Washington telegraph., 1850-11-20

extremity to the other, presents an issue
for reflection and decision alarming in its
character, and more urgently requiring
calm and serious deliberation, than the
most weighty measures of State policy.
The people look to you, as the repre-
sentatives of the State for security and
protection. And the State, upon her part
must depend upon the General Govern
ment, in a great degree, for the enjoy
ment of many of those advantages essen.
tiai toher prosperity. The mutual rights
of the State and Federal Governments.
should be most scrupulously regarded
Should the General Government attempt
20 usurp authority, aud exercise powers,
not granted TO her, arrangement and con-
fusion must inevitably result. So when
the States Interfere with Jurisdictions
strictly national. the ability of the gov-
ernmeat to protect The interests for which
she was created, is weakened. There is
a power inherent to the States, with
which they have not, and cannot, part,
20 rebuke and arrest every attempt, on
the part of the General Government, TO
transcend those limits assigned her by
the Constitution. The States may en-
ercise doubtful powers when the com
mon welfare demands it; because they
are independent of all controlling powers.
Not so with the General Government.
Her pathway is marked ont, and her
duties defined. She cannot deviate from
the one, or transcend the other without
being guilty oe nsurpation.
When the sovereign States, now COM
posing this nation, by mutual agreement,
consented to part with certain Of their
powers, to be exercised by General
Government, in order that they might
obtain that strength, ever resulting from
harmonious union of resources, it can
not he contended that they did not retain
the power TO aEnul that Union, to alb
rogate the compact, which bound them
together, whenever the Union failed to
ansW er the ends for which it was estab
lished The States must be sovereign,
or they are dependent; if the former, we
may boast of a republican end free gov
ernment. Ii the latter. we may expect
despotism more absolute than the
Auuocracy of Russia
The question mnst now be determined.
Ehe contest thus far has resulted III favor
of ceutral power 1t is time our position
should be known. As the South failed
10 obtain her rights, 10y inaction and delay,
SO NAV we be robbed of our independence,
bv like representation. The union OF the
North with tie General Government,
upon the slavery question, presents
Formidable alliance against US, requiring
US to do hattie, not only Tor our rights oil
g.
Sovereign State
Our right to hold property in slaves, is |
crearay recognized in the Constitution; !
and the right TO regulate and control that
property, is reserved to the States Yet
Congress, by her action; has evlnced a
disposition to wrest that controlling power
from their hands, and, when the plain
provisions of the Constitution are placed !
before her, :.higher law'' than this. is !
declared to exist. True, there may be
but few who are willing to avoW this
monstrous doctrine So 1t was upon the
subject of abolition, but, lew years
since. Now, majority OF this patton,
if we may Judge by the action OF Con-
gress, upon the admission Of California
into the Union as State, entertain these
sentiments, and act accordingly.
California was acquired by the blood
and treasure of the North and the South,
Jointly; aud both the holder and
free-soIer held an equal interest in the
acquisition. Each had the same right
to remove there, and take every species
of property recognized by the Constltu-
ton of the United States. Yet the Fed
eral Executive, in the absence of ali law
and precedent, supported by northern alb
ollionists, has thought proper to lnclte
few adventures and aliens. to go
through the miserable force Of holding a
Convention, and forming Constitution.
to the end that he might be eXtrlcated
from a labyrinth of conflicting pledges, /
disreputablv made to secure the preSlden- |
cy, and that slavery might te forever ex- |!
cluded from her limits. True, this ex-
cjusiou is contained in the Constitution
of California, and while we Woulc con-
cede the right of her Convention, had II
been convened in accordance with law
and precedent. to incorporate spcR pro- |
visions in her Constitution asher interests
might demand. we deny the right OF the
General Governmept to effect, Py man
agement and trickery, what she could not
accomplish by fair and direct means.
But, the deed has been consummated'
and, however unjustly it may operate
upon the South, the question may well
be asked whether we now have the re-
dress within our power! The time was
when, had the South presented an un'
broken front in the demand OF her pSpts'
she could have secured them. But, py
divisions in her ranks, this PERIOD was
suffered to pass. If we could not unite
in opposing wrongs, when only threaten