Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-08-21
THE RICHMOND ENQUIhsEk.
jec, OF our complaint, and against which We most

1eCi vi OCi SOinEldIul duu so-
solemnly protest. ,,aer The
The right to hold slaves as properly unael ,ne
Federal Constitution, was fully ana I'eaiy hs
cognized by The lramets OF that bond Oh union o.'
tween US as a people. Not only by Tue conss ,ts
ton itself, but The people VI all The o,a'e. Wv
Union, al The time OF It's adoption, helu slase
In addition 10 this, most OF the mempels And
Convention were themselves slaveholuels' nmu
the guards and express provisions OF lhd1 -
ment in relation TO the protection oil plope.'y -
slaves, show that they must have 'ie"eu '"a'
particular subject In all It's bearings.
First, we I'll d that in forming The Dasis y, ~
resenlalion in The Congress OF The uni"a o.a'es'
three. fiIlhs OF The slaus population w'' cooN
See Fed. Constitution, All. /, Sec.2 49,. ,hs
Next, we see an express provision 'nSt ~ =.
imp5rtati9n Of Slaves shall rot be pIonioneu -
iii alter The year lS0S.-See Fed. ConS'''u"0A'
AT. l, Sec. ., Clause l.. -a,,;ra
Again, we find (see AT. 5, SEC. ~ IN Po'u'ns
out The mode in which The Constitution may VI
amer dsd, there is a provision decia,,ns nI ~
amendment previous 10 The year 1913 snall ID
any way affect the importation or certain peioou9
and the lax thereon as sci forth in Inc MS. auu
fourth clauses in ninth section OF Inc hrsl a,oele'
Further. Article 4. section 2, clause ), *
prtssly slales, thai 'nu person held 10 seisnuu.u.
labor in one Sale, under the laws thefeo'' te.apn
ing into another, shall, in consequence VI anJ
law or regulation therein, be dlschaiseu av mn
such service or labor. but shall De aeliset.u =
on claim oil Ihe parry 10 wnum sueh sei'i'' -
labor may be due"
Being thus recognized as properly, we can
never permit, peaceably, our rights TO De les,sia,.u
from US by forced constructions Or ialse pn,ldn-
lhropy. We know that slavery e1isled WIN 10
before The adoption of the Federal ConslNu'noni
that The right 10 hold such properly was d. 49,
RESERVED By US, as The RICH! 10 hold oul ianu'' CIV
that IL was e prominent question IN me ooHse
ton 10 insert such provisions rs Wouia
tecIual.y prctecl us IN The erluymcn! oil the same.
And whist there are bat few al present soJ!H@l'
cal as 10 attempt by congressional Legislation 10
interfere Girecty with slavery within Inc oia.es,
yet we find all parties in The nun-siaVenoiaihs
States with a lew honorable e1ceplions) ieso'
lulely determined 10 prohibit Us lalfouuc,'oa ~
the territory winch We now have, or may heiedi-
Ter acquire.
We lind no such power delegated in the cohsll.
luton, and, in lis absence, we view II as IL.
served right which every slave holder enjoys, %
going with his slaves or other properly, upon any
territory which is The common properly u an
acquitted ny The joint Efforts Of ali, ana IN whicn
all are equally interested. An! VIC cannot ana
wiH not suffer cur tight; as 6Qra!s 10 be wres'ea
from Us.
We know that his power is claimed nnde! The
following clause, Art 4, Sec. ), Clause 2:"Ihe
Congress shall Lave power 10 dispose Of, and
make all needfnl rules and regulations respect
ing The territory or other property belonging 10
The United States, and nothing in this consli'u-
lion shall he so construed as 10 prejudice any
claims OF the United States, or Of any particular
Sale" 4,
The power here granted is 10 make rules ana
regulations respecting the Territory or olher pro-
perry, belonging 10 III. Un;led Sintss. WhaI pro.
pely shall Congress have The power 10 dispose
OH Pnpsty belonging to the Un,lsa Stats -"
Evidently, not 10 dispose CT The properly Of any
particular individuals, or 10 prejudice the Chains
Of any particular Stae.
We have been thus plain, as we think, in pre-
senling This question, because we lope me
Union II is a rich legacy left US by our faIheIs
o. the Revolution, who hante! II down 10 Us as
The great Magma Charta Of our rights. lhe
all. hand Ct Providence was EXTENDED
over them in their struggle for independence,
ard crl whed them with victory; and shall this
| glorious contedeIacy be dashed 10 pieces to gran.
| ty The !~ana,ical feelings OF the Abolitionisls and
| others, who are attempting 10 destroy The Tight
| of The Shareholders OF the Unicn2 We ask no.
hing hu. what we would be willing 10 grant
we ask for no law prohibiting any of our
brethren rom taking their property oil any KIND
into any territory which is The common properly
OF all. Nor can We suffer ourselves 10 be &C.
prived oil the same privilege.
We have seen this ques ion Of interfering with
cur rights as shareholders, grow up from a
small knot OF Abolitionis,s, which al hrsl was
hardly noticed, 10 a party embracing every class
Of politicians a; The North; a laooTine lwiin a
lew honorable eXcep,ions) 10 o'ertnIow lle IN
%slilulion Of slavery, frs, by abol,shins 1t IN Inc
D!stric: Of Columbia; and, secondly, pTonipMihe
il in The territories If California and New
Mexico.
The Attempt has already been madsio prohibit
burning ard selling saves in The District oil Co
| Iurnbia Next will come an etiorr 10 prevent se'-
| ling slaves from ciiiZ"ns of one Stale 10 The GILL
GEMS CT arolher. These measures il not arrest
ed, must lead 10 a dissolution 81 the Union, and
The fearful Consequences which VIII io!lt" no
man can .ell. The civilized world will ask who
biuush. about this dissolution2 Heavy, indeed,
! will lie The crime oil those who have resolved 10
destroy the properly ard usurp the rights oil one
portion OF inc people, or drive Them 10 an aban.
donment OF those rights and a surrender oil their
| privileges as tqlals.
What, lei US ask, has the South endured2 We
| al first were told, thai all The agitation OF The sub
jccl Of slavery and abolition vas produced be-
| Cdusc We WOu.Q ~ th1h FStihiouS ~ 'H'
| subject. The cry was that il was an infringe
ment Of The right OF petition. To stop This ella.
incur, The petitions were received. But did this
STOP Inc unwarranIed interference oil The abo!i-
lionist2 Far from il. No sooner were their pc.
titions received lhaa the subject was debated,
| and the South denounced in language unworthy
to he uttered in The Halls OF Congress. This
We bore, hoping thai the good sense OF The North
would check this foul spiri', which nestled 10 The
heart, and polluted The lips Of some of their re-
representatives.. And, whilst a fierce conflict was
carried On at The North, between Wings, Demo-
crals and Abolilionisls, We, OF The South were
anxiously looking on Tor some party bold enough,
to lake sides with u, and The Constitution. Blu;
vain, indeed, was the hope. The Abolilionisls,
having The balance of power, like Aaron's rod,
swallowed up The rest. And now, exeep, a te~
noble spirits, they are all banded together, Tor a
| common purpose, which they know that no
pcopls claiming equal rights under The ConsIi.
tuition, and oIr form OF Government will erer
! submit to.
Re.olvsd, therefore, That we approve OF The
meeting OF the Southern members OF Congress,
lately he'd in Washington City, on The subject ol
The Wilmot Provlso, and other kindred mea-
sures, and lha, we heartily approve Of the ad.
dress drawn by Hon. J. c. Calhoun and adopted
by said meeting.
2. ReSoiyed, That we view the efforts oil The
hbollioDi.is and those who are attempting 10 pro-
hibil the Introduction Of slavery into California
and New Mexico, as calculated, if not dreaded,
TO dissolve The Union, or TO deprive The South OF
her just rights VI der tine Constitution, which zoe
,oN never submit o, let the eon-cqnenas BE- w.dt
they may.
81 Resolved, That we heartily approve The re.
solutions lately adopted 10y the Legislature OF
Virginia, on the subject OF the Wilmo! Provi.o.
4h Resolved, That we tender TO The Hon R h
Meade, our thanks for his effort 10 provide By
legislation som law, by which We may more
| efeclually recspiure slaves escaping from slave
| hod;ne 10 non-slaveho'ding States.
5,h Resolved, That 50 lar as Southern rights
are concerned we have implicit confidence 10 our
representative in The Congress Of The United
States, The Hon R Il Meade, aod are willing 10
leave him free 10 take such acton on The subjecl
OF !Serery, and the 1tr,ito'is, as will protect
US in the enjoyment Of our properly in The for.
npr, and secure our rights, as equals, in The lat.
ter