Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1848-09-06
Van Buren's AcceDtance.

Inc general anxiety to see the letter Of S
ar Van buren, accepting the nomination
If the Buffalo convention, has induced US to il
ay 1t before our readers, Notwithstanding t
is extreme length. The letter is interest f
ng only as showing the views Of the writ
'r upon the subject Of the extension of sla. !.
'ry, and OF the rights of Congress to legis- l.
ate tor the territories. And in this he ex-
presses no new opinion, his letter in this q
respect being relteration Of the views con. !
.alned in his letter to the Utica convention,
Upon this subject he undertakes 10 estab. F
llsh the constitutional right upon the ground I
Of precedent, never so much as once deien- ,
ing to cite to that section Or article which
grants the power, or from which the same
might be implied, even by the most latitu-
dinarlan constructionist of the constitution.
SO far as we are acquainted with this sub
ject and with the opinions of those who deny
the constitutional right of Congress to leg
islate over the territories, they are not at
issue with Mr.. Van Buren, upon that point
Gen. Cass has never denied that the power
had been exercised, but he denies the con.
stitutionul grant ofthat power to Congress.
Judge Mclean says, that, "there is no spe.
cifc power in the Constitution, which au-
government. And again, he says, that the
"implied powers can only be exercised in
carrying into effect specific power" In the
opinion that the power is not granted TO es-
tablish territorial governments, Gen. Cass
agrees with him, yet he thinks its exercise
grew out Of the necessity of the case, and
that its exercise should be carried no far.
ther than the necessity which prompted it.
Mr.. Van Buren does not recognize the
constitutional right Of Congress to establish
all United States Bank, and yet, if he would
suffer his opinion to be controlled by prece-
dent. he would be compelled 10 admi, the
doctrine so long conlsnded for by the old
federal party. But, it is frequently said
that the right Of Congress to exercise this
| power was never questioned until this late
period, and Mr.. Van Buren, seems to wish
TO convey this impression. The following
extract from Mr.. Madisons writings, con-
tanned in the 3ath number ofthe Federalist,
shows that the fact is far otherwise. MIR.
Madison says:-"Congress has assumed
''the administration Of this stock, [refer-
''ring to the public lands. J They have be-
s'gun to render it productive. Congress has
"undertaken to do more: they have pro-
''ceeded to form new States; to erect TEN.
"porayy governments; to appoint officers
''for them; and to prescribe the conditions
son which the States shall be admitted into
'the Confederacy. And all this has been
"doaae, and done 1vithout the least color
s.of constitutional authority"
If the power has been unconstitutionally
exercised with the general consent of all
the parties concerned, it has been the con.
currence of the people who were effected
by it which has given it its only force anc
validity; and it by no means follows lha
similar enactments would receive that gen
eraI concurrence now. On the contrary, i
is almost certain that It would be cause o
serious disaster TO. the Union and to tn.
cause of humanity.
We arc not outdone in our desire TO pre-
servo the territories of the government free
from the blight of slavery by MIR. Van
Buren, and his followers. And we think
we have shown how 1t can be so retained
without hazarding the peace and perpetui-
ty of the republic. The only question with
Mr.. Van Buren, and his followers is, 'Has
Congress the power under the Constitution
to prohibit slavery in the terriories?' 1t is
not controverted by them that slavery
can only exist therein by direct law au.
thorizing it; and very few, if any of them,
claim that it will make the least difference
in the settlement Of the question whether
Congress exercise that power or not, and
that it would be perfectly useless, and un-
attended with the least practical benefit.
In relation to The abolition of slavery in
the District of Columbia, it is quite evident
that his opinions have undergone mighty
| change; still, it is by no means clear from
that part Of his letter, what are his opinions
upon that subject, it is worded with all the
caution peculiar 10 the "li,tle fox" of Kin
derhook; but he thinks that, should Congress
pass a bill for that purpose, having in view
certain objects, he should not feel author
lied to withhold from it his signature. In
1886 his views were widely different upon
this subject. In writing to Junius Ams,in
that year, he declared that 'the abolition
of slavery IN the District OF Columbia, n
gainst the wishes of the slave holding
States, would violate the spirit Of that
compromise Of interest aohich l1es at the
basis of our social conapect." But it will
be remembered that Martin Van Buren,
was then before the people Of the nation
as candidate for the Presidency, and 10
crafty his ambition, he found it necessary
to p, ,opitiate the South, and he bowed obse-
quiously at the shrine of slavery; and now,
to quench his insatiate thirst for rerenge,
he goes over, 'body, soul and breeches,"
to the disunionists. and declares that there
has such change come over the state OF
public affairs as to warrant the exercise of
power, which being done when he was a
candidate, would have violated the spirit
Of that compromise of interest which lies at
the basis of our social compact" The won
derful change is in Mr.. Van Buren's Cir
cumstances, and very few can be at loss
to understand the motives for his present
course.
Pennsylvania.
The Democratic State Convention of this