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

in resisting such dangerous and destructive usurpatons the
Federal Government defending the Constitution and
Union Their position wholly defensive defensive Of their
domestic relations and their private rights Of property defen
sve Of their laws, upon which these domestic relations and
rights Of property founded defensive OF their social and
political existence States defensive of the Constitution and
Union defensive Of law ORDER ard good government OF the
right OF the people to themselves by governments and
laws Of their making throughout the world is cause
which cannot fall before the social philosophy
But should the non States combine enforce anti
reclamation acts and continue to pass laws prevent the
extension of slavery into the Territories should they further
also attempt abolish in the District of Columbus and in
all places purchased for needu buildings in the slave States
should they also attempt by an amendment of the contu
tion abolish il in the slave States themselves what pro-
lection have the slave States against these aggresons and
these dangerous usupaons OF undelegaed power under
constitution by which they ought to be enabled both pro-
tec themselves and possibly the Union In discussing
this subject with view to urge the States to ray and esa
bsh the constitution, both Mr.. Hamilton and Mr. Madison
argued that the States, organized communities could
cessfuy resist all such aggressons Mr.. Hamilton said in
the Fedealst "The separate Governments in conedea-
cy may apty be compared with the feuda baones, with
this advantage in their favor that from the already
explained they will generally possess the confidence and
good will of the people, and with important support,
will be enabled eectuay to oppose all encroachmens the
Federal Government" I" go long the separate oganl-
zaton of the members be aboshed so long exists
by constitutional necessity for local purposes, though
should be in perfect subordnaon to the general authority
of the Unon would still be- in fact and in theory, an
constitution, far from implying an abolition OF the State
Governments makes them constitutional parts the national
sovereignty by allowing them direct representation in the
Senate and leaves in their certain exclusive ard
very important portions Of the sovereign power This fully
corresponds in every rational import Of the terms, with the
idea of Federal Government II may safely be receiv
ed axomin poticasysem, that the Stae Govern
ments will in all possible contingencies afford complete
curly against invasons Of the public liberty. Projects Of
usurpa ion be masked under petences likely
escape the penetration Of select bodies Of Of the
Information they discover the danger at distance
and possessing all the organs of civil power and the conf
dence of the people, they adopt regular plan
of opposition in which they combine all the
of the community. They readily communicate with
each other in the different States, and unite with their
mon forces for the protection Of their liberty"
Mr. Madison said But ambitious entertainments Of the
Federal Government the authority CT the State Govern
men,s, would not excite the opposition OF single State,
of few States only They would be signals of general
taarm. Every government would espouse the common
scause. correspondence would be opened plans of
ssance would be concerted spirit would animate and
conduct the whole the same combination in Short uld
result from apprehension of the federal produced
by the dread Of foreign yoke and unless the projected
innovations should be voluntarily renounced, the ap
peal to trial Of force would be made in the
was made in the other. But what degree of madness
could drive the Federal Government such
remity II the sixteen nonsave States, (f Delaware be
included because by accident they exceed the number
of the slave States by two and send majority of four
Senators to Congress- although the slave States, at the ra
cation Of the constitutions ounumbered them by eleven and
because also they accidentally by their population have
larger share of representative power to enable them to
majority the House Of Representatives and elect
President from these accidental advantages they determine
by sectional combination elect majority of Free soil and
Abolition Senators and Representatives, and Free-so and
Abolition President and thus TO make the Federal Govern
men engine, step by sep to destroy slavery in the four
teen slave States FIRST by excluding slavery from the Terri
tories, in order that by admitting States into the Unon
they may increase the number of the noa-slaye States to
three ouhs second to abolish slavery in the District Of
columbia, or IN all places where Congress may exercise
elusive legislation and lastly, to the of
tyranny and usuPaion by change of the constitutions and
the delegation Of express power to abolish slavery nSa
the slave Staeswhat Of resistance have the fourteen
slave States TO secure their domestic relations their property
their eqaly OF rights guaranteed to be nvio!abe by their
constitutional bill Of rights and their existence and ndepen
dence sovereign States and equal members of the Conede
racy If the alternative presented by the nosave States be
dissolution Of their union with the States the abo
ton Of slavery the slave States either side Of this alternative
Is dissolution, BECAUSE if the slave States submit it, they
cease exist States and sovereign parties TO the Union
Resistance TO such usurpaons their moral social and po
tica duty But the usupng States declare all resistance
such laws on the part of the slave States rebeon reason
revolution, and dsunion But these which pro-
pery apply TO the super Of unauthorized power however
cunnngy they seek conceament by a outcry against
those who resist the usurpaon support and sustain the
constitution and the Union. Are the sixteen non-slave
States sole judges Of their constitutional power destroy
slavery, and may they the Executive ARM and the army
sovereign States to submit laws aboshng slavery because
the right Of majority TO judge Of the extent Of their
constitutional powers or by their majority in Congress- may
they repeal the judiciary act and organize the federal u
dciary and fill the bench with Free soil and Abolition judges
to sustain their usuped legislation slavery and would
that court have jurisdiction to bring before it the fourteen
slave States and the sixteen States and to try and
judicay decide between them, parties the question Of
constitutional power Could that rerder decree
judgment between the parties upon the subject in conover
sy, which should have the binding effect Of judcata
Could the Federal Government enforce such judgment
against the slave States Such not the understanding
OF Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Madison, the Legislatures Of Vgi
MIA, Kentucky and indeed of all the slave staes and of
large majority Of the people Of the United States, when the
alien and sedon laws passed-laws of far less ques
tonable authority than laws prohibiting slavery in the Terri
tories II this Union to be saved which is the hope of
every patriot throughout the country, and of every phan
hropist throughout the world is be saved by the people
OF all the States fully understanding each other upon this
mistaken socialists and aspiring politicians have, during the
last thirty five years. used for purposes Of national dcord and
disruption, and pressed to extremity.
Beside and beyond popular Convention Of the Southern
States with the view and the hope of aesng the Of
aggression, and, practicable then to concentrate the
South in will understanding, and action, the Convention Of
mississippi suggested, the possible ultimate resort the call,
by the Legislatures OF the assaed State of still solemn
convenonssuch should be regularly elected the people
OF those Staesto deliberate, speak, and with all the
sovereign power Of the people Should in the result such
conventions be called and meet, they may lead to like
regularly constituted Convention CT all the assaed States
PROVIDE in the last resort for their separate welfare by the
formation OF compact and union that will afford protec
ton to their liberties and rights In such crisis in the Lam
guage Of Mr.. Madison some spirit will animate and conduct
the whole"