. But deeply
penetrated by the conviction that slavery was
the only subject that could endanger our bles-
sed Union, | was determined that no effort
on my part, within the pale Of the c%onstitu-
ton should be wanting to sustain its compro-
misses as they were then understood, and it
is now a source Of consolation TO me that |
pursued the course | adopted.
The doctrine which the late Baltimore con-
vention has presented for the sanction of the
DdllOD is, III SubSldUCb, lDdL lUB laws 1 nave
referred to were so many violations of the
constItution-thai this instrument confers 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
i. the published opinion of the highly res
p~ectable nominee of that convention, who it
is well known received that distinction be-
cause he avowed that opinion, and who it is
equally certain would not have received it if
he had not done so. 1t is proposed to give
this doctrine the most solemn sanction known
to our political system, by the election of its
declared advocate and supporter to the presi-
dency. If it 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 TO the territories Of
the United States into which it has not yet
been introduced, which has existed since the
commencement of the government, and the
consequences of which have been so saluta.
ry, must cease, and every act of Congress
designed to carry it into effect, be defeated
by the veto of the Executive.
The territories now owned by the United
States and every acquisition of territory that
may hereafter be made by the United States,
whether obtained by annexation, by cession
for a valuable consideration, or by conquest,
must as long as this opinion is held, and as
far as the national Legislature is concerned,
be subject to the inroads of slavery. And
this consequence is TO be submitted to on the
assumption that the trainers Of the %constitu-
ton, with their attention directed TO the SUBJ
ject, and with a well understood desire to do
so, have failed to clothe Congress with the
necessary powers TO prevent 1t. l cannot
with my vote contribute to this sanction. |
oa~aot Az ~ honaneo panVnt nnprpr in tho
opinion which we are called upon to sustain.
Entertaining these views of the %constitu-
ton, | could not by my vote contribute to the
proposed sanction of this new principle in
the administration of the federal government,
without, at the same time, avowing myself
to be in favor of the extension of slavery in
the abstract, and this | can never do. Those
who agree with me in regard to the existence
of the power and the expediency of our exer-
cising 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 | possess. do there
fore unhesilatingly approve of the course you
f propose to pursue, in Withholding your votes
from Governor Cass, and | shall do so my
self. If no other candidates than those now
B before the country are presented, | shall moi
vote for President. The manner in which
onr political brethren in other non-slavehol
ding States shall dispose of their suilrages,
is for them to determine, and with it we have
4 nothing to do. But that they accord with us
. in the opinion as to the existence of the pow
er in question, and the eXpediency of eXerci
4 sing it whenever the occasion for so doing
arrives, we have the best reason to know.
q The power, the existence of which is, a
n this late day, denied, is in my opinion, full,
: granted to Congress by the constitution. 1t
language, the circumstances under which i
n was adopted, the recorded explanations whicI
accompanied its formation-the construction
it has received from our highest judicial tri
bunals, and the very solemn and repeate
combinations it has derived from the mea
sures of the government--leave not a shade,
of a doubt in my mind in regard to the au
thority of Congress to exercise the power i
Ie question. This is not a new opinion on m
Or part, nor the first occasion on which 1t ha
IS ever been avowed. While the candidate @
my friends for the presidency, ] distinct
10 announced my opinion in favor OF the powt
D. of Congress 10 abolish slavery in the dlstrlC
Of Columbia, although | was, for reason
which were then, and are still satisfactory
" my mind, very decidedly opposed to lis eXel
III else there. The question of power is certalI
es ly as clear in respect to the territories as 1t
in regard to that district; and as to the teri
tories my opinion was made known in a sti
of more solemn form, by giving the eXecutiy
n, approval required by the constitution. TO tn
d. bill for the organization OF the territorial go'
eminent of Iowa, which prohibited the il
a. PRODUCTION of slavery into that territory.
is The opinion from which we dissent W;
of given in the face of, and directly contrary
C. the views expressed, in forms the most SO
of emn and explicit, by all or nearly all the no
o. slaveholding States, and we are not at iibe
N, ty to suspect the scincerity of these EXPIRE
BY sions. Honest and well meaning men,
&C. we know the masses of our political frlen,