Democratic banner., 1849-01-29
SLAVERY

JEFFERSON lily, Lee. ZoLn, 1895
SLAVERY RESOLUTIONS.
On the LIST inst, Mr.. Wells introduced
the following resolutions into the Senate of
Missouri:
Resolutions introduced into lhe MissOu-
ri Legislature relative to the Will
mot PrOviso and the Missou- Fs
ri Compromise. 4-s| 800 =
Be ii resolred by the General assembly
g the State Of Missouri, as oA0vf:
LIST. That the Constitution of the United
States confers on Congress no power to
legislate on the subject of slavery within
the territories of the United States, or to
pass any laws affecting the rights of per-
sons or their property within said terrific
Iries.
2. That the section of the Constitution
which empowers Congress "to dispose Of
and make all needful rules and regulations
respecting the territory or other property
of the United States," authorizes Congress
to legislate over the public territory, as
prope,y Of the United States, and not 9TH
erwise. @
3. That this General Assembly still sd
heres to the principle asserted in our dec
~larstion of independence, "tinat all political
power is derived from the consent of the
governed, THAT nc one people have a
right to govern another without their con
sent; and, therefore, as the people Of the
Territories have never consented that Con-
Igress should pass laws for their govern
ment, Congress cannot lawfully exercise
such power.
4th. That the Constitution of the Unit
ed States, is a compact on the part Of the
several States, by which certain powers
originally belonging to said States, and the
people of said States were delegated te
Congress, but that no power either was oil
could be delegated which die not belongtc
said States, or some Of them. Therefore
as neither the said States, nor any Of then
ever possessed the powers of government
over the people, Congress cannot have sucl
power.
9th. That the people Of the Territories
do not derive the right Of self government
from either the States or the people of the
States, but it exists in nature, and belong:
r alike to all; and it cannot be lost or dele
gated, except by the people themselves.
9th. That SO much of the act Of Con-
gress of March 9th, 1920, as provides "that
slavery shall never exist north Of the par
allel of latitude 36 deg. and 80 Minis" was
wholly unauthorized by the Constitution Of
the United States, and is therefore void
and whether the slave States, or the free
States, are willing 10 abide BY said act, as
a compromise or not, is a matter Of perfect
Indifference to the people Of the territories
Their right of self gorernment is wholly
independent of all such compromises.
18th. That the Wilmot proviso, $50 call.
ed by which Congress attempts to pro
hibit the existence of slavery in certain
territories, is on act unauthorized BY The
> Constitution, and therefore void. If i
were not so, it would be an act of the gross
est despOtism-the people Of the Territories
have the same rights of government owe
r themselves uithin the territories. that tn
-~lpeople of the States have over themsslve
within the States. 80 77.
.- 49, H-E- r
: The Washington Union has a letter from De
n troit. which states that Gen, Cass will be "a
al. A.. II & Sau,t, bv . ,,o,p;,nOu. vot.