The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-02-04
place. and because of my great confidence in his ability to
do good, as well as in his patriotism
THOS. MErCALFE, Chairman.
Hon. A w. VEYABLE

Oh confluence III
do good, as well in his patriotism
THOS MErCALFE. Chairman.
Hon. A. W. VEYABLE
The Address OF Southern DeIeR ates n Congress 20
their Constituents.
We, whose names hereunto annexed address you in
discharge of what believe to be solemn duty on The
most important subject presented for your considera
ton not excepting the declaration which separated you
and the other united colonies from the parent country
That involved your Independence but this your ALL mol
excepting even YOUR safely We allude to the conflict
between the two great sections OF the Union, growing
out OF difference OF feeling and opinion IN reference
to the relation existing between the two the Eu
ropean and African, which nhabit the southern section,
and the acts OF aggression and encroachment TO which
has led.
The conflict commenced not long after the acknowl-
edgment of independence, and has gradually increased
until il has anayed the great body OF the North against
the South this to her, the most vital OF all subjects In
the progress of this conflict aggression has followed ag
gresson and encroachment encroachment until they have
reached point when regard for your peace and safety
will not permit US to remain longer silent Inc object OF
this address is to give you clear correct but brief &C
count OF the whole series OF aggression and encroachmens
your rights with statement OF the dangers to which
they expose you. Our object making rs not to cause
excitement but TO put you in full possession OF all the
facts and circumstances necessary TO full and Just con-
cepton of deep seated disease which threatens great
danger to you and the whole body polite. We act on
the impression, that in popular government like ours,
conception of the actual character and state OF dis
ease is -r.spe nsable to ehecting cure.
We have made it joint address, because we believe
that the magnitude OF the subject required that it should
assume the most impressive and solemn form.
Not TO go further back, the difference OF opinion and
feeling in reference the relation between the two
disclosed itself in the convention that framed the constr
ution and constituted of the greatest difficulties IN
forming it. After many efforts, 1t was overcome by
compromise which provided, in the first place that repre-
sentatves and direct taxes shall be appooned among the
States according TO their respective numbers; and hat IN
ascerainng the number OF EACH ve slaves shall be es,
States where slavery does not exs shall not be DIS
charged from sevtude, but shall be delivered up claim
of the party to whom their labor service due In
the third place, that Congress shall prohibit the i'm
portaon of slaves before the year 1908 but tax not ex
ceedng ten dollars may be imposed on each imported
And finally, that capation direct lax shall be Land.
but in proportion to federal numbers and that amend
men of the constitution, por to $685. shall Affect ms
provision that relating to the importation OF slaves
So satisfactory these PROVISIONS that The second
relative to the delivering up OF lnsl've slaves, was
adopted unanimously, and all the rest except the third
relative to the importation OF slaves untl looo, WIN al
most equal unanimty They recognise the existence OF
slavery and make specific provision for its protection
where supposed to be the most exposed. They go
further and incorporate it, important element, in
determining the relative weight of the several States in
the government OF the Union and The respective burden
they should bear in laying cap!taton and direct taxes
Ii was well understood at the time, that, without them
the constitution would not have been adopted by the
southern States, and of course. that they constituted
elements essential to the system that II never wonld
have existed without them. The northern States, know
ing all this, ratified the constitution, and pledged their
| faith, in the most solemn manner. sacredly to OBJ
serve them How that faith has been kept and that
With few exceptions OF no great Importance, the South
had no cause TO complain prior to the year islsa year.
it is TO be feared, destined to mark tram OF events
bringing with them many and great, and fatal DISASTERS
the country and it's institutions With commenced
the agating debate on the question OF the admission OF
into the u"0 we he ioJ i
growing of it, and shall proceed to consider the Ell
fec,s OF that spirit Of dscord which it reused up between
the two sections 1t first disclosed itself in the North
by hostility TO that portion OF the constitution which pro-
vdes for the delivering up of fugitive slaves In its pro-
gress it led to the adoption OF hostile acts, intended to
render it of effect, and with SO much success that
it may be regarded practically expnged from the
constitution. How this has been elected will be next
explained.
that it has been by clear and palpabe evasion OF the
constitution. 1t is impossible for any provision to be
more Tree from ambiguity Or doubt Is ,h the iG n oHs
State, under the laws thereof, escaping nto another
State, shall, in consequence OF any law or regulation
therein, be discharged from such service labor, but
shall be delivered up claim of the party 10 whom such
service or labor may be due" All is clear. There is
not an uncertain equvoca word to be found in the
shall be done. fully and explicitly set forth The
former provides that the fugitive slave shall not be dis,
charged from his servitnde by any law regulation OF
the State wherein he is found: and the latter, that he
shall be delivered up on claim OF his owner
We do not deem it necessary to undertake to refue the
sophistry and sberfuges by which so plain provision
of the constitution has been evaded, and IN effect, an
nulled 1t constitutes essential part of the constu
tona compact and of of the supreme law OF the
land AS SuCn II Is Dln0lnS on IeueTdl
governments the States and the individuals composing
them The sacred obligation of compact and the solemn
Injunction OF the supreme law, which legislators and
Judges both federal and State, bound by oath to sup
port all unite enforce its fument according to its plain
meaning and intent. What that meaning and intent
are there diversity of opinion the better days oil
the republic, prior 1870 Congress, State legislatures
State and federal judges and sisates and people, all
spontaneously placed the Interpretation on it. Du-
ring that period nterposed impediments IN the way
of the master seeking to his fugitive slave; nor
did any deny his right to have every proper facility 10 en-
force his claim to have him delivered up. 1t was then
nearly as easy recover found in northern State
as one found in neghboring southern State. But this
| has passed away, and the provision is defunct
| When we take into consideration the Importance and
ceaness of this provision, the evasion by which has
been aside may fairly be regarded OF the most
fatal blows received by the South and the Union
This cannot be concsey and correctly stated than
it has been by of the learned judges of the Supreme
Court of the United States In OF his decisions
the object of this clause to to the citizens OF
the slaveholding States the complete right and title OF
ownership in their slaves, property, in every State OF
the Union, into which they might escape from the State
wherein they held in servtude" The full recog
milton of this right and title indispensable to the
cuy of this species Of property in all the savehodng
States, and, indeed vital to the preservation of
ed that it constituted fundamental article, without the
adoption of which the Union would not have been
formed Its true design was to guard against the doc
trines and principles prevalent in the savehodlng
States, by preventing them from ntermeddling with,
restricting, abolishing the rights Of the owners OF
slaves"
Again. "The clause was therefore of the last import
ance the safety and security OF the southern Sates
and could not be surrendered by them without endanger
| ing their whole property in slaves. The clause