The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-08-31


eight 10 do 70 would the OF the
g States made pton TO the unrestricted
legislative power given TO congress over the Dsct 10 be
| ceded.
.'2dy oanno, but regard the agitation of this subject in
the District Columbia surprise upon the people OF
Maryland and Vfgiaa; being very conhdenf fhat II the
OF things which now exists had been al all appre.
he States, the eession OF the District would
been made, except upon the express condition
that Congress should exercise no such power and thar with
such a condition the cesson would ia the then OF
public opinion, have been readily accepted
ia the District of Columbia, against the wishes Of the
aveboding States assuming that Congress has the
which lies Al the bash of social compact and
am thoroughly convinced that IL could not be done
without peril ii no. certain destruction 10 the
Union OF the States Viewing the in this light IL
clear and settled opinion that the federal government
duly Of those whom the people Of the United States
with the control of lite action, to the constitutional
power with which they are invested prevent it.
81 think due the and only simple act OF
Justice my ielowczens OF the Morrill, OF all poticoi
parties to add the expression OF my fall belief that the
opinions above expressed substance with those
entertained by larger majority OF the people o. 'he non
sa vehodng States before existed IN those
states On public question OF equal magnitude 1t is also
due them say that their sentiments on This suhJeci
spring considerations Of too high character ana
look 10 consequences OF solemn import 70 be shaken
by slight With only generous conhssnnce on tue
part the South in their brethren OF the Morrill, and hh
ieienna the pan OF each to v.sii with their Sc
dspleasnre attempt connect the subject Win
patty poies, those sentiments canno! be oyefisfowh Al
u,ne attempts the part tbs aboitionss 10 do So WIN
then only accunulae and concentrate Pp5c odum
them That there are persons at Tue NORTH VINO
from concuning in the prevailing sentiment have
described certainly but their numbers, when com
pared with OF the community, are very inconsdef
able and il the condition Of things be not greatly asgta
waited by nprudence, many Of them have no douo' VIII
ultimately adopt sonnder views OF the subjects and The
eios OF those who may persist in The work OF agtatol
may be 10y reason, OF rendered imperative Dy
| constitutional remedies
We beg leave to call the attention OF our readers to the
strong and irresistible reasons which led him to this
opinonreasons that moi shifting and temporary In
their complexion but permanent enduring resulting from
the immuabe character OF institutions, and bnd
like hooks of steel. upon OF honor They are as
imperative in their nature and obligations" as const-
tuonal injunction could be- They lie at ''the very basis
Of our social compact" and the attempt to violate them
cannot be made ''without imminent peril, not certain
destruction, to the Union of the States
But Martin Van Buren, hadexpressed himself On another
occasion in similar opposition to any such attempt In
letter which he addressed to gentleman in Augusta,
Georgia. dated Owasco, September 10, 1885,, he repes
the Representations which had been circulated about
his opinions. He says
sThe allegations which attribute views and opin
ions that justly obnoxious the slaveholding
States are made the face OF the explicit declara
my denying all authority the part OF the
federal to interfere 10 the mater-agans the
propriey Of agitang the question in the District OF Column
bia and in the absence of single fact giving the least
| coanenance 10 the unlounded impntatons-"
/ The whole strain of his declarations, whilst the
canvass was depending into the same channel and
when he was elected President, fnd him boldly
chalking out, in his inaugural address the 18th OF
March, 1887, the he intended 10 pursue
.Perceving, before my election, the deep interest this
subject slavery] beginning to excite, believed il
solemn duty fully make known my sentiments in regard
70 III and now, when motive for misrepresentation
has passed away, trust that they will be canddy weighed
and understood At least they will be standard Of CON
duct in ,he path before me then declared. thai I the
1aairo nf n I'M
election gratied Il must go into the presidential
e on s pa an Of Gona 10 ave %
District OF Columbia against the wishes OF the savehodng
sst the slightest interference with i in the States where
exists submitted also to my fellow with fullness
and franknes the which led me to this detenina
ton The result authorizes TO believe that they have
been approved and conded in by majority OF the
people of the United States, including those whom they
most Immediately affect. only to add that
bill conflicting otk these receive consi
ional These opinions have been adopted in the
rm belief they accordance with the spirit that
acnated the veneraed fathers OF the republic and that
ceedng experience has proved them TO be humane pa
| trotic, expedient, honorable. and just"
/ These decisive sentiments were expressed too, by
Others who his mouth piece-by the consistent B.
F. Butler and by Sas Wright himself, in the following
extract of letter which he addressed democratic
friends of Vermont, in 1897 in reply to invitation
public dinner:
sOveooking the portance OF the peace and harmony
of the Union disregardng the compromises between the
States which laid the foundation of confedeacy; for
getting assuming to forget, that all, nearly ALL OF the
thirteen States of the foundation of the consiu
ton slave States and that each claimed and insisted
retaining, and did the power legislative and
Otherwise the subject OF domestic slavery within Its
limits; emitting notice that old States which have
abolished slavery within their limits have done so without
interruption from their sister States and neglected. OF
the express constitutional rights of the remaining slave
States this mattel these fanatics aready attempting
10 a~a the public mind the evil OF slavery in the abb
stracHs If any intelligent and unprejudiced citizen at
tempt defend the principles of slavery view il
o,hf evil which had origin in British colo
naA which found in its strength and nlal-
riy formation of coniedency and the remedy
with that large class powers left the States rather,
which been granted by the States TO the federal
The agtators OF this topic know well that no
branch the federal government and that no ocer OF
over slavery within the States and yet they will oppose
the administration upon ground that slavery exists,
and is evil Without discussing the question Of national
faith constitutional right, they know we'll that any AT
it exists in the surrounding States of Maryland and Virgin
ia have the effect give freedom to single slave,
compel their transfer to new masters IN the slave
States: and they know well that slavery cannot be
that territory Of ten miles square while 1t ex-
lists ia all the contiguous country with safety the peace,
OF the surrounding States and
vet they will oppose the administration because slavery
exists in District OF Columbia They know perfectly
1perv in the States ifon pa!pabe poafion Of has oath
10 support the conauton Of the United STATES ana thsg
,ccH that ics acerv CRISIS under the authorities Of
the of Maryland aud Prgaia he mil consider II an
hum to approve and sgn bill to abolish slavery The Dis
rIct of Columbia aud get they mil oppose and ry the
Presdenf bccas pey NOT wholly abolished an the Uni
VIII the freemen, Will the democrats OF YER
republican administration upon grounds like these VIII
their opposition 20 administration they