Democratic banner., 1849-04-16
SLAVERY IN THE DISTRICT.

gress could abolish slavery in the District,
because the government had obtained by
~cession or purchase, this District, then the
government might purchase asquare in the
city Of Charleston on which to erect a Gus
tom House, and Congress could abolish
slavery within the limits of that square
And also, that if Congress had the power
to abolish slavery, it also had the power to
establish it, and it could purchase a square
in the city of Boston, for Custom House
buildings, and establish slavery within the
limitS'of that Observation-Disclosures.
The points above raised are inevitably
involved in the slavery question, as present.
ed by its opponents atthe North. 9 ntake
ground upon a question without having ex-
amined we'll the Notifications that surround
it. If Congress has the power to establish
or abolish slavery in the territories, it GER
tainly has the power to abolish it in the
District, or other public grounds Of the Un-
no Missiourian or Southerner
would admit. And if Congress has the
power to control the institution Of slavery
at ALTO abolish tit has equal power to
establish it;-this the North would certain.
ly deny.
The effort to exercise, by Congress, pow
er over slavery in the public grounds or ter.
~ritories, is unwarranted by the spirit and
genius Of our institutions. The advocates
of the measure vainly turn the leaves of the
constitution in search Of this power. We
hear n day their leaders claiming its ex-
in the clause which gives to Con-
gress the "power to dispose Of, and make
all needful rules and regulations respecting
the territories, or other property belonging
to the United States,'' &c. ; tie next day
the power to govern territory is claimed to-
exist with the power TO acquire it. This isl
done by the men who formerly denied that
power. Their argument, however, is grant,
that Congress has the power to govern
the territory, to make all needful rules and
regulations to that end /; but not to inter-
Iere with local institutions or the rights Of
the people. It is denied that Congress has
The power to recognize, as property, the
property of one State, and to destroy the
property Of another State when carried in
the territories. And it is further denied
that Congress has the power to say that the
Of particular States shall not bring
heir property there. This would be max
ing a difference between the Ststes. The
constitution says 'the citizens Of each State
'hall be entitled to all privileges and immu-
of citizens of the several States."--l
But, Mr.. Webster, Tire great ~"expounder
Of the constitution" abandons both q. the
above positions, a sure indication OF their
weakness, and argues that slavery is a local
institution, and cannot exist in the terrific
ries until established BY Congressional leg
if so, the slaves of all the slave
States that have come into the Un.
ion since the constitution was formed and
Iatifisd, are and Of right ought to be free.
The free schools Of Connecticut are local
Institutions, and her wooden hams and nut
negs are local property before they find
heir way into other States and territories.
The State laws alone have right to OK.
,lude any species Of property recognised
IS such by the constitution of the UnionI
Of particular States. r
The great diversity of opinion in the
North, as to where this power is lodged, is
strong presumption of its non-existence.
COMPOUNDED are the majority of the adj
of the "Wilmot Proviso' that whenI
upon this question, they turn
rom the constitution and claim the exercise
# the power upon the score Of precedent.
This is indeed yielding the question, and
resortsd to hardly need be pursued
$50
We deny, however, that thu exercise of
he power now sought-the exclusion of
from Southern territory-is even
warranted by precedent. The ordinances
# 'S7 was written before the constitution.
Tha M;aanuvS Ho-n~a-s A.. -, /