The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-07-24
The Democratic Party and the Slavery
Question.


As declaration of Southern rights and
Southern principles, the ATHERroN resolutions
may safely be pronounced as arrant piece of
political Juggling for party ascendency" as
was ever perpetrated by any set of party lead
ers.
After declaring that Congress has no juris-
diction over the institution of slavery in the
several States of this Confectionery" that ''pe-
titions for the abolition of slavery in the Dis
trict of Columbia and the Territories of the
United States, and against the removal of slaves
from one State TO another, are part of n plan
Of operations set foot to affect the nstitu-
ton of slavery in the several States and thus in
directly to destroy that institution within their
limits - that Congress has no right to do that
indirectly which it cannot do directly and that
the agitation Of the subject Of slavery in the
district of Columbia, or the Territories, as a
means, and tcith The pielc of disturbing or over
throwing that institution in the several States
is against the true spirit and meaning Of the
Constitution, an Infringement of the rights of
the States affected, and breach Of the public
faith upon which they entered into the Con-
federacy )" that "the Constitution rests on
the broad principle OF equality among the
members of this Confederacy, and that Con
gress, in the exercise of its acknowledged
powers, has no right to discriminate be-
tween the institutions of one portion of the
States and another, Nth rielc of abolishing
the one and promoting the other THE resolu-
tons go on TO declare, that call attempts ON
the part Of Congress to abolish slavery in the
District of Columbia or the Territories. or TO
prohibit the removal of slaves from State to
State, or TO discriminate between the nsttu-
tons of one portion of the Confederacy and an
other, Nth The rielcS aforesaid are in violation
of the Constitution, destructive of the funda-
mental principle on which the Union of these
States rests, and beyond the jurisdiction Of
Congress; and that every petition, memorial.
resolution, proposition, or paper, touching or
relating in any way, or to any extent what
ever, TO slavery as aforesaid. OF the abolition
thereof, SHALL on the presentation thereof.
without any further action thereon, be laid
upon the table. without being debated, printed,
or releuedr
We ask the particular attention of the reader
TO the words we have caused TO be printed i'm
italics, as upon them the platform rests. or
rather, as upon them the juggle turns. 1t will
be seen that the resolutions do not denounce as
unconstitutional, destructive of tho fundamen-
tai principle on which the Union rests. and be-
yond the jurisdiction Of Congress, all attempts
per Sc on the part of Congress to abolish slave
ry in the. District of Columbia. or 10 prohibit
the removal of slaves from State 10 State. or 10
discriminate between the institutions Of one
portion of the Confederacy and another. Not
at all. These attempts are ony unconstitution-
al, destructive Of the fundamental principle upon
which the Union rests, and beyond the juris
diction Of Congress, when made "tcih the
Cletcs aforesaid that is, with the view of
affecting. disturbing or oUerthrouing The insti-
tuition Of siauery uithin the States. So that
according TO this famous platform Of Southern
rights and Southern principles--in the construc-
ton of which we have Mr.. WHE's authority
for saying Mr.. Polk and Mr. RHrrr, among
other Southern Democrats, acknowledgements
may cOnstitutionally prohibit the removal of
slaves from State to State, or discriminate be-
tween the institutions Of one portion of the Con-
federacy and another, prorided il does so, be-
cause it beiieres these things improper and in
expedient in themselves, and not with view to !
disturb or overthrow slavery within the States
And thus the constitutional power Of Congress
over these grave and important subjects is made
TO depend upon the motives and intentions which
prompt its exercise Mr.. WISE, in order to
test the sense Of the House, made motion to
suspend the rules, that he might move to strike |
out the words, +" with the views aforesaid, ;" |
but the Chair could not entertain the motion. |
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