Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-06-06
RICH NOR Va !.
Tuesday Morning, June 9, Is4s.
WHAT ARE MR.. CAss's OPINIONS ON THE

power of Congress or The people of The terrific
ries Of the United States, to interdct or abolish
slavery in those territories, with the opinions e1-
pressed in The seventh and eighth resolutions OF
The Democratic Convention, held in Richmond,
on the 2Sh day OF February LASH
II The first OF The above questions be answered
satisfactorily, and he Two last be answered IN The
affirmative, the efforts made by some oil The
Southern Wing and ultra press, TO involve the
members OF the Virginia delegation al Baltimore
in inconsistency and violation of their solemn
pledges will be shewn to be as unjust and wick
ed, as they are uniounded and unsupported by
fact or argument In December, lS47, about TWO
months before the Virginia Democratic Conyen.
lion assembled, and before the question had been
distinctly made, as to the Constitutional power OF
the PEOPLE Of a territory to abolish or prohibit
slavery within the limits Of such territory,
Mr.. Cass, in answer TO letter addressed to him
BY Mr.. Nicholson Of Nashville, Tennessee, re-
plies, in detail, TO various inquiries propounded
10 him in that letter; and, among others, "What
are my sentiments with regard to the Wlmot
Proviso;" Let US sec The character and extent
OF that answer. Mr.. Cass says: "The Wilmot
Proviso has been before the country some time.
1t has been repeatedly discussed in Congress,
and by the public press. am strongly impress
ed with the opinion that great change has been
going on in the public mind upon this subject
in my own as vel as Others and that DOUBTS
are resolving themselves into CONVICTIONS; that
tie principle it involves should be Kept out of
NATIONAL LEGISLATURE, and left to the people
| of the conf.deracy in their respective LOCAL CO.
vERNMENTs." He proceeds to discuss the power
Of Congress to pass laws for the regulation OF
the internal police and concerns Of the terrific
ries; and while he admits the power of Congress
to create territorial governments, he denies the
right TO Congress to enact laws for The govern.
ment of the people of such territories. He en-
phatically says: "In various respects the terri
tories differ from the States-some of their
rights are inchoale, and they do not possess the
peculiar attributes Of Sovereignty" He pro.
ceeds in another part of the same letter to re-
mark, in regard to the exercise Of power by
Congress on this subject, tina! ut should be
limited to the creation of proper governments
for new countries, acquired or settled, and to
the necessary provision for their eventual ad.
mission into the Union, leaving, in the mean
time, TO the people inhabiting them, to regulate
their internal concerns in their own way. They
are just as capable of doing so as the people OF
| the States; and they can do so. at any rate, as
soon as their po itical independence is recognized
by admission into til. Union"-and this passage
is seized hold Of, for the purpose Of proving
that Mr. Cas- designed to affirm the power un :
limited and unfettered, under the Constitution,
by the people Of the territory to prohibit
slavery therein. The whole caste and char
| acter OF the letter repels any such concu-
sion. He has just before declared that these
territories did no! possess the peculiar otribntes
of overwhelmingly Of their rights are in
choate and imperfect, aud the only certain con-
clusion OF definite and conclusive character 10
be found 10 the detached sentence of this letter is
that The people of The territory can at any rate as
sumo the unrestricted control OF their internal
concerns ''as soon tteir political independence is
recognised by admission into tie Uaion"-and
vel, further, Mr.. Cass most empha!ically re.
marks, II am satisfied from all Ihave seen and
heard here, that successful at'emp' 10 engrat The
principles of the Hilmot Prori@ npon The legisla.
tim, Of this Government and apply them 10 ne1r
territory, should neu trviLory be acquired, acould
seriously affect orr tranquility. do no, suffer my.
self 10 oresse or 10 forelel the consequences that
would ensuc; for trust and believe there is good
sense and good feeling enough in this country 10
aroid hen By arOidlng all occasions which might
lead 10 them"
Mr.. Cass proceeds then 10 make summary
OF his conclusions. They are thus clearly eX-
pressed: briefly, then | am opposed to the e1er-
else OF any jurisdiction by Congress over this
mater, and am in favor oil leaving 10 the PEG.
pie OF every territory which may be hereafter &C.
quired, The right TO regulate il for themselves,
Under the general pr,neiplcs Of Tie Constitution.
because, do not see in the Constitution any
grant OF the requisite power TO Congress; and
am not disposed 10 extend doubtful precedent
beyond lis necessi,y-the establishment OF ter
rilorial government when Notwithstanding 10 the
inhabitants all the rights compatible 10Th tie 7ela.
tons lev bear 10 the confederation" because be-
here this MEASURE, II adopted, Mould acsaken j not
impair tieunion ofhe STATS and p7ud so1c tic seeds
Of future discOrd Which ,could gro1 up ard ripen
into an abundant harvest OF calamity" Read de-
liberaely the foregoing strong and emphatic
clear and conclusive dennnciation of The Wilmo
| Proviso, and We then ask Of any fair and impair.
tial mind, can you doubt that Mr.. Cass is an I'M
compromising opponent OF III Is not the frs
question, then, answered Satisfactorily and, in
arriving at this conclusion, have we not, in a
great measure, Obtained The materials for an.
swering the two last questions2 Mr. Cass de-
cares the attemptto nlerdicl by Congress the in
PRODUCTION OF slaves into newly acquired terrific
ry, TO be unconstitutional But he stops not there
he denounces The measure as dangerous TO the
Union. He is no, content with denying to Con
| gress this power, but he characterZes the adop
lion OF such measure, come from what quarter
it may, as one that "wouM uedken, il nat impair
the Union of the Stltss and ,conld sor the seeds O
future diseord Diiet ,oold groo mp and ripcn mt
an abundant harvest of calamity" While Mr.
Cass comedies 20 The people of the territories hi
right to regulate this question for themselves
he does it with the qualification "under th'
general principles of the Constitution" and II
such a manner as may be compatible 1ciih the re
latons Mcv bear to he confederatign;" and We az,
ye, TO learn how the people OF territory can in.
terdict or abolish slavery within lis limits ''con
sistnay With tic general prineiples Of tie Consti
tution" ard the 'relations thy bear to the conede
yacy," when that very measure is admitted ant
denounced 10 be 50 dangerous and destructive
that, when "adopted, IL ,cOuld ,rsakcn if MT in,
pair the union Of ths STATS and ''would SOW H.
seeds OF future discord, which would grow an
ripen into an abundant harvest of calamity ~