The Woodville Republican. [volume] (Woodville, Miss.) 1847-1853, 1850-07-23

people OF these States invested the federal
government with the powers of war and ne.
gotatlon, and of sustaining armies and ma.
vies, and prohibited to State authorities the
exercise of the same powers They made
no discrimination in the protection to be af.
torded or the description of property to be
defended, nor was It allowed to the federal
| government to determine what should be
hetd as property. Whatever the States
deal with rs property the federal government
IS bound to recognise and defend as such.
Therefore 1t is the sense of this convention
that all acts Of the federal government
which tend to denationaze property of any
description recognized in the constitution
and laws of the States, or that discriminate
IN the degree and efficiency of the protec-
ton to be afforded to it for which weaken or
destroy the title of any citizen upon Amer.
can territories are plain and palpable viola
tions of the fundamental law under which it
exists.
s. ReSolrea, That the slave-holding Sta
ties can not and will not submit TO the en-
actment by Congress of any law imposing
onerous conditions or restraints upon the
rights olmasters to remove with their pro.
perty into the territories of the United
States, or to any law making dscrimna-
tlons in favor of the proprietors of other pro.
perty against them
6. ReSotved, That it is the duty of the
federal government plainly to recognize and
firmly to maintain the equal rights of the
citizens Of the several States in the terrific
ries of the United States, and to repudate
| the power to ma ke discrimination between
the proprletors of different species of pro-
perty IN federal legislation. The fulfllment
OF this duty by the federal government,
would greatly tend to restore the peace of
the country and to allay the evaporation
and excitement which now exist between
different sections of the Union. For it is
the deliberate opinion of this convention
that the tolerance Congress has given to the
notion that federal authority might be en-
ployed incidentally and indirectly to subvert
or weaken the institutions existing in the
States, conlessedly beyond federal jurisdc-
ton ana control, is a main cause of the dis
cord which menaces-the existence of the
Union, and which has well nigh destroyed
| the efficient action of the federal government
| itself
7. ReSoIUed, That the performance of
| this duty is required by the fundamental
law of the Union. The equality of the peo-
| pie of the several States composing the
Union cannot be disturbed without disturb.
ling the frame of the American institu-
tions. This principle is violated in the de-
| NAL OF the citizens of the slave holding
States OF power to enter into the territories
with the property lawfully acquired in the
States. The warfare against this right is
war upon the constitution. The defenders
of this right, are defenders of the constitu-
tion. Those who demand or impair its ex-
| erclse, are unfaithful to the constitution and
if disunion follows the destruction of the
right, they are the dsunonists.
s. ReSoIUed, That the performance of its
duties upon the principle we declare, would
enable Congress to remove the embarrass-
ments in which the country is now involved
The vacant territories of the United States
NO longer regarded as prizes for sectional ra-
pacity and ambition, would be gradually
occupied by inhabitants drawn to them by
their interests and feelings The institu-
tions fitted to them would be naturally ap-
piled by governments formed on American
ideas, and approved blythe deliberate choice
| OF their constituents. The community
would be educated and disciplined under
republican administration in habits of self
government, and fitted for an association as
a State, and TO the enjoyment of place in
the confederacy. A community so formed
and organized. might well claim admission
to the Union, and none would dispute the
validity of the claim.
g. ReSoIUed, That recognition of this
principle, would deprive the questions be-
tween Texas and the United States of their
sectional character, and would leave them
for adjustment without disturbance from
sectional prejudices and passions, upon con-
siderations of magnanimity and justice.
10. ReSotUed, That recognition of this
principle would infuse spirit of concilia-
ton in the discussion and adjustment Of all
the subjects of sectional dispute, which
would afford guarantee of an early and
satisfactory determination.
II. ResoLUed, That in the event domi-
nant majority shall refuse to recognize the
great constitutional rights we assert, and
shall continue to deny the obligations of the
federal government to maintain them, it is
the sense of this convention that the terrific
ries should be treated as property, and d.
vided between the sections Of the Union, so
that the rights Of both sections be adequate
ly secuted in their respective shares. That
we are aware that this course is open to
grave objections, but we are ready to acqui-
esce in the adoption Of the line of SO deg
80 min north latitude, extending to the Pa
cine ocean, as an extreme concession, upon
considerations Of what is due to the stabili-
ty OF our institutions.
H. ResotCed, That it is the opinion of
this convention that this controversy should
be ended, either by a recognition of the con.