The North-Carolina standard., 1849-07-04
CIRCULAR.

To the Freemen Of the S;rth Congressional District q
North Carolina, composed g ne C0u,Haes g 80
con6e, Franklin, HaliJar, Johnston, Nash, Warre"'
and Wnke.
FELLoW-CI CITIZENS At the request OF many per-
sonal and political friends in different parts OF TINS
District present myself before you as cannloate
to represent YOU in the Congress OF the nited
States No convention of the District having been
held no candidate has been nominated, and conse-
auently the field is open for individual competition
and but one gentleman having declared himself a
candidate feel that do not endanger the success
of the principles which advocate, or the harmony
of the party of which am member.
Born and educated among you, having resided In
the District all my life, and being extensively ac-
truainted throughout it, think that know your
wants and wishes. Bound to you by the strong ties
of homo and kindred, and having in the late War
with Mexico, given some evidence that my country
is dearer to than my life, feel assured that you
will not question my sincerity when declare that
would not for any purposes of political prefeTment
or personal aggrandizement, knowingly esPouse any
opinion willingly do any act tending to the nlu-
ry of that country. .
Appearing before you for the first time it is pro-
per that should declare my political sentiments
AS shall endeavor to be brief, 1t will be sufficient
to say that l am Democrat; that in forming my
opinions subjects involving constitutional cues
irons, guided by the principles set forth IN the
writings of those early commentators on the Consti-
tuition, Jefferson and Madison that the policy of the
late administration meets with my hearty approval,
and that yielded to it cordial support.
hold that the Constitution of the United States
should be construed strictly, according to its true in
tent and meaning-that each department OF Govern
ment, whether Executive, Legislative or Judicial,
should be confined to its appropriate and legal sphere,
and that the powers clearly, plainly, and specifically
vested in each, fully sufficient for all the purpos-
es of government. By frequent recurrence to fun
damental principles, and strict adherence to the
Constitution, many of those perpexing and exciting
questions which agitate the public mind, would be
avoided.
1t is unnecessary to have recourse to dangerous
nd
establishment of a National Bank, when we have
a constitutional Fiscal Agent in the Independent
Treasury, which, while it is free from constitutional
objections, has proved itself In practice all that Its
advocates anticipated, by safely keeping, readily
transmitting and faithfully disbursing the public
monies, while it regulates commerce as to prevent
those fluctuations which in former years filled the
country with financial embarrassment, bankruptcy,
and commercial distress. ...
There is need at the present day to deprive the
President of the Veto or any other power exercised
by his predecessors, provided the people use proper
discretion in the selection of that officer.
The different States of this contederacy possess /
ing equal rights, it is violation of the principles
of Justice the industry of section for the
benefit protection of that of another; but if the
constitutional powers of Congress can be so exer-
cised in raising the necessary to defdy the
expenses of an economical administration of the
Government, afford incidental protection to any
branch of American industry, surely patriotic cItI-
zen would object.
now come to speak of a subject, at the very
mention OF which among u.s. pride, prejudice, and
passion prone to usuTp the empire of reason.
allude to slavery, and in connection with the few
observations which [ shall make on that subject,
refer to your attentive consideration the Address of
portion of the Southern Delegates in the last
Congress.
controversy which, thirty years ago, threatened
dissolution of the Union, has in day become
embitterad to fill the mind of the patriot with
gloomy apprehensions to the result. Now has Il
arrived the period, foreseen and deprecated by the
Father of country, that patriotic sage, who
first in council we'll as first in the field, from
whose oracuar lips, than half a century ago,
came the solemn warning to his countrymen to be-
of Is parties founded on geographical discrmin-
atons." But laying aside all jealousies and heart
burnings, We should approach the consideration Of
this subject with calmness prudence, moderation and
frmness, infeXbly determined to contend only for
what is right and be satisfied with nothing less.
unable how this subject legitimately
comes within the sphere of Congressional legsla-
tion. Congress cannot constiutonaly pass any law
restricting prohibiting slavery in the States or =
Territories. Slaves recognised as property by
the Constitution of the United States, and as such
under the protection Of laws, whether in the
States, tho high seas, in the Territories which
are the common property of the States Congress can
not abolish slavery in the States where 1t exists
prohibit the slave trade between the several States
those are subjects for the consideration of the citizens
Of the States themselves and by them alone be
gulated The whole controversy in regard to slavery
in the territories be settled in peaceable and
amicabe manner, shy agreeing to common ground
which all can stand.'S This is well expressed in
the language of the Washington Union, a leading
Democratic paper " We PROPOSE say they, s. the
ground Of NON-INTERVENTION by which
" we mean that Congress shall abstain from all egis-
lation in relation to the subject of slavery in the
" new territories leaving it TO the people of the
' territories themselves to make the necessary pro-
vision for their eventual admission into the Union
and to regulate their internal concerns in their own
- way" This is generous, forbearing and a pa
triotic ground which all can and should rally I
and unite-a platform on which all true patriots
and the friends of the Union can and ought to {
stand t This doctrine leaves the whole question of
slavery in the new territories open to the Courts of
the United States, be determined according TO the
constitution and the laws of nations 1t does not at
tack the rights inure the pride nor condemn the
opinions and preudices of any portion of the Union
upon the subject of slavery. respects the guaran-
ties OF the Constiton, without which it could not
have been formed, and without which the Union cam
not be preserved whilst it admits the great prnci-
pie at the basis of all popular lberty-the right of
the people TO prescribe their institutions'S [
The conduct of some of the citizens of the North
ern Sates the tone OF their Presses the intemperae
course OF many of their representatives in Congress
have given US of the South grave cause for COM
plaint; but while we denounce the fanatcaI enthu-
sas and factious demagogue, curses to the coun-
try and foes to the Union, we should award merited
praise to those peaceable citizens and patriotic states
men, who unaffected by the prevailing excitement I
have risen superior to every prejudice, and nobly
observed all constitutional provisions and compro-
misses. We should beware of indiscriminate de-
nunciaton, lest array against us in exasnerated
hostility those who have Hitherto taken no mari in
the controversy.
The fanatic of the North may declaim with pbren- /
zIed zeal against our peculiar institution but so long
as the Constitution of the United States remains inyio