The organizer., 1850-06-29

4OWc cUPto " NAW yt"t0' ~ s "'"'
North Carolina, South Carolina,
Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennes-
see, Kentucky, Louisiana, TrGs,
Missouri, Mississippi, and Arkansas.
FELLOW. CITIzENs:-ln obedience
Is the commands Of those we repre>
sent, we have assembled together to
Donfer with each other concerning
tour relation with the General Gov
srnment and the non.slave holding
States Ofthe Union, on the subject oil
he institution of Slavery. We deem
i proper to lay before you as BRIEFLY
as the subject will permit, the results
Df our deliberations and councils.
In order that your condition may
be understood, and the conclusions at
which we have arrived be justly ap>
preciated, il is necessary briefly to re-
fer to few past transactions.
It is sixteen years since the institu-
tion Of Slavery in the South began TO
be agitated in Congress and assailed
by our sister States. Up to that time,
1.-The people Of the Northern S'Htus
seem to have respected the rights re-
served to the Southern States by the
Constellation. and to have acted under
the conviction, that the subject of slav-
cry being beyond the legislation OF
Congress, all agitation with re-
spect to il on the part of Congress,
was equally forbidden by the COnsti~
tuition. But AT this time, portion Of
the people of the North began to as
sail, in Congress, the institution OF
slavery; and to accomplish their OBJ
ject of dragging into the vortex Of con-
|gressional agitation, they claimed the
right Of petitioning Congress upon all
subjects whatsoever. As petition
was only the first step in legislation.
|it was clear that a right to petition a
legislative body, must be limited by
It's powers of legislation. No one
can have a right 10 ask Of another to
do that which he has no moral or le-
|gal right to do. Nor can any tribu>
nal have the power to receive and
consider any matter beyond ITS juris-
|diction. The claim therefore to pre-.
sent petitions TO Congress on the sub-
jeet ofslavery, was considered by the
Southern Representatives. generally
as an attempt indirectly. 10 assume
jurisdiction over the subject itself, in
all parts Of the Union. The ohjrct,
without disguise, was the overthrow OF
slavery in the States; but our assa;l-
ants framed the petitions presented.
chiefly against slavery in the District
Of Columbia ard our Territories, and
against what they call the internal
Slave trade-ihat is. transmission Of
slaves from one Southern Slate to an
other. Conscious Of the fatal tenden'
ey Of the agitation OF Slavery in Con-
gress, to destroy the peace and Stabi!.
ity Of the Union, an effort was made,
supported by large portion OF the
Northern Representatives, which p'o
vided, that all petitions on the subject
Of slavery, should be neither consider
ed printed or referred. This rule was
assailed BY the people Of The Northern
States as violating that clause Of the
constitution which prohibits Congress
from passing laws 10 prevent the peo>
pie rom peaceably assembling and
petiiioning Tor redress Of grieveanees.
IN December, 1874, this rule fell be.
fore the almost unanimous voice Of
the North; and thus the unlimited
power Of introducing and considering
The subieei Of slavery in Congress,
uai asserted. In The meantime. the
course Of the Northern people showed
clearly, that the agitation Of slavery
n Congress was only one of the
means they relied on 10 overthrow
this Institution throughouf The Union.
NewEpapsrH we're set up among them,
snd lsctorerI we're hired 70 90 abroad