Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1849-12-12

ton 70 overthrow slavery is manifest in their coo.
procedure. They have either resolved to dissolve n
Union, Or believing that the South has not the sprit
resist have determined to invade tho saucaries of on
homes and liberate our slaves.
There might be discovered modification in IN
course OF outrage pursued towards us it, upon comma
ison, our country and people sank into b.
the side Of our reycrs. But bgotry itself would nc
venture such charge. Our siavehoding country fur
nishes the staple products which foster foreign com
and secures to the North the wealth and prosper
not filled our land with fecny and crime We have NJ
RIOTS mobs, arson and wholesale murder TO mourn over
crowded with furnishing and unprovdcd wrctchc
no swarns of beggars incstng cities; no onerons
poor rates levied TO support everlasting paupersm All
IS peace quiet and order. From extremity of the
land to the other there felt, in every ramifcatoo OF
society, perfect and absolute personal security.
me intellectual culture Of country will scarcely
DC considered inferior that of our non
brethren at the North; whilst the patriotism and yaor
OF our sons will certainly not suffer in comparison with
any. where and how this "blightng influence of sa-
very maniiests ITSELF il is impossible to sec Battling
against the idea OF slavery. they hazard the safety Of
II fanatica scntime ntality is TO break down tho pr
VISIONS OF written constitution there at once an end
., INC conedsracy i is worse than idle discuss
questions OF ethics with the enthusiast who dcnounccs
curse an institution established by the command
VI 200 HIMSELF aud who asprcs to teach morality pur.
or IMAM that OF our Rcdcemcr.
We plant ourselves upon the constitution tsc,f & res,
uI eaims 10 protection upon its solemn guarantees We
c no more power for slavery than is conferred BY liz
QucrulOuS COmpIllutS
Wnch the fanatics make continually against the agrees
sNe spirit OF thc slave power" calculated only to
dsssvs their dended followers. Thc slave power
J'"eo ,'e terms OF tbs present Union, and gave ur,
voluntarily that authority and control which the agita
Tors say 1t now striving TO lay hold on The surrcn
oc o me Northwestern territory under the ordinance
OF i'oI rendered it impossible that thc slave powcr''
should ever after have the ascendency in the Union
we ask for no superiority but equality of rights pryi-
ana imnunitcs, we not only ask for but are re-
solved to have.
There can be nothing more mons,rous than the ,owc,
f.xr do. 81.
torres Congress has powers except those conferred
o. II py The express terms of the constitutions such as
arc necessary TO carry into effect those expressly grant
ca mere is no clause in that instrument confcrrnr up.
on congress authority TO legsatc upon the subject of
~ ,ne territories or elsewhere nor will it no
pehuee ,hat The exercise OF this power necessary
10 carry INTO effect any expressly granted. To touch
inc, inc snTc. at an then is papahle and direct nfrac
thrown around the liberties Of the people by tho wisdom
OF those who framed the constitution, demolished
Nothing is so simple republican government, founded
Upon written organic law, fixed and nacxblc TO
which all legislative action must conform To thi, IN
venon America owes IFS greatness and its liberty. II
is however, IN vain TO talk of the supremacy the peo
ple idle TO leach that they the source of all power
unless the law which fixes the authority Of the iexsla
ture shall be written and Interchangeable But allow tho
unauthorized action OF the legislature day. 10 be civ
en- as reason Tor the exercise Of the power TO-
morrow, and the rights OF the people will be
surpcd and their liberties in danger. Such precisely
is the condition of things this moment in the
OF the United States The only shadow Of Justification
they pretend TO Tor the prohibition of slavery the ter
rores is. that the Missouri compromise as is term
ed, excluded il from all territory north Of 36o 3O of
latitude. Without prctcnce of constitutional right
for this action they urge as precedent aiying
authority to violate that compromise and TO exclude ,
very from all territory belonging to the limited Stata
IL we point TO the letter OF the constitution the only
source of authority they point with triumph to the Mis-
souri, compromise. five then upon the limits Ak
cd ny thar agreement they laugh at the creduy which
attempt. TO define authority derived from precedent a.
lone Even now, by virtue ofths precedent
gross claims the power of abosng slavery in the Dis
tric Of Columbia and in all the forts and rsena. bc
longing to the federal government in the South we'll
as 10 prohibit the transportation and sale Of slaves from
one state to another So we are not left speculate up
on the probable consequences of Submitting TO the unau
ihorized exercise opowcr in given case The fruits
gressions
The 10y atty and devotion of Virginia to the Union arc
known to the world They written upon the endu-
ring pages OF our countrys history. She amongst
the first strike for constitutional liberty she will be-
| the last TO abandon it, The great compromises upon
winch rests she offered aud she herself suffered The
chet sacrhces to secure its pcrmanencyshe has given
with Iberaity, which this day can scarcely be ro
eoncied with the dictates of wisdom. In all things
touching the honor aud glory of the confederacy her
hand has never been closed, except rpon the sword
She cannot submit this urpaton of authority; this
violation of her rights this wanton depreciation LIE,
as insist that the question be settled and
Let US have no paiia!iycs deceptive ruces, no dc.
lays which only give strength to Tho spirit of aggres
SION no compromises which leave he question open for
future adjustment Let it be settled every foot
OF territory belonging to the United States which
may hereafter be hers, by compact solemn and
v:oabie as the constitution itself. Any thing short of
this certain ruin TO the Southit is annhilation ia
in
reality-Strongcr still in comparison with those whose
hands already rsised against few more years
Of acquiescence and supnencss will bring neces
sy OF an absolute submission to wrong which OPP
preston or contempt might heap upon country.
Submission to this proposed action of congress vir-
ual surrender of the entire South to the African
If slavery is TO be confined 20 its present limits with
grdle OF free states surrounding from the Atlantic
the Gulf OF Mexico very few years nations his
tory, will be suiceat 10 drive the white man beyond
lis limits The sturdy laborer the stay and support Of
every community would leave the country swarm
ing with negroes, for residence in another land Tho
master, too would presently follow, finding mpossi
bic 10 remain. This view is matter of conjecture
merely; simple rule Of arithmetic will fix the fact and
the time Of its csnsummaon taking basis of the
calculation the OF the last thirty years Such
the fruits which the northern fanatcism viewed in its
most favorable aspect must proiucc TO the Sorth The
consequences the North will be little less disastrous
The great American staples must be cut short-thc for
cign commerce sustained by them will disappear from
the scapors of our enterprsng NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. manu-
features, should they be continued must find market
abroad i'll unprotected competition with the labor Of Eu
rope The thrift and prosperity which now SO pre-
nenty characterize the working classes of New Eng
land aud the North would vanish away; and, the
chanic and laborer would discover, when too late that
whilst striking the manacles OF legal slavery from the
OF the African, he had ryited upon the necks of
bis own children the bondage Of necessity which
earthly power could ever again remove.
England's experiment with her West India colonies
has proved failure this is admitted by all. 1t has
elevated the character of the negro man. has
r;m,cd to his happiness But the fatal consequences
which certainly to result to England from that stu
pendous folly, Will in the round Of years take fo that
colossal power the supremacy Of the ii has struck
deadly blow at her colonial trade; and this
of the chief elements of her maritime superiority Shall
examples of this sort teach nothing? Is blind fan
atheism to ovcrwhelm all things in its course?
This, ] socmnly hclcvc, is the most favorable view
which be taken Of the subject, il Congress persists
lis prcscut course Of aggression towardsus
But the widest visionary would hardly expect 10
these results brought pcaceaby about. Humanity itself
must shuddcr az the bare contemplation Of the slaughter
most certainly follow prosecution fthcsc Ubiquitous
r schemes. We cannot leave homes the ashes of
Washington, Henry and Jefferson may not be desccra
Ii. Ihsp NJ tIcG ottnxx IinOf