Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-10-30

| ing remorselesss sings 10 our seDslpliltie'.
entire Independence of the States was acnieseu
by the most memorable struggle that hisoI! ,e'
cords. They were separate and independent 30
vereignties, and FIRST united under articles o.
confederation. These articles were detective,
mainly 10 not having provided proper means iof
raising revenue, and in not giving congress
sufficient power 10 regulate commerce. lnrse
detects gave rise 10 our present constitution. ln
The convention which formed j., the States mel
as equals in political power. The small States
were unwilling 10 relinquish their equaii.y VI
power; The saveholding Slales were unwilling ~
confederate, unless their slaves should be maue
q basis OF representation, and The owners secured
10 their right. These were exciting suoec's. =
Alter great difficulty they were COMPROMISED
| The SECOND section Of The first article provinces
that representatives and direct taxes shouh' pe
apporlIoned according To numbers, 10 be asceI'
lained by adding three filihs Of the slaves ~ Inc
number of whites. The second section oil The
fourth article provides for recapturing slaves es'
GAPING in.o those States where slavery aid ho1
exist In these provisions we have an ackhoW-
ledemenl OF the existence oil slavery, ana s"aI-
AMY for lis protection as The basis oil representa-
lion. ard as property. The constitution dii mol
create propeity in slaves. Such right existed
anterior 10 and above the constitution. AS slaves
were owed in many OF The States, they would
NOT of course have en,ered into The coniederacy
on such terms as would weaken The right oil The
owner 10 his slave, or diminish The value. One
OF The great objects OF the constitution was, mai
| il should, in its consequences protect properly oy
giving protection and strength TO The several
States. But as The States were sovereign, they
could no, surrender 10 Congress The right 10 con-
lrol by legislation the properly Of their GREENS
Such grant OF power would have been COM
plee surrender OF sovereignty. A great consol-
| dated government would have risen up, which
was an evil, oil all others most dreaded, and most
| Iipidly guarded against, by declaring that all
power not expressly granted 10 Congress. was re-.
served TO the States or 10 The people. Hence no
power can be exercised unless il has been grant
ed by lie constitution. The safely OF the States
and OF The people is best preserved by holding
Congress strictly within the limit ol the delegated
powers. No rule OF construction can be sale
which encroaches upon individual rights. The
right 10 hold slaves as property became fixed
| principle, inseparable from the other provisions
OF The constitution. Indeed, that description Of
property seems 10 have been thought worthy OF
| specific and special protection. The constitution
must exist and harmonic in all its parts. Eve
| ~ principle il contains is inseparahly CONNECTED
together. II is an entire Thing, being The great
| frame work Of The government, ndissolnoiy unit
Ted in all lis paris. II wond not have been form
ed without the insertion Of every feature; is an
| is broken
Notwithstanding this unqualified recognition
| Of property in slaves, and The pro- lection pro.
vded for its enjoym ent as such, still it is con-
tended that Congress may prohib and abolish
il in the territories Of The United States. The
territories ale common property, and cannot BIO
appropriated by Congress 10 the use OF one por-
lion Of the common owners 10 The exclusion Of
another Equality of right must then prevail;
and any act which would destroy That equality
cannot De valid II is principle in tho law of
nations, that Gail the members Of the commu.
nifty have an equal right 10 the use of their con-
mon property Rules may be prescribed ~
The sovereign power regulating The manner ol
It's use, provided they are mol Inconsistent with
thai entire equality which ought 10 be presery-
ed. If the sovereign authority in a Slate or
nation can do nothing which shall produce ine-
quality in the enjoyment Of The public domain
or property, surely such authority is not possess
ed by the federal government, which has but
limited power. The attempt by Congress 10
prohibit slavery in The territory OF California
has caused this meeting. That territory Is com
mon property. There each citizen of The u
States has equal rights, is entitled to equal
freedom in the enjoyment Of the territories -
am proud 10 say, that in acquiring it, Missls'
sppans displayed as much valor as any other
portion Of their brethren in arms, and shed as
much blood, in proportion 10 their numbers,
as the citizens Of any OF the States They
were distinguished tor their proves ~ many
a hard fought battle, hut now they are 10 be told
thai restrictions must be imposed on their right
TO enjoy The conquest. Can we, shond We, yield
the iruil OF our vsor, and surrender with il our
constitutional right OF eqnaliIy2 Congress can
not deprive US OF il, and ought mol il IL coulti
cannot say, that il We 60, W. mus leave our pic.
perry behind US. Property constitutes The means
OF enjoyment, anil 10 exclude the properly OF the
people OF The Southern States, is in effect 10 rx-
Guide The people, and appropriate the country 10
The Northern States. Such power is NJ; pos
sessed by government possessing sovereignty;
il could not te fightlully exercised even By
monarchy. The property oil The Son'h cehsiss
mostly in slaves and 10 intcrdct lis use Oh uuE
own soil, would not only be unjust, bnI an ar
bi rary violation Of The constitution. IL IS vain
10 talk Of our right the territories, II we may
be deprived Of the means Of enjoying those rights.
The mere soil is nothing; II is lie uns that we
may make Of it which renders il valuable. AS
we'll might Congress inleTdicl The use oil any
other properly there; il il can exclude
slave, it may exclude horse or an OK. We
do not derive The right 10 hold either lrom
The constitution. Tha instrument is but sub
serveul 10 their use But why is II that we must
be deprived Of this privilege Because. say our
Northern blehrcn slavery IS moral aud poIill'
cal evil. Who has The right 10 determine that II
is SUI Let them eradicate morai evils from Their
own lane; we can take care Of our own morals
Is il possible il has come 10 This, shit Congress
has the right, under limited gram Of power, 10
travel ialu the wide field Of ethics, and regulate cur
moral conduct That is a question Tor our con-
l.,,,; Q.tt dip tbnp
are as inseparahy allied a cause and eflec; The
power 10 regulate one necessarily implies The
power TO regulate lhe other. Is i. possible that in
defiance Of The guards in The Constitution, Con-
gress will ehcroach on SO delicate, so sacred
subecl1 II there is anything dear 10 an Amer.
can, il il his Liberty OF c0nsciehce--hls right to
worship his God al The altar OF his choice.
must admonish my Methodist and my Bapsis
rirncs to be on their guard. ion may soon be
told that your religion IL moral eyli, ard must
be exlefmihaled, Tor il Congress has The righI 10
| eeisac on The ground oi moral evils, TO this
| complexion must il come al last" But WHO has
a right 10 say that il i, a political cvil2 We Go
! not find such doctrine inculcai.d by The COAST,
tuition Congress may decide On questions u eI-
pediency within he range oil the de' ga ed powers;
tut that cannot be 2 political evil within the reach
| OF It's legislative POWER which is secured 10 the
citizen and prohibited 10 Congress. Congress
has no power 10 say lha, constitutional rights are
po.iica evils. To that body, uo;hing is poi;-
teal evil which is secured 10 lhs States or 20 he
| people. Moral ami political evils are themes
which open vile fields ior inyes galicn. and il
Congress may occupy them as The ground work
OF us action, The constitution is wor hess. In
s;ead Of a limited, We have an unlimited govern
menI. II the people, the fountain Of power,
should determine hal political evil exists. they
may apply The remedy, but it is not with Con-
CREST This political and moral evil, il seems
is exclusively in tie South. and those who have
determined II 10 be 50, and wish 10 eradicate H.
reside in the Norh As sovereign States We
have The power 10 Judge of and 10 correct moral
and political evils within our limits. We ask
not The interference vi The North to correct our
morals or our Institutions We do not inlrude
upon lhemi but oaly demand 10 lie permitted IL
an equality in III enjoyment 81 our common
properly. Congress- it is true, mag establish
L.,,