Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1849-07-24

territories. luely me asSe MAINTAIN that Con
gress had no such powcoye slavery there elsewhere or
any other subject de- at Congress has any abso-
lutte power whatever; th a. il has of any description
except such specific ally delegated or that are ne
cessary and proper to carry tbs into execution MAIN
tain that all its powers ds gated and trust powers and
not positive and absolute; and that all Of the latter de-
senpon belongs exclusively to the people of the several
states IN their sovereign character also hold that Con-
sres is but their representative and trustee and that in
carrying INTO execution its powers it cannot rightuly
ercse any Inconsistent with the nature and object of the
trust with the character OF the party who created the
trust, and for whose benefit il was created finally hold
that instead Oh having the absolute power the terrific
RES OF dong as peases that Congress is restrained by
all these nltatos and that its power to exclude
from emigrang with your slaves into them, cannot be
maintained without denying that ours is government Of
SPECIFIC power; that government OF which states, and
not individuals the constituents and that Congress
holds its powers delegated and powers Nor
it be maintained without assuming that ours is a consoli-
dated Government, and holds its powers absolutely its
own sovereign right OF doing as il pleases.
also deny the truth OF his next assertion, that it has
ercised the power the territories as pleased without
being questioned until introduced my resolutions Imam
tain the contrary, that such power exercised
by Congress- until he and his associates passed the Oregon
territorial BILL That was the first bill containing the Will
mot Proviso, that passed. has been satedpassed
solely assert the absolute right of doing as pleases All
Others including the ordinance OF 1887, were passed
compromises which waived the question of power, has
been frequently shown Morris his assertion correct,
that the power Questioned until the introduction
OF my resolutions t was questioned from the start be-
ginning with the ordinance OF 1887 Mr. Madison pro-
nomted that it was adopted without shadow of right.
Since them has been acquesced in right, but as
a compromise, until the North refused all compromise,
and forced the South stand its rights where should
have stood from the first.
The assertion that slavery is local in its character,
that must be enacted by law, and cannot be carried
inch beyond the limits of the State that enacted it, is equal
y mmantanable 1t is clear that in making it, he intend
ed to affirm, that in these respects property
on very different ground rom every other description OF
property.
deny the fact, and maintain that there is no distinction
tween and other property in that repec 1t no more
To i'll
have positive enactment for it, origin, than pro-
pa y Ind or anything else. The relatioAof master and
whcsroperty existed 1t is ancient that there no
record Of its origin probably ancient than sep
arae and distinct property lands and quite easily de-
tended abstract principles So far from being created by
positive enactment, know OF instance in which ever
was or to more accurately in which had its
origin in of legislatures 1t is always older than the
laws which undertake to regulate it, and such is the
with slavery exists with u.s. They WERE for the
most part slaves in Africa; they bought slaves
brought here slaves sold here slaves and held as
slaves, long before any enactment made them slaves
even doubt whether there is single State in the South
that ever enacted them to be slaves There hundreds
OF acts that recognise and regulate them such but none
apprehend that undertake to create them slaves Mas
ter and slaves are constantly regarded pre-exsng
lations,
perry The laws OF all countries in reference to every
thing, including property OF every kind, local. and
not go an inch beyond the limits to which the authority of
the country extends In of property OF every de-
scrpon if passes beyond the authority of the country
where it is into another where the same description of
things regarded property continues to be so there
but becomes subject to theaws and regulations of the place
in reference to such property But it be prohibited as
property, in the country into which passes ceases to be
So unless has been forced n under circumstances which
placed under the protection OF international laws. Thus
one and the same principle apply in this respect to all
property III things animate or nanimate, and rational
irrational There @ ne no exception; property every
where and OF every knd is subject to the control of the
authority OF the coratrv Thus tar hold that there
be no reasonable dc4St.
thcro.
tween the several States system OF government
Slaves or any other property carried into state whore
is also property continues still t be 50; bat il intone
med too, by ALL It is also admit * all that the Ge-
neral Government cannot override NSNs Of State,
to what shall Or shall not be property Within the lhnsof
its authority The only question then is what is the power
Of the General Government where its authority extends
beyond le limits of the authority Of the States regarded
their separate and individual charaeterl Or to make
it more specific can it determine what shall shall not be
property in the territories, wherever else its authority
extends beyond that OF the States separately! Ortiz make
still so, establish slavery in the erritoresl
found IN the edes he uea ssaes shall BE-
slave and be liable to be seized agd treated as such BY who
doctrine, that Congress eases upon
subject Of slavery in the territories would have the pow
would agree with him But has not the power 10 es-
tabish slavery the territories how have the power
to abolish il The one is the counterpart Of the other and
where is the provision OF the Constitution be found
which authorizes the one and torbids the other!
The same question may be propounded public and
private vessels belonging the United States and their
czeas the high for the principle which applies
the territories, equally applies them and to all places
which the authority OF the general government extends
beyond the States regarded separately
It's indeed great mistonception OF the character and
object Of the general government suppose that has
the power either to establish abolish slavery, or any
other property where its authority extends beyond the
limits OF the States regarded individually Its authority
but the united and joint authority the several States,
terred upon it by constitution adopted mutual agree
hx7f he Ot
in every respect each adopted its separate constt
tion with the single exception that adopted with
out and the other mutual agreement OF all the States
Ii is then in fact the constitution oteach State much
as its own separate constitution; and is only the constl
ton of all the States because it is that Of each As the
constitution made the general government that too is in
like manner much the government leach State as its
separate government and only the government of all
because is the government OF each So likewise are its
laws and tor the same reason Its authority then is but
the united and common authority ofthe several States del
egated by EACH to be exercised for the mutual benefit of
each and all and for the greater security rights and
interest OF each and all 1t was for that purpose the States
united in Federal Union and adopted common consi-
ton and government With the same vew they conferred
upon the government whatever power has ofreguating
and protecting what appeaned to their exterior relations
among themselves, and with the of the world Each
in brief agreed with the others unite their joint authority
and power protect the safety and rights and promote the
interest OF each by their united power
Such is clearly the character and object of the General
Government and OF the authority and power conferred
it. Its power and authority having for its object the
more perfect protection and promotion of the safety and
rights Of each and all bound to protect by their United
power the safety the right the property and the interests
OF the citizens OF all wherever its authority extends That
the object for comforting whatever power and auho-
ry has and if it fails to fulfil that it fails to perform
the duty Tor which was created 1t is enough for to
know, that is the right, interest property Of citizen
OF one of the States to make its duty to protect when
ever comes within the sphere of its authority whether
in the territories, the high seas or anywhere else
Its power and authority conferred on it. not to esa
bish to abolish property, rights of any description
but to protect them To establish or abolish belongs to
ITO Al
city in which they created both the General and their Sc
parate State Governments Hwoud be, them total and
gross peverson of its power and authority them to
establish or abolish slavery any other property of the
citizens OF the United States in the territories All the
power it has, in that respect to recognise property
there whatever is recognised such by the authority Of
any one of the States own being but the united auho
ry Of each and all of the States and to adopt such laws
for its regulation and protection as the state of the case
may require Morris there the slightest danger that the
recognition of the property of citizens of each and all
the States within the territories, would turn them into