Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-11-09

that our langusgs-rude and imperfect at best and mosly
about material and sensible objecswas wholly
inadequate to express the refined distinctions Of moral ana
speculative philosophy, the dest tools are unit and un-
suitable to the refined and delicate purposes and operations Of
the matchmaker and the surgeon And this, aPprehend
the why many have been committed by ds
tngushed gentlemen in the course OF this discussion hey
unquesonaby result not from nadequste or confused Ideas
in their minds but from the impeecon OF tho medium
through which they Obliged for the want Of BETTER 70
communicate. their thoughts 70 u.s. Now, to ordinary ca
pacties, mnds uncouded by absirac and
capse Of using copQp ~ - esna And vsainasy
oospa0ny Is doubt that the jursdicion or
authority Of the General Government is paramount within
the Sates That s that its jurisdiction superior to that
Of any ohe The language Of the constitution this point
plain, and will admit Of controversy declares that
hs constitution and the laws OF the United States which
shall be made pursuance hereo and all treaties made
which shall be made under the authority of the United Staee
shall be the supreme law of the land and the judges 10 every
State shall be bound heeb any thing in the constitution or
laws Of any State the contrary Notwithstanding Con-
cede the startling proposition maintained by these gentlemen,
and the banner Of African slavery could be made to float
the soil If every free State in this Union, entirely over
riding the local State laws prohibiting IT, and the General
Government successfully invoked defend and maintain it,
Such the inevitable conclusion to which conducted
by this absurd and peposterous doctrine The municipal
regulations Of the slave Staes like those OF the free States
poweress beyond their own jurisdiction They are with
out any authority consideration whatever in the other
States in the Territories belonging to the United States,
except what imposed by the constitution Is exaced by
the comfy which modern christian civilization requires should
always exist between cOntermnous and independent States
The pecuiaties in the legislation laws Of State
any given number of States be ranspanted in
to the Territories Of the United States right attendant
upon persons Of those who may choose emgate the
than those Of all the other States.
The rights Of all the States in this particular perfectly
equal and they Independent within their Jurisdictions
and State has in this respect any superiority, what
ever its laws local institutions may be, another Con-
gress has the paramount and exclusive right if it exists any
Of UhI M m Al m
entertain doubt, TO legisate for the Territories, and
State interfere with control its exercise shall not
stop discuss the question sometimes mooed, whence the
right springs which has been frequently exercised for the
last half century.
It is sufficient for my purpose to know that the General
Government has acquired territory in variety Of ways-by
treaty. by Of legislation and by conquest and purchase
and whether the right govern it. after the acquisition is
made be referred the wsrmakng power the treaty
making power arises from other grant of power in
the constitution, perfectly mmaeral exists incl
dent the exercise of the power acquire territory, in
other way expressly provided in the constitution that
Congress may make all needfu rules and regulations for
the government Of the Te,ories and of other
sovereignty has any control them while they remain sub
ect to the jurisdiction Of Congress- Some Of the States
posing this Union prohibit slavery, while others tolerate
and the rights the respective Ses and the citizens of each
equal No may claim superiority the other
they all possess alike the attributes Of qualified sovereignty.
citizen Of Northern State, in which slavery and nvou-
ary servude forever inedced, emigang to the Ter
tores Of the United Sates has the right with the
citizen of Southern State which toerates the institution
Of slavery, to carry with him the local laws Of his own
State. These laws being contradictory and inconsistent
with each other, could not exist together in the
muniy and hence the absuy of the right claimed by
Southern gentlemen to carry slaves into the Territories and
hold them in bondage, merely because they permitted
do by the laws Of Of the States When emgrans
pass from the jurisdiction of their respective States into the
Territories they leave behind them the laws Of their former
domci they do the judicial tribunals and the executive
officers whose duty it is enforce them They pass under
jurisdiction, possessing the right to make laws and
the power enforce them independently the whence
they The citizens Of the different States and Of other
countries meet the Territories upon Of perfect equality,
neither having right to bring with him the institutions OF
the State sovereignty whence he emgated claim
right their protection adoption within the jusdic-
ton. contrary doctrine would lead in practice endless
conflicts and inteminable difficulties. Standing upon free
SOIL the common property Of the United States and conding
in its proecon the rights of all would be equally respected
The protecting sgis Of the constitution would be all alike
for it has expressly provided that the citizens of each State
shall be entitled to all the privileges of the citizens Of the
several Saesa provision which must be entirely abro-
gated before the doctrine obtain Its transparent
alacy obvious and plain that apology is due for
the time spent in exposing it. The argument support of
it. even in the hands Of its eminent advocates fails be-
come respectable and scarcely rises to the dignity Of shallow
sophistry. l tt 'siaa'aA
The relation Of master and slave is said to be ONE of long
standing is paarcha institution and have listened
elaborate defamation upon the origin and antiquity of
slavery and its advocates have sought deduce argument
from that to justify extending over the protecting
of the General Government and introducing into the
Territories Of the United States 1t has existed
sured from theeares times svenerabe and shadowy form
may be in the twilight Of history and surely
spect is doe to Its great age il other account II has
always been abused and ved by its enemies ill its
has acquired offensive odor, and about be driven in
disgrace from s former hauns and its ancient home. What
worthy the fame of great gallant, and free people
than to extend the rights Of hospitality the venerable
cast and give resting place and permanent home under
glorious stripes and stars, where Il its failing
strength enlarge its whercd Dimensions and sgain put
the vgor Of its youth and its manhood Its enemies should
lence and its be rescued from the unjust odum which
has rendered il hateful and gnomnious.
This sir Is substantially the duty which required TO
perform; and If hesitate, faer, fail to obey this
glorious fabric of free government reared by the skill and the
toll cemented by the blood of patriots who preferred death
to slavery be demolished and this Union be dissolved
We are left free, Of course, to make election but il is
knl of freedom, after all, not very unhke that which the
traveller enjoys with the highwaymans pistol at his breast
II there any thing in the origin and antiquity Of slavery,
the history Of human bondage in Of its forms to
mend to favorable regard have not been fortunate as
discover it. The record has wholly failed to exhibit it
and Il il too late now to supply the omission.
has been repeatedly stated in this debate that you could
point TO any of the awmaking power creating the
relation of master and slave and establishing the institution
Of slavery This is rueyou cannot. But the conclusion
does follow that there is law Of slavery as well
Of freedom Slavery not the offspring OF legislative
enacmens the Of the awmaking power, but
il is Of the bitter fruits Of war; violence and piracy that
have marked the character and deomed the history Of wicked
and corrupt in ali ages Of the world Wars Of various
kinds have been between different nations formerly
hey were much sangunary and eocous aod attended
win much greater atrocities than at present and when