The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1848-06-28

tory and other property ofthe United States
is unlimited, wherever subjects are found
for It's operation, and IFS exercise needed no
auxiliary provision. II, on the other land,
it does not include such power of legislation
over the other property ofthe United States,
then it does not include it over their terrific
ry;' for the same terms which grant the one
grant The other Territory is here cIassed
with property, and treated as such; and the
object was evidently to enable the general
government, as a pr"pcrly-hoidcr WHICH,
from necessity, il must be-lo manage, pre-
serve and dispose of such property as II
might possess, and which authority is essen
tiai almost to its being. ut the lives and
persons Of our citizens, with the vast variety
of objects connected with them cannot be
controlled by an authority which is merely
called into existence for The purpose OF ma
king rules and regulations for the disposition
and management OF property.
Such, il appears to me, would be the con-
s,ruc,ion, put upon this provision Of the coll
slitution, were this question now first pre-
senlcd for consideration, and not controlled
by impericus circumstances. The original
ordinance Of 'he congress oflac confcdera-
ton. passed in 1857, and which was The on
~ ACT upon this subject in force at the adop-
ton Of The constitution, provided complete
| frame of government for the country north
of the OHIO, while in territorial condition,
and for its eventual admission in separate
States into the Union. And the persuasion
that this ordinance contained within itself all
the necessary means o. execution, probably
prevented any direct reference to the SUBJ
lcct in the constitution, further than vcsllng
IN congress the right 10 admit the States
formed under it into the Union. However,
circumstances arose, which required legiSla-
ton as well over the territory north ot lhe
Ohio, as over other territory, both within
and withG2t the original Union, ceded TO
the genera governnent; and al various tunes
more enlarged power has been exercised
over the In1itorics-mcaningl thereby the
different territorial governmcntS-llian Is
conveyed by the limited grant referred to.
How lar al existing necessity may have op-
Grated in producing this legislation, and thus
extending by ralkcr violent implication,
powers not directly gwen, know not. But
certain ii is That the principle OF interference
should not be carried beyond the necessary
implication which produces it. 1t should be
limited to the creation Of proper govern
mcnlS for new countries, acquired or settled,
and to the necessary provision for their event.
full admission into the Union-lcaving, in the
meantime, to the people :nhi5ltIng them, to
regulate their internal cGnccrms i'll their own
way. They are nst as capab.c OF doing So
as the people of lhc States; and they can do
so al any rate, as soon as their political ndc-
pcndruce is recognized by admission INTO
TIC U non. During this lcm. orary condi-
t,n it is hardly ,xpcd'enl TO Gail INTO cXcr.
else doubtful! and InvldIouS authority winch
questions the intelligence OF respectable
portion of our citizens; and whose Limitation,
whatever 1t may be, will be rapidly APP
preaching It's tcrin!nai!on-an authority
which would Civ to Congress dcSpotlc paw
Ell, uncontrolled by the bye the constitution,
over mos, important sections Of our country.
For flhc relation OF master and servant
NAV be regulated Or annlhIIatcd by lis lcgIs-
alIoll, SO may tn. rctatinn OF husband and
wife. OF parent and child. and OF any ether
condition which our institutions and the hab-
its of our society recognise. What w"uld
bc though, if Congress should undertake To
prescribe the terms Of marriage in New
York, or to regulate the authority ol parents
over their children in Pennsylvania. And
vet it would be as vain to seek ono jus!!!yng
the interference OF the national legislature III
cases referred to in the original States Of the
Union. | speak here of tho inherent power
of Congress, and Go not touch the question
of such contracts, Us may be formed with
new States when admitted into tho con cI-
eracy.
Oi all the questions tia; can agi;atc Us,
those which are merely sectional in their
character arc the most dangerous and the
mos. t. be denre Gated. The warning voice
of him, who from his character aud services
and virtue. had the best rIy hl to warn us,
proclaimed TO his country III his Farewell
Addrcss-that monument Of wisdom tDr him
as hope it will be safely for lhcm-how
much we apprchcnd from measures pccu-
larry anorting geographical portions OF our
cou:ilrr-,hc grave circumstances II winch
We arc now placed, make these words. words
Of safety; for II satisfied, from all ''avc
seen and heard here, that successful al
tempt to cngraft the principles Of the VIII
mot Proviso upon the Legislation "f this gov
crnmcn,, all to apply them To new terrific
ry, should new terri Org DC acquired, would
seriously affect cur tranquility. | do not
suffer myself to lorcsce Or To fortcIl the con
SEQ leuccs that would cnsuc; for trust and
believe there is good sense and good feel
ing enough in the country, to avoid them,
by avoiding all occasions which might lead
to them.