Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1849-07-20

!, .!nriiy and precedent have weight. and ought 10
| have some weight, in doubtful Ques,ioBs; our
lrus, there are lew to be found VINO are prepared
10 shu, The cons tuition, and 10 seek in he prac
lice o. The government The founcaio ion OF lis pow.
er; and more especially when. as ~ this case. the
| early lc iSlaive proceedings passed, as wc have
| reason 10 believe, without objection or nluify.-
| They commenced BY adopting lie provisions ot
al ordinance VI Inc Old government 10 The admin.
is'raion OF the new one, and thus implicitly re-
cosnising The exclusion OF slavery, and seem 10
have gone ON silently and uaqncs,iobed ior
years. | haze moi had time 10 lc0k back 10 as
rain The facts precisely; bur relieve il will
te lruad that This power has never been e1-ics-
ed whore there was united sectional opposition
toll Precedent may weigh much IN lie con>l-
Iteration oil a doubtful question. whcie lhs whole
subject has been Ealuleiy considered, and many
minds have been brought TO bear upon It's ADJUST
ment But as The foundation 81 political power
pfdcicr thus Introduced is of itle value, par.
Icularly when il comes 10 involve grave ques-
tiVns seriously affecting Inc Union. We turn
then instinciively from what has been done 10
what ought 10 be Gone-irom The authority Of
pfecedent 10 lae au horny c! he Constitution -
These ae times watch Try sach Questions. Who
can wondsr Tia! with The views entertained u
this subject BY The South, an appeal should be
made 10 the common Charter cl The country, or
That large portion uf cur Zens Should be SAT-
lshtd with NJ answer 0tde;ivei from III That
wha. has been mus, Continue 10 be, is pdnci-
pie whici. has done more 10 parpetuae abuses
Than ali the olhef causes which have operated
upon political institutions.
These who advocate and those who oppose the
WimA Pfovis1 occapy very different positions.
the former urge lis adoption as matter OF cx-
pedcncy, in order 10 exclude slavery from the
the newly acquired territories, where il does GoI
exist, and where II cannot BE- denied that This e1.
cusi0n is as morally certain wiIhoui il as with
i; While Inc a,Icr all oppose this measure on The
ground Of unconstitutional! J, and large portion
.! The Union On The ground also Of its intertrT-
ence with their rights and feelings. The con-
test 10 which this su5ject las given rise has IL
ready been productive Of The worst Consequences
For tTo years il has prevented all legislation
over mos, important regions, and has lei. them
without government, and in a STATE OF social cis-
organization, 10 our own rcproach and 10 The sur
prise Q! the world.
d. uOt believe there Is another country on the
lace oil The eiah which would have permitted
such state OF things And how long is it lc
cca,inurl Is California 10 become a prey 10
intestine Discussions ia The absence of all law, or
is il 10 be driven 10 separate from US because We
neglect 10 dscharg: oae OF our first tu.:es-a
VI uCI~SSWy-tUdt VI ". SdHiLH= koFSih-
ment Tor the people who inhabi i.} ThUse wha
oppose the WiImoI Proviso on the ground OF lis
uoconsiiluIionality Can never surrender their OPT
Mons aud vote for il. Those who have heretofore
advocated its adoption may we'll abandon il.
convinced, as they must be, that their object Will
be as we'll attained wi;hou. il as with H. IL ap.
pears 10 me one Of the most barren questions
ha, ever dv;td a COUNTY: barren in useful re-
results, bui fertile in difficulties ami dangers.
freely confess tina; lock with amazement upon
The z.al and periaacity displayed 10 urging this
measure under these circums ances, and adguf
from item the worst consequences.
These arr my sentiments. They will give
offence 10 many, and will expose me 10 much ob.
lnqly. Bul | do not hesitate thus openly 10 avow
them; for every public man who IS mol prepared
10 take decided pau agIceably 10 his convic-
lions, in times like these, is not preparet 10 dis
charged one OF the first duties which belongs TO
his position. ITO insure domestic tranquility"
in The words OF The constitution, was one OF lbe
great motives Of the people OF The United States
in The organizsioa oil their present government.
Measures which may enjanscf that tranquility
should be scrulinized with great caution and
never adopted but in the last necessity, am then
with grea, reluctance.
am, Gea!si., WIKI great Iesald, iiniy yodis,
LEW. CASS.
TacMAs RlTcuiE, ESQ.