Columbus Democrat. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 18??-18??, 1848-09-09
VOL. XIV.


iects are found os its operation. and rs e1ercis
needed no aGxiliaf'y provision. Ii. on the o,be
hahd Il Goes not include such power of legisla
iion ever the "olher property Of the L. State.
then i does not include il over the "ierriory !;
Tor the same terms which grant the one. gran
the other. '"Ierriiory" is here cassed with prom
criy and treated as such, and the object was ev
identity TO enable the general government as
property holder-which iron. the necessity,
must be 10 manage, preserve aud dispose Of
.uch property as il might possess, and which au
thon'y essential almost 10 lis being. But tht
lives and persons Of Osr citizens with the vast va
riey of objects connected with them, cannot b,
controlled by an authority which rs merely Gale,
into existence for the purpose OF making rules Gnc
regulations for The disposition and maaagemen
ofPoperiy.
/ Such il appears to me, would be the construc
+ ton put upon this provision of the constitution
+ were this question now first presented for consd
Grafton, aud not controlled by imperious circum
stances. The original ordinance of the Con.
gress Of the Confederation, passed in 1857, and
which was the only act upon this subject in force
at the adoption of the constitution, provided a
complete frame Of government for the country
north otihe Ohio, while in territorial condition,
and for lis cventiul admission in separate States,
iuin the Union. Aud the persuasion, that this
ordnance contained within itself all the nccessa.
~ means Of execution, probably prevented any
direct reference TO the subject in the constitution,
iuIthei than yesting in Congress the right 10
admit the States formed under il into the Uuion.
However, circumstances arose, which required
legislation, as well over the territory north of
lid Ohio, us over other territory, both within aud
without tie original Union, ceded TO the general
government; and, at various times, more en-.
larged power has been exercised over the Terri
tories-meanng thereby the different Territorial
GoyernmentS--lhdn is conveyed by the limited
grant referred TO- How far an existing neeessi.
~ may have operated in producing this legsla.
ton, and thus exte,aaTEsyl, BY rather violent i'm.
pIicaton, powe& not directly given, know not.
But certain il h that the principle Of interior.
cnce, should Il be carried on beyond the neces-
sarx impliroiiias 'Nsnich -lroduces il. II should
Pepper Spiceeation Of proper governments
gt Candles, Chs, acquired or settled and to the
necessary Provision fg their eveniCal admission
into the Union, leaving in the meantVne, to the
people inhabling them, 10 regulate their inter
nal concerns in their own way They are just
rs capable oitons 50. as the pcope oftAe States,
and they can do 50 as their political ndcpe~denru-
is rccognizclb y admission into the union. l,n
ring this temporary condition. il is hardly expo.
dient 10 call into exercise u doubtful and lnvidi-
on, authority, which questions the intelligence
Of respectable portion of our citizens, and
whose limitation whatever il may be, viii be
rapidly approaching It's termination an authority
which would give to Congress dcrpoic power,
uncontrolled by the constitution, over most mn
porant sections OF our common country. for u
the relation ot master and servant may DO rcgu-
lated or anHihilaicdly its Legislation. so may HE
relation OF husband and wife, OF parent and child,
and Of any other condition which our institutions
and the habits Of our society recognise What
would be thought IL Congress should undertake
to prescribe the terms Of marriage in New York
OF 10 regulate The authority Of parents over their
children in Pennsylvania And yet il would be
as vain TO seek one iusiiiying the interference of
the national Legislature IN the cases referred to
in the original States Of The Union. speak here
ofthc inherent power Of Congress, and do not
touch the question Of such contracts, as may be
formed with new States when admitted into the
confedcracy
Ofatlihe questions that can agitatc US, those
which are merely sectional in their character, are
the most dangerous aud the most 10 be dcpreca
ted. The warning voice of him who, from his
character and services and virtue, had the best
right to warn us, proclaimed to his couDtrymen,
in his farewell address that monument OF wis
dom for him, as hope, il will be Of safety for
thcm-how much wo had TO apprehend from
measures peculiarly affecting geographical por-
tions 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 a successful attempt TO
engra!t the principles ofthe Wilmot ProvIso up
on tho legislation Of this government, and apply
them to ne = territory, tobe acquired would seri-
ously affect our tranquility. do not suffer my.
sell to foresee or loretell the consequences that
would ensue; for trust and believe there Is
good sense and good feeling enough IN the coun-
try to avoid them, b. avoiding all occasions when
might lead to them.
Briefly, then, am opposed othe exercise Of
any Jurisdiction by Congress over this matter -
and am in favor ofleaying to the people Of any
territory, which may be hereafter acquired, the
right 70 regulate i for themselves under the
general principles Of the Constitution. Be
cause,
!. | do not sec in the Constitution any grant
Of The requisite powerto Congress; and az NJ.
disposed 10 extend doubtful precedent beyond
It's necessity the establishment territorial 60
.ycrnmenls when needed--leaVing to the lnhahit-
ants all the rights compatible with the relations
they bear 10 the confederation.
.. Because believe this measure, i adopted
would weaken, if not impair. the union o. the
States, and would sow tue seeds Of future discord
which would grow up and ripen into an aDun-
dant harvest OF calamity.
3. Because believe general conviction
that such d proposition would succeed, would
lead to an immediate Withholding ofthe supplies,
and thus to a dishonorabe termination OF the
war. think no dispassionate Observer at the
seat Of government, can doubt this result.
A. IT. however, in this am under misapPre-
hension, am under none In the practical opera