Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1848-08-31
. people of the States and monstrous DO

And they hold that no Rep free ferI1f0ry should
be bligh!ed by lis curse--ihat the Jre spirit
OF chrsianiiy-the free spirit OF the age and
the genius Of our Republican liberty all unite
their voices IN condemnation Of scheme so alb
horrent to every sentiment Of humanity and So
inconsistent with every principle OF wise ma
tional policy.
But while the Wings of Rhode Island en-
terrain these just sentlmenis upoL the subjec
of slavery aud It's extension, they also hold
that the President Of the United States has
rghiiully, in the honest discharge of his con-
sttutional duties, nothing more to do with the
question, whether Congress shall prohibit the
establishment of slavery upon free soil, han
any private individual in the land, and to sup
pose that General Taylors pricate opinions
upon this subject are TO have any practical et-
iect upon this question, while dlschargmg his
appropriate duties as President Of the United
States, is 10 suppose that the controlling pow
er OF the Executive veto and the corrupt Inlu-
cncr of Executive patronage upon NE eg,Sla-
ton Of the country is 10 continue as heretofore.
The legislative power, which by the Constitu-
ton is rested IN the ilro Houses Of Congress.
has been SO long aud so absolutely under the
d spoic control of the Executive veto, that
men OF Intelligence, even, forget that there Is
To be A new order OF things IN this respect. I'M
der General Taylors administration. They
forget that the hgiS}atire polCtr IS 10 be rcaOre0
to CoagroSS--that the people, through their
own representatives, are 10 make laws for then
own government, and that, after the fourth OF
March next, the rctO monarchy and the corrupt
sYsicm of ODFtidi brlbery, used by the present
Executive TO influence the legislation of Con-
gr.ss, are To cease, and the GIOT3OuS temple OF
free popular gOrerRHl.Ht shall rise majestic up
OH us ruins.
Whatever is 10 be done in relation to the
4" free sUiF' question, must be done, as all ad-
NIT, by at Of Congress- II is a question Of
" domestic policy which appeuains exclusive
" to the kgisloiire and no, 10 the er,Cutict de-
parlmen, OF the government. The opinions of
candidates for Congress upon this question
will be q very proper subject Of enquiry and
when that occasion arrives. the Wings Of
Rhode Island will no, probably be slow to make
IT. The opinions of General Taylor upon tlmt
purely legislative matter are unknown, and with
the restrictions which he stands publicly com
mlted to put upon the exercise ot tie retO p0lc-
tr. altogether unimportant The strong, just
apl constitutional views and positions which
he takes IN relation to that much and long a.
based provision Of the Constitution, which was
designed by Ils trainers, merely 10 enable the
Executive power 10 protect Itself aCalns. the
possible encroachAenls OF the legislative branch
OF the government and TO correct acts Ot hasty
legislation, passed without proper care and de-
liberation, bat which, within the last twenty
years, has grown into gigantic power-aboSe
tOngrcss-abOvc the people, and IN fact, con
frrfei upon the American Executive the high
powers and prerogdtIves OF an dSJO'luc dtcid'Or-
sap, are such rs should satisfy every friend ii
free government in this Union. In his Alison
letter General Taylor says -
The power given by the Constitution to
the executive 10 lnterpose his veto, Is high
conservative power; but IA ny oplnIon should
never be exercised. except ia ease of clear Vi
ola;ion Of the constitution, or manifest haste
aai want Of consideration by Congress. In
da,t have thought that for maRg y,0yS yof.
ihc kupNn opinions and wishes OF the cX,cu-
tive have exercised WdHc and injurious ,ntN
,q.e uy0a Me bgisI0t,re department of hc g9r
,fam.nt: and tor lhls cause | have thought
o., system was in danger of undergoing 4
pf'lt change from It's true theory. The per-
81. oyiainas of the Utoiuiduai rho Hl0y hap
O... ~ Orcupy lie cGccUiire chdir, OUgM not 10
90 urOk M" Qcti0H of Congress upon qUCSti0Hs
Of !0meStic pOiry, nor ought has objections 10
b. iaterp1Scd rhGc glcst,1aS Of constitutional
po,rer hqce 6cen Settied 5y The rar!ous depart-
rgnts Of government, aAd acQwesccd IN by hc
p'cgs'
Nv this question, Of the right and power
Of Congress to prohibit the establishment of
slavery in territories belonging to the United
Slr,a7. was S,itied ~ long ago 4 1881. Acts
of Congress nave been peatedly passed vn-
der nearly every administration from the COM
Inenccmcnt of the government down to a very
recent period cXerc .sug, asserting and rCcUg-
rising this clear, aCknuW iedget, constitutional
power, which have all been acquIosced in by
the people, for more than half century. Mr..
Van Buren IN his late letter. addressed to the
Utica Convention says :-'' that from l1o1.
the date Of the ordinance for the prevention Of
Slavery in the north western territory, down
to and including 1898, at least eiereH aCtS of
Congress have been passed, organizing tcrr-
tories which have since become States, IN all
of which the Constitutional power of Congress
to lntcrd,ct the Introduction Of Slavery iuto the
territories of the United States. is either dircrt
~ exercised or clearly asserted by enactments,
winch, as matters of authority, are tantamouut
10 lis exercise" " In the laws for the organ
izatlOn of the territories which now constitute
TIE S.ltcs Of Ohio Indiana, Michigan, Illinois,
Wisconsin and Iowa, Slavery was expressly
prohibited. The laws for the organization of
the territories of Mississippi, Orleans, Arhan-
sas, Alabama, and FiorGa, contained enact
m-ui5 fully equivalent in regard TO the extent
ii power IN Congress over the subject Of ~la-
very IN the Territories 60 the express exercise
ol It IN other cases. These acts were approy-
cd hy President Washington, the elder Adams,
Jefferson, Madison, Monroe. Jackson and my
srlf all bound by our odths of office to with
hold our respective approval7 from laws which
We believed unconstitutional. Ii IN the pas
gage OF tn So laws, duriag the period Of half a
century, and under the administration of 80
mnny Presidents, there was anything like sec
uonal divisions or greater or less pariIclpa-
ton IN their enactment on the part of the rep
Tscntatiycs of the slave-hoIdlng or OF the non
sldyc-holdng States, an not appr.scd Of II. ."
The argument hch we hero submit to our
fellow citizens upon this question, We believe
t. be sound, logical and conclusive. he
proposition to be proved ls-that Cen. Taylor
will not veto any act of Congress interdictiug
the introduction OF Slavery into any territory
of the United States Hor free. II is admitted,
then, in the FIRST place, that General Taylor
has. in the letter referred to, declared that
" the personal opinions Of the individual who
may happen to occupy the Executive Chair,
ought not to control the action of Congress up
ON questions of domestic policy, nor ought his