The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-08-01

','' .ciIhoFeS tlall tiHit they should conduct
INC legislation of Virginia or OF Nlassachu-
scus. 1t is enough that they should organ
lze governments, and then the necessity for
Their interference ceases. And the result
proves this; for the local governments do
manage the internal concerns of the tcrritori-
cs III most cases, ana would as safely in all, if
not rcstrancdby congressional intcrposition
ana II Congress can pass beyond tho power
10 organize governments, they may rule Il ter
rItory at their pleasure, and PROSTATE every
barrier OF freedom. Ii, as | have heretofore
sad, they can regulate lie relation "f master
ana servant, what but their own will is to pre-.
vent, them from regulating the other relations
OF ic-tIIc relation OF husband and wife, and
OF parent and child, and, indeed, all the OBJ
Jccts which belong to tho social state! There
is no man who can show the slightest ncccss-
~ Tor THIS interference Oh The part OF the gen
cral government, and there is consequently
no man who can show that il has any rinht
10 interfere OH the ground of its necessary ic-
ton. The people of the territories arc fully
competent to conduct their own affairs and
the very first prncipic ol our social system
demands that they slo:i!d be permitted to do
! SO.
"Whchcvcr may be the solrcc,'' SAYS
! Clict Justice Marshall, speaking douhtfuiv
OF the origin OF the jurisdiction, "whcncc this
! u
| nnqucstionablc." lie is speaking l,hc DOW
cr OF government and 10 doubt it has been
| possessed; but 1t becomes very important to
| ascertain how, and how far, Congress- has
justly possessed II, III order TO ascertain To
what extent it may be exercised In almost
all believe may say in all-,hc speeches
and essays Ill support OF the power of Con-
Sress TO icgis!a,c over slavery, after cndcav-
| oring vaguely TO dCducc it from some clause
or other oi the constitution the principal rcl-
ancc is at last upon the authority Of the fcw
! instances o! its exercise To be found in the
statue books. Authority ana prccctlcn, have
weight, and ought 10 have some wciuht in
doubtful questions; but trust there arc few
to be found who are prepared TO shut the con-
| stitution and to seek III the practice of the
! government the iouii.l;iuu OF It's Eowcr: and
more especially When, as in thu: case, the
early les slativc proc cCdirrS passed, as We
| have reason to believe, without objection or
| inquiry. They commenced by adopting tho
| provisions OF au Crduancc OF the old murcrn-
mcnt To the administration Of the now one
and thus implicitly recognising The exclusion
OF slavery, and seem to have gone on silently
and unQucstioncd for years. | have not had
tune to look back to ascertain the facts pre-
cisely; but believe it Will be found that this
power has never hccn exercised where there
was united sectional opposition to it, Pre-
ccdcnt may weigh much in the consideration
OF doubtful question, where the whole sub
Jcct has been maturrly considered, and many
minds have hcnn brought 20 bear upon lis adj
Jnstmcnt. But as the Foundation OF political
power practice thus introduced is of little
value, particularly when it comes to involve
grave questions seriously affecting the Union.
| We turn then lnstncivcly from what has
done to what ought t. be honc-lron the a.,-
! thurty OF prCcCdc.l: 10 the authority OF the
constitution. These are times wliciI,rv such
questions. who can wonder that with the
views entertained oI this subject hv The South,
an appeal should be maze to the common
charter o! the country, or that a large portion
OF our citizens should bc satisfied wih no an
swer not derived from il! That what has
been must continue TO be, is principle
which has done more 10 pcrpc;Ilc abuses
| thln all the 0,hcr causes which have operated
upon political institutions
Those who advo.Hlc and those who CD
osc the WIlmo, pcuvso occupy ycrv di.iIr
crt post ons. The former ur-c lis a,.op,iun
rs matter OF cHpC;!:cncy in order 10 cyc!:!dc
slpvc:y from the newly acquired territories.
where il does not exist, and where it cantlo,
be dcucd that THIS exclusion is as morally
certain without ii aS with it: while the latter
all oppose this measure Oh the ground OF its
~. .' ' '' :, '' = Fo'''o'' ol lic
! Ohio'i Oh INC gToahi also "i lis interference
With 'hclf rights ali lrc.!ngS. The contest
to wheel! th:s subject has aIvCn ri.c has al
ready been productive oi the worst ConSr-
HuenccS. For TWO years Il has prevented al
,eg'S!at'on over mos; important regions, and
'''a 'c't 'icih Wuh"n' government, and III Il
state oi S"S'ii u'Snr5a"EHA;InIi, 10 our own re-
anu |" 'hc surprise OF the world.
90 ''"t hci'cFc ilicrr is another countr" on
'"c '"rc o' 'hc carth Whlcl would have per-
!''n'e" Snc!i state o! ihngS And how long
- !" continue! Is california to become Il
prey 10 intestine dissc'S'ons III the absence
"' al ''W' "r Is 10 DC driven To Scpcralc from
'lo'll u: ncca''Sc we nH%Ir't to discharge one
y, ~, "s'i - ""'y o! McccSs.ty-tiat
~ s,'.''''5 m government oF'I" people who
lniltDu II. j hose who ODDDSp the Wilma,