The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-09-26


dence of the equality of the States What are the ends
sought In the formation of this instrument given in
the preamble'
insure domestic tranquility, provide de-
enee, and promote the general welfare"
How these ends be so well secured as by pesery-
ing the equality of the citizens and the Sates In the
meraon of the powers given to Congress- how does The
list commenced Congress authorized lay duties &c.
For what purpose To pay the debts and provide for the
common defence and the general welfare. How
you provide for the general welfare unless you make
equality the rue5 Let any man reflect upon it, and he
will perceive that there other rule by which pro
vision be carried Contrive any scheme Of
sal benefit and you will find i. must be equal mean not
absolute equality but the equality of proportion But this
not all IL is provided that all shall be uniform and
that the laws of bankruptcy and shall be
form is provided that preference shall be given
ports State those of another that the citizens
all the States shall have the privileges Of the each
and IN order to insure this equality the State
themselves are hedged about by prohibitions They
not allowed to make trea..o5 because in that way
might gam lie advantage others They not al
ed to lay Duties because the benefits of commerce might
thus be distributed unequaly among the States. Turn
where you will, you find the constitution filled with pro-
visions this equality and there remarkable
10 which !. clearly PROVED that the @
election by the people for the presidency falls 1t ID to be
made by Congress- whose sense is taken by States,
and by the very provision of the these States
made equal that Delaware is influential as New
York or Pennsy lvana.
If this equality among the States fundamental princi
pe essential to the well being and existence of American
society it organized under the constitution, ask If
bound the exercise of every power, whether
granted implied to administer with reference to those
lmitationsi The highest of all obligations upon govern
that of avoiding all which would change the
organic and impair the vital functions Of the socie
which inIusts it with power for purposes not of de-
structon, but Of preservation. 1t the obligation of the
nurse not to destroy the child l ask If not es
pecaly bound thus when this question of
the organization of territorial governments, when is
membered that the people of the States acquire ter
ritory severay, but must take jointly Who doubts
that the disposition of the money arising from the pro-
ceeds Of the sales of the public lands equal distribution
to be madei did hear it stated the other side that
Congress the power dispose the property
qually; but who considers this proposition aen
lively for moment, can, think, maintain because
maintain that there absolute power dispose of
these proceeds would be to make all the limitations of the
constitution actually worthless.
If Congress has absolute power of dsposlng OF the
proceeds Of the sales of public property that may
do whatever be effected by moneynot only that
tent but the measure of the whole public easure-for
may the money derived from taxation property
and when that again reconvered into money the former
restrictions to its appropriation longer apply The
of the constitution to the States and its mita
tons upon federal authority no longer apply to the APP
poprating power and utterly useless But who can
seriously contend for proposition which leads to such
startling consequences So long it is question
of money will be almost universally admitted that the
appropriation of the proceeds of the public property
be made under all the limitations express and implied, of
the To show how deeply this sentiment of the
equality of the States has entered into the hearts of
pe would appeal to every here If he would not feel
OF rlSnt tne6e proceeds OF Tue
public lands given only part of the States they
were unequaly distributed amongst them mean, as
said BEFORE the equality Of proportion absolute equality
in relation to that other end to which territory
pedthe of States and their preparatory
Element and coonzaionhat the equality of the rights of
the States is important and most disputed This night
of colonIzmg and settling territory the highest and
important of a that of such
To find convenient and easy outlet for the
highest possible importance for every State. To plant this
population in positions where they may grow from inan
cy into maured societies. and the conederacy
valuable and sympahizng associates, to give our faci
ties for emigration value and importance beyond any thing
ever enjoyed by other nations.
How much have these very opportunities added to
the stability, harmony, and power of confederacy
But this right important to ALL is most to the savehold
ing States TO deny hem and con6ne the slave popu
aon within present borders would be deprive them
of all chance of preserving weight enough in the confdera
cy protect their rights under the constitution, whilst it
would dangerously diminish the relative superiority Of the
white at home Without outlet for their redundant
popuaton--without the of throwing off the danger
and dsaffeced portions society growth, which
the ps edcairir nature ofou political SYSTEM and soon to
be without sensible weight IN the government of the
federacywhat would be the ultimate condition of these
Statesi No impartial consider these things with
feeling that indispensable to the saveholdng States
maintain their equal right to plant, coonze and settle the
vacant territory of the conederacy. No just judgment
Think be pronounced upon the constitutional obligations
of Congress which does maintain of the highest
that of preserving the States equal participation the
benefits of settling and coonzng this soil of the
conederacy 1t is therefore high and positive duty of
|
the territory settle it. The end of government is the pro-
lection of the rights of persons and property.
If the duty of governing these territories devoves upon
Congress- the obligation also upon protect the pro-
of those who there to SETTLE occupy and coonze
But have been told, when insisting upon this obi
CATION the part of Congress, that asking much
that asking the free States participate the estab
ishment of slavery But if the imposed upon
them that obligation, to be charged with asking
much when demand that the obligation should be full
filed II they dissatisfied tired with the bond let
them but If they mean to live under it, let them
fulfil all the obligations which that instrument imposes
them Is it, point of fact, however, asking them
lablish slavery in the terrores that
The right of property slave is established in the
of property slaves the State of Virginia II belongs
the supreme power Of that State say what things pro-
perty shall consist and what it shall not consist is
of tho attributes of sovereignty and if the State of Vr
GINA please that there shall be property slaves the
State Of Virginia. there is properly IN slaves; and when
property exists it remains until 1t dvested either
by the of owner, the Of law, the of God.
If the slave freed when he carried England, it
the has property that slave, but be-
that inflicted penalty him for bringing that
slave there If you TO carry into the court OF Kings
Bench my question arising out of slavery in
made in State where slavery existed and raise the pon,
whether there property in the slave case belonging
the class in which the law of the place where the
is made governs undertake to say that the
would the contract which depended upon the
of that property undertake to say that they
do so, according to all principles of national law, deny
the existence of sovereignty to that foreign State At sove-
regnty exists, belongs 1t to say what property
sss Now, if could be denied in Europe that prop
consists in slaves cannot orforI, be denied In
Massachusetts Vermont because the existence of this
property recognised in the constitution If slave es-
IA, taf IA n