The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1849-05-18

beyond il is usurpatoa, Suppose there should
be slaves in any Of the new Territories
would an act of Congress prohibiting slavery
produce immediate emancipation! Such
would be the effect Of unlimited power to
Ilegislate. Has Congress the power TO say
what is or what is not property in the Terrific
nv belonging to the people Of the United States,
or to regulate the amount they may ecqulre,
or TO take from the citizens there that which
lthey really possess? Such a power does not
belong to any regular Government on eur'h
We repeat that no power has been given to
Congress over property within the States, and
no mower can be exercised over it in the Terri
tories, detrimental to the unqualified rights OF
their owners. As well might Congress pre-
scribe an established religion for the Territories
and require every citizen and emigrant to con-
form to it. That is legislative power IN It's
largest sense. but it is not the description OF
legis lative power conferred by the COnsti'u-
ton.
Thus stands. as your Committee think the
claim Of right asserted for Congress. Nor are
these ill-founded pretensions in the least
strengthened by the asserted equality OF the
African with the white man, and the conse-
ouent conclusion that he Is not nor should ne
be regarded as property. No one whose Will
and voice entered into the Declaration OF lnde-
pendence, or the national Constitution, bellev-
ed that the Africans in service were born the
equals Of the Caucasian race. The people Of
, the Northern States do NOT now believe it
t They treat the negroes among them not as e
t ouals in any sense, but as degraded beings, tar
t below them in the scale Of creation. Slavery
has existed in all ages Of the world and a
r mongst all nations, savage and civilized VIII
very few exceptions. II originated not in q
positive or statute law, ashas been said Il IT mus
n exist, iGit existed at all, but by a universal Law
e of conquest, which the God Of nature gave to
his highest work, to hold dominion andPoweE
n over the inferior things of his creu1lon'--
Where, we ask is the municipal, orpositiVe law
as it has been called, that authorized the toun'
Q ders Of the Jewish Empire to hold slaves! BY
what law was it that the African was bought
Q and sold, and held in perpetual bondage IN
e classic Greece and imperial Rome? And by
what authority was it that the modern natlon'
Of continental Europe engaged 50 largely II
10 the slave trads2 1t was by that universe
Of principlc OF dominion which constitutes an ele
= ment In the nature of man, impressed on hII
y BY his Creator. Even England, which nov
@ boasts that to touch English soil is to break tn
Id shacklos Of slavery, was once q dealer i
e. slaves. Where did her virgin Queen find a
act of Parliament which authorized her t
st share the profits Of an expedition in the slav
a trade? There was no positive law which au
as thorized it, nor did a law of prohibition origin
y ate in the Parliament House. British Judge
l. usurped the power Of the Legislature, and de-
l. clared that u%nivursal freedom pervaded Eng
v lish soil; and we have reason to fear that thel
30 example will find followers in our own land -
a The right Of property in slaves has met a uni
n versal bcognition. We deny that the servlc
nd to which the negro is subjected with us. is al
ne injury to him or detriment to us. 10 clothe
IL feed and protect them, and compel them b.
at moderate labor to earn such subsistence an
al care, is to do for them what they would not d
= for themselves. All experience has show
that their best their ~happiest and most eleva
n ted condition is in servitude. Out Of il, the
is degenerate into vice and ignominy whichde
ng grade the form they wear. 1t is tho place 9
1T signed them by the God Of nature in the gret
C. schemes of creation.
OF But the people OF the Northern States d
W not stop in asserting the right to abolish slave
10 nv IN the territories. They seem to hold i
us utter disregard the prOvisiOni in the constitu'io
which authorizes the owner to re-capture hi
no fugitive slave wherever he may be found. Ihi
IN is a provision which can admit OF no dispute
nc and its violation can admit Of no excuse
This is not fidelity to their government, whic
Il is one Of the duties of christianity, in the nam
of which they profess to act. How unlike tn
ill example set them by the apostle Paul in send
as ing home TO Philemon, his runaway slave, / IN
ed ploring for him forgiveness. We lament the
We misguided zeal, their false philanthropy, an
"; in the name Of our common country we imrlOr
'P- them to beware, less they drive US to EXTERN
ay tiles which will be fatal in, their results.
IN is not for them to determine whether SLAYER
m is q blessing or a curse to us. This questiO
IN we reserve to ourselves. And whilst the
profess not TO interfere with it here, we can
ey not be mistaken as to the ultimate end whic
ey they desire to accomplish. The delegate
from this State in the last Congress, with ell
tire u~nanimity, have given the history of til
progressive entertainments on our rights, an
lie have pointed out the evils to be opmehendet
fe- AS faithful s%ehtinels they have warned us
EN- approaching danger, and are entitled to OF
m appreciation. As citizens Of a Southern Stat
L.