Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1850-02-01
aenera1 cass, sneecIl.


week in the Senate of the United States by General
meeting in this town. have occupied the space which
we hoped to devote to that object We have, how
ever, given most eloquent ard interesting extract
from the speech, in which Gen. CAss comments very
severely upon certain passages in Mr. ADAMS Diary,
which has just been published. His concluding re-
marks in this connection do honor to his head and
heart as man, statesman, and an American citi
zen The argument of his speech is close, logical,
and we think conclusive. He assumes the ground
that the Constitution gives Congress no power of le
glsatlon over the territories and that by the theory
OF our Government Congress can possess no powers
except such as are specially delegated; and that no
implied power can be carried beyond the necessity
which creates it, From the absout: necessity of the
case Congress had with the tact consent of the peo
pie' exercised the power of organizing territorial
governments but this being DONE the necessity and
consequently the power, ceased
The idea that Congress could interfere with the
domestic relations of which slavery is one, General
CAss considered on par with the claim of Great
Britain to exercise exclusive jurisdiction over her Co
lonies The claim of the British Parliament was re-
garded as tyranny, and produced the revolution-in
what particular would the claim of the American
Congress differ from it In either case it was the
assertion of the power to bind people by the laws
OF body in whose deliberations they had no voice
He considered the attempt to exercise such power by
the passage of the Wnot Proviso as both unconsti-
tutional and inexpedient. But to the extract
"While it is admitted that the ordinance of 1887
''passed by the old Congress of the confedera-
ton without authority from the States it is conten-
ed NOT ho afinrr Hohfo ooI
gagements' confirmed it. but that it 81 had been ia
City confirmed by the adoption of the present con-
stituton, and the authority given to Congress in it
to make needful rules and regulations for the Terri
tory"
These are the views bequeathed to us by an emf
nent citizen, who after filling the Office of President
of the United States taken away in the midst of
his labors, the ancient warriors fell with their
harness upon them 1t has been long known that he
kept diary of passing events and portion of this
record of daily occurrences has been recently taken
from the depository, where it had better been shield
ed by time and DUST than exposed to the light of
day by member of his family. How often has the
memory OF distinguished men been injured by the
zeal OF ndscreet friends who instead of going back
ward with garment to cover them, reveal their in
hrmites to the curiosity of the world This revea-
ton will add nothing to the claims (and they are
many which the deceased statesman had to the
sderatlon OF his countrymen, founded upon his SER
vices, his talents, his requirements and his unim-
ter ones, and temperament often ill-regulated and
always exctabe, too frequently interfered especial
ly when men and measures were closely connected,
with that calm investigation essential to the exer-
else of correct judgment. This contemporaneous
record of his feelings and opinions exhibits these
traits of character in bold relief and is indeed a
melancholy proof that vigorous intellect NAV be
overshadowed by strange alterations, and rendered
useless, and sometimes dangerous by hayward views
originating in passing impressions, and maintained
wit op6I 10
for the opinions of others.
! In this diary, the compromise by which the con-
stitution established and without which it could
never have been established, is denounced as the
bargain between freedom and slavery and it is pro-
nounced "morally and politically Vicious" with va
rlous harsh epithets and illogical deductions little
creditable to the Of the writer at any time
at least at all at that time, considering the position
IN the Government he then occupied, and the &C.
knowledged claims he had to still higher distinction
This condemnation of the constitution as rnoralk4
Uicious is left upon record by statesman who sought
and enjoyed the confidence of his country in many
stations of high honor and responsibility more
indeed perhaps, than any other of the past gen.
| Grafton; whose services commenced about the com
mencement of the present Government and contin-
ued almost without ntermssion until his career was
terminated by death. At the very time he thus EN-.
bodied this opinion of the constitution, he was the
second officer of the Executive Department of the
Government, and became, long, the first and in
each of these capacities, as in many preceding one
he voluntarily assumed, under the most solemn sane
ton the obligation to support this constitution, thus
stamped with the charge of moral and political vice
take pleasure in the expression of these views
But the document has been given to the country
and, regret it may and must, it has already
passed into history and, like all the other materials
of which history is composed, it cannot escape the
scrutiny, will escape the censure of an age like
this Nor should it be. It's tone of moral sentiment
is bad. The doctrine and the example are bad That
| the constitution q Uic1OuS instr &c
ion it seems to me, that no right-minded American
can hold. That its honors and emoluments may be
sought and enjoyed, and it's obligations assumed by
him who considers it liable to this grave censure il
certainly not reconcable with any elevated standard
of morality nor is the opinion or the example BY
which position is held under such circumstances cal
culated to produce salutary impression upon th'
American youth. am sorry to say there are othe
positions of this resuscitated paper equally obnoxiou
to the censure of patriotism and of good taste How
different are its tone and temper from that legacy
true wisdom and patriotism the Farewell Address
monument of high moral and political feeling, an
of affectOnate interest, well as practical wisdom
such other citizen ever bequeathed to his coun
trymen.
The one appeals to the better feelings of our ma
ture-tc lie common name of American and bid
us hold &c to the unity of Government which con
sttutes people," by all the motives that be
long to the past and the present-to common exel
tions crowned with success, and to common hopes
bright as in the providence of God were ever ofere
to any people. It also of the mischief
sectional preudices and of the danger of sections
questions which tend to render alien to each othe
those who ought to be bound together by fraterns
y affection" And that voice, which now comes to U
from the tomb should speak in trumpet tones to ev
cry American heart, when it calls upon us to fror
indignantly upon the first davning Of every attempt
ALLEVIATE portion of country from tie rest or
Oeaken the Uarious ties 1rhich noac bind together
UdriOus parts"