The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1849-11-28
R.piy y ~. cEsr.ssa = n. Pea.
ciiy q Ws.hiagtoa. Neseu.aet u. 1859

MMl sRrArs = MI - ~ AfAAs1ut 81 =
! shat will be The course Of The South y
either 81 lie contingencies referred C.
Your position - representative 81 ons q
Tie States. and he consideration due SOS
personally. Iaelil alike Promps IePlv.
i Having on former occasions given nv
sieRs In detail viii reference 10 The whole
sHileei, i i not accessory for me 10 IL -
y Ills time. proceed. therefore. T. sips
you simply The general results Of my -
hscllons.
!. The Federal Government. hetausC /. il
The GSEeTnmenl of The LRiftd Siafsa, !,
The trustee and agent for all The States ar
their citizens. Every pnwer. ihersifs,
which il can rightiully eserri.r, il musgos
necessity exercise for The benefit vi sll Il.
/ parties 10 il. The territory of Inc Ca.te..
States being the common property, ths
Government il bound 10 administer il !,
ar a. practicable Tor lie benefit 81 al ne
i States as we'll a. their citizens. A ctis,
renee. however. exists among hen IL ,e-
/ lailnh Ia the institution III slavery. When
The Constitution was formed ln eiss of ,hs
thirteen States we're slayehol,iing. TINT
instrument. though il has clauses expressly
/ inserted for The protection niihe rights and
/ interests 81 Shareholders, contains no PR,
vision for The abolition of slavery arv
where. III The Government. therefore.
can properly exercise such power IN any
instance. il must be because lis duties as
general ageni, acting 50 AS 10 meet The in
ieresi and views ol its principals, require
il. But fifteen Of The thirty States Of The
Union sill maintain the institution Of sls
very. Ii is obvious. therefore. that The
Government could not. consistently with
liz powers as general sgcni. exclude tbs
shareholders Is class from Ill parlicipa.
iion IN The enjoyment Of the territory Of
Tie United States. lis. on the contrary,
under solemn obligations 10 respect the
rights Of all. II has always heretofore. az
understand lie action, shown sense OF
this obligation. When The murh.lalktd
Of ordinance was adopted, Iy which The
leHiiory north Of the OHIO river was made
free. all that portion Of country south Of
the river 10 The Gulf Of Mexico WAS lefl
10 be occupied by shareholders. When
slavery was abolished in the northern par,
Of the Louisiana territory, the southern
portion, regarded rs The most suitable Tor
shareholders, was left 10 lie so oteupiea.
On the annexation Of Texas, hen pro.
yisi"n against slavery north Of go so was
incorporated, much the larger anil more Va.
liable portion YEAS lGf, still for the use of
slav builders.
Bul u Is now proposed 10 adopt The pc.
Icy Of excluding shareholders. as such,
from all the territory ofthe United States.
This would he an entire revolution in the
action Of The Governmental re.nlniion
which could mol occur without total Vi.
citation Of The spirit and essence Of the con-
slltution. Since those citizens who do
mol own slaves are permitted 10 occupy
every part Of The territory Of The Union,
i has been doubted by many whether Tho
Government can righlfully exclude slave.
holders from any portion Of the common
property. Bul, even il there should hs
power 10 divide the public territory for
convenience between the two classes, ii
is perfectly clear Thai there can be no right
10 exclude one class entirely. ! have
heretofore said that should regard such
an exclusion as being as great violation
OF the constitution as The Government
could possibly commit. Blu, even il this
action should be viewed simply as az
enormous abuse Of power, il would be nor
The less objectionable. The Government:
has unlimited powers in relation 10 the
establishment o. post offices throughout
The Union. II, however, il were TO with.
draw all the post offices from The slave.
holding States On the ground that the ci,i-
gems Of those States were not worthy OF
The counienance and aid OF The Govern.
ment, we should have as much reason Il
complain Of such action as If il inyolve,.
clear iniractIon oil the letter Of the con-
s,iiuil0n.
III word. il The Government should
adopt The policy Of excluding shareholders,
as such, from all the territory OF The Unit
ed 81 les. il would in substance and effec.
cease 10 be the Government ofihe UniteI
States. While The form Of The consli,a-
lion might remain The same. lis character
would be essentially changed.
| Ought the Southern States 10 acquiesce
in this greet organic change in our poli,i-
cal system! Ought they 10 remain men-
| bcrs Of an association which had, in ute
disregard afplain constitutional guarantees.
degraded them from their position Of equa.
ltyi As history furnishes no record OF
any people who have prospered after they
had forfeited their sef.respeci. by submit
ling 10 be degraded 10 = state Of political
vassalage. hold il 10 be the duty OF the
Southern States 10 re,ist this change. That
| resistance, 10 be effecnal, should be com
menaura,e with the violence Of the attack.
This they owe 10 the cause Of cnnstltu-
iional liberty, 10 justice, and 10 mir own
honor.
| With reference to The sholiirn Of Ella
very in The Disirie. Of Columbia, viii