Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-04-27

Athe fret Congress under the constitution but eleven State
had rated The refusal Of any three Of these eleven,
OF whom were then slave States 10 raty would have pre-
vented the establishment Of the constitution Plain on tn
face Of the constitution the sovereign character Of ih
States and their independent relation to each other in tn
ratification OF u as compact of union plain, too is
that IN It's establishment as constitution il ordained th
supreme law by The sovereign will Of conventions of the peop
in each State yet this has been denied But that
universally understood before the constitution wa
ratified is proved by the Fedeast written by three of th
most influential politicians and powerful writer's in the Union
expressly induce the States to Iatiy the constitution
did influence the States ratfy and these arguments
therefore, to be taken high evidence Of the understand
ing of the parties to the compact before they ratified it.
Alexander Hamilton wrote "The fabric Of American EN-
pre ought the solid basis of the consent of th
people. The streams Of national power ought to flow imme
diatey from thatpue, original fountain Of all legitimate
sthority."
people in the several States, induce them ray the con
stanton, and Convention of the people of the Unite.
Ses the consent OF the people" the squire, ogiDa
fountain of all legitimate authority" he the Conven
tons of the people in the several States who by their ra
cation of the constitution, establish IT, each for itself
between the States ayng it. il nine could be induced
do
Mr. Madison is still explicit and particular He says
TO De the assent and ratification Of the several States
derived from the supreme authority in each State the au
tholty OF the people themselves The act therefore, esab
fishing the constitution will not be national ACT but
federal act. That it will be federal, and not ma
act of the people, forming many independent States
not as forming one aggregate naton is obvious from this
single consideration that is to result neither from the de-
cislon OF majority Of the people Of the Unon from that
OF majority of the States II result from the unani-
nous assent Of the several States that parties it, differ
ing otherwise from their ordinary than in its being
expressed by the legislative authority but by that of The
people themselves Were the people regarded in this
action as forming nation, the will of the majority of the
whole people of the United States would bind the minority
in the same manner the majority in each State must bind
the minority and the will of the majority must be deter
mined either by comparison of the individual votes, by
considering the will of the majority of the States evidence
the will of the majority of the people Of the United States
Neither OF these rules has been adopted Each State,
atying the constitution is considered sovereign body
independent of all Others and only to be bound by its
voluntary act In this relation, them the constitution
twill, if established, be- federal, and national cons
sutton
Such the understanding Of the Conventions of the orr
sinal twelve slave Safes and of the nonsave State,
of the sovereign character and independent relation they
bore to each other in rang and thereby establishing, the
constitution.
And what the condition Of the slave States, in relation
to this subject of slavery, when they ratified the constu
ton, and ordained it, and all laws and treaties made ru'su
ant 10 II, the supreme law in each State Slavery was so
interviewer with their social and political existence that it
could not be abolished without destroying them States
The people of no slave State would by their sovereign
will have ordained and established the constitution, and all
laws and treaties made pursuant to II supreme law OF
such State, it had contained power destroy slavery
in the slave States prevent its extension into Terrific
rie belonging to the United States Not Of them would
have ratified it if it had contained any such power and
never would have been established supreme law in any
State As compact of union, and supreme law by
the independent sovereign will of the people, in conventions
OF the slave States whose social and political existence,
well as their equal federal rights TO Territories belonging to
the United States, to be secured by it. the constu
ton by its establishment by tie ratification of States
stands opposed to construction of these subordinate clauses
OF the constitution which shall give Congress power to
prevent the extension of slavery, abolish it any where.
Such too the understanding of the Conventions of
the nonsave States when they ratified it. they practsed
fraud and deception upon the slave States which would
der the constitution nulty for want Of the aggregate
nsnunt essential 10 all compacts But the generation of
honest revolutionary patriots who ratified it conventions Of
the non-slave States liable such mputaon They
neither believed slavery sin, did they to
the responsibility Of removing it moral social and poll
tca evil by covert concealed power prevent its extern
sion, or abolish It any where
ID All the declared purposes for which the constitution
was framed, ratified and established, in conflict with
such construction. None of the eleven States who sent
delegates to the Convention in Philadelphia frame the
stuon in any of their legislative appointing com
delegates limited or expressed il as one of the
purposes tor framing constitution, that the United
States should become responsible for the extension exist
ence of slavery any where, moral social, political
evil and should provide power prohibit abolish any
where No such purpose expressed by any proceeding
debate in that Convention. None such urged by the
writer's Of the Federast argument TO induce the Con-
venons of the nonslave States raty and establish it.
Had such purpose been avowed the constitution would
have obtsned the assent Of the Convention of single
slave State, and could have been established between
the slave ates and the non-slave States.
The purchase of the miles square for seat of govern
mn and Of places for the erection Of needu buildings with
in the States and the exclusive legislation such places
not among the purposes for which the constitution
formed but only subordinate, used for the
accomplishment Of the purposes for which the constitution
was established and by principle Of sound and honest
Interpretation this subordinate power be construed beyond
bshed and to which those powers made subordinate
3D. As delegation of power from the Convention Of the
States to the United States federal representative
Government it stands opposed this construction of these
subordinate clauses The Federal Government created
the election Of Senators and Representatives Congress
the States and the election of President by the States
Congress and the President and Senate under the authority
of the constitution created the judiciary In the share Of
representative power preserved to each State, delegated
to by the other States in creating and organizing the e
gslatve and executive departments each State had equal
share of representation in the Senate In the House. popu
aton adopted the basis of their respective shares Of
representative power Coupled with this principle
her of serving the nation in About two-hs Of the
entire population of the free States liable to in
but with the population of the slave
States Slaves property well as population. This
adjusted by providing that representatives and direct
taxes should be appoioned among the several States accord
ing to their respective numbers by adding the whole
Der of free PERSONS including those bound to service for
term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed threehs
OF all other persons The equity and fairness with which
regard TO slave population persons and property between
sses, strikngy in contrast with the injustice and inequa
lily by which is attempted deprive the slave States
OF their joint share in territories acquired by the and