Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1849-07-25
To the Voters Of Wayne County.

die of last May: during that time. without any
agency of mine, was chosen as one OF the
Wing nominees, for a seat IA the next L-s'sia-
ture. Although am recovering from the cis-
ease, which so entirely Frustrated me, am still
unable to walk except with the aid Of crutch
and cane, and fear shall be unable TO canvass
the whole county in person: az l am ADVISED
that certain gentlemen Of mis- ellaneous politics
are making strenuous exertons TO def-at me, as
well the other gentlemen whose names are
associated with me on the ticket, have, IN com
pance with the wishes of my friends, adopted
this mode Of laying before you the views and
Sc ailments entertained by the various
questions, by which the public mind IS agItated
As the conduct and votes of our members Of
Of Congress often are, and always should be re-
gulated and controlled by votes of Instruction.,
emanating from the Legisatu of their state
IL IS IMPORTANT that n candidate for the State
Legislature should give full and candid expo
stion Of his views questions of national poll
cy.
Upon the questions of Protective Tariff, the
Improvement of our rivers and harbors, and the
establishment Of a uniform currency for the
government and the people, my sentiments are
those advocated by the Wing party, with which
| have bee m for years associated. Ever since l
became a voter have resided in this county
and my vote and influence have always been cas-,
in favor Of Wing men and measures to which |
have alluded, | have always regarded as being of
paramount Importance, and favorites of the
Wing party
/ But there is one question Of engrossng and
absorbing interest, question that in the extent
of its magnitude and Importance. towers as far
above all others, the highest peak Of the An
ders towers above the vale, that lies nesting at
its foot refer to the question of Slavery, and
the extension of that institution over the terri
tory recently acquired from Mexico. 50 far as
the abstract question of slavery is concerned,
regard it, morally politically. socially, and re-
ligiously a great and inexcusable evil; and
utterly repudiate any code of morals, that con-
cedes to the right to hold his fellow
man, as a chattle.
With regard to the extension of slavery, |
hold, that Congress does not possess the right. OF
power, to establish this institution ia amy terri
tory belonging m. United States; should il
in any manner either by direct action. fail
ure act, peri it to continue in those terrific
res. Any power, which Congress possessrs on
this subject, must be derived from the constitu
ton; that constitution is an instrument Of de-
fined and limited powers, and the powers o
legislation conferred on Congress are of two
kinds:-Ist. There is specific enumeration o
the subject matters over which Congress may
exercise its legislative CONTROLLED. 1t is provi-
Ged, that Congress shall have the power to pas
all laws, necessary and proper to carry out the
enume rated grants Of power: all other ''power
not granted, or reserved TO the States respective
", and to the people," that is to the people it
their individual capacity If this position be
true one, and there are few men who Will ven
ture to deny its correctness, how any MAJ
assert the power of Congress to establish slave
/ ry9 The right to do so, Is not found among III
r grants of power conferred upon that body; an
most certainly man will contend, that Con
cress should create slavery in the terri
tories because such legislation would be necessar
and proper in order to carry out any power, tina
is directly conferred on Congress
But should Congress in the exercise of it
power prohibit the introduction of slavery int
undoubtedly it should. At the time of the ad
5 mission of the State of Missouri in the Union
, it was provided by act Of Congress. common
, Iy known as the Missouri Compromise, that N
Slave States formed ont of territory lying mort
then territories of Arkansas. and Florida shout
be admitted, as slavehoIding States. Acting up
4 this tacit understanding the citizens Of fire.
:, states forbore to offer any opposition to the ap
, plication of those territories, when they sough
to be admitted states. At the time of III
: Compromise, it was understood by all men, tina
the re could be no more slave states beside thos
: two; for south Of Sc deg. 80 min. there was. n
Of IA
ed. And now, after a vast portion Of terri,or,
lying south OF the compromise line has sine
u been acquired and annexed to tho Unite
:. States, it i'll becomes the advocates of SLAYER
n extension, to say. that the Compromise apple
l. only to the then limits of the Union.
). There is another class Of reasons why Con
gress should exercise its prohibitorv power. A,
, ticIe 4, Section of the Constitution of the
: States provides, that Congress shall guarant
- to every State Of this Union a republican fori
OF government" This can only be done
through the supervisory power which Congress
8 possesses of looking into the constitution of an
J. state and rejecting any thing nti-republcar
!. which it may contain. That form Of govern
ment cannot be republican, which give. TO on
class Of men. the entire and absolute control
another class: and any state seeking for ad mi.
r sion With the slaveholding clause in its Const
d tuition should be rejected. While it is a ter
@ ritory, Congress is its Legislature, and possesse
full power 10 prohibit slavery.
BY the 5th anne nd me Mt to ,h. Constitution
5 is provided, that person "shaii be deprived
!. life. liberty property without due process
; law" Now the words due process Of La,r hay
technical meaning. and are equivalent, to
x a, = IL,
and decision gwen by a competent trbun al
e Now suppose Congress fail TO i-gisla,e: if a CT
d zen of Slave State carry his slaves into a t.
% rtory, OF the United States. the very of taa
ing them there renders them free under the dc
- cision of the Supreme Court OF the United State
II If the master continue 10 hold them as slave
then they are deprived Of liberty without, Gu
process of law: and 10 prevent this violation