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

20 Congress, and cannot be increased ol
diminished but by an amendment Of the Con
stimtion.
20 ReSEred, That the acquisition Of ter
ritory by TIE United States, whether occu
pied Or vacant, either by purchase, conlues,
or ueaty, adds nothing to the legi
power of Congress, as granted and limited
in the Constitution.
81. Resolved, That the adoption OF a
foreign law existing at the time in territory
purchased, ceded, or granted, is the exercise
of legislative power, and cannot be done UNI
less the law is of such character as might
righfully be enacted by Congress under the
Constitution, without reference to It's pre-ex.
istence as foreign law.
%, Resokred, That the alledged princi-
pie of the law of Nations recognizing, to
some extent, the perpetuity of foreign laws
in existence within territory at the time OF
its acquisition by purchase, conquest or trea-
ty, cannot, under our Constitution and form
Of government, go to the extent of continu-
ing in force, in such territory, any law that
could not be directly enacted by Congress,
bs NhNhS VI NAAN pow Nl' VI N'NtN
ed to it by the Constitution.
80. ReS0JUed, That no power of doing
any act or thing by any of the Departments
OF our Governmet, can be based upon the
principles OF any foreign law, or of the laws
of nations, beyond what exists in such De-
partment under the Constitution of the Uni
ted States, without reference to such foreign
law or the laws of Nations.
81. ReSoLred, That slavery exists in the
United States independent of the Consttu-
ton. That it is recognized by the Consti-
tuition in threefold aspect, first as property
second as a domestic relation of service or
labor under the law of State, and lastly as
a basis of political power, And viewed in
any or all of these lights, Congress has
no power under the constitution, to Gre
ate or destroy it any where nor can such
power be derived from foreign laws. con-
quest, cession, treaty or the laws of nations.
nor flom any other source but an amend
ment of the Constitution itself
25 ReSolced, That the Constitution con-
fers no power upon Congress to regulate or
prohibit the sale and transfer of slaves be-
tween the States.
20. ReS0IUcd' That the reception, or con-
sideraton by Congress of resolutions me.
MORALS or petitions from the States in which
domestic slavery does not exist, or from the
people of said States, in relation to the in
stltution of slavery where it does exist, with
view ofefIecting its abolition, or imparing
the rights of those interested in it, to its
peaceful and secure enjoyment, is gross
abuse and an entire perversion of the right
OF petition as secured by the federal con-
stitution, and if persisted in must and will
lead to the most dangerous and lamentable
consequences-that the right of petition for
redress OF grievances as provided for by the
Constitution was designed to enable the
citizens of the United States to manifest
aud make known to Congress the existence
or evils under which they were suffering
whether affecting them personally, locally or
generally, and to cause such evils 20 be re-
dressed by its proper and competent author
ity, but was never designed or intended as a
means OF inilicting injury on others, or jeop-
ardlng the peaceful and secure enjoyment
oil their rights, whether existing under the
Constitution or under the sovereignty and
authority of the several States.
27. ReSolred, That it is the duty of Con
gress to provide efectual means of execu-
ting the I'd section of the 4tR article of the
Constitution relating to the restoration of
fugtives from service or labor.
80 ResoIUed, That when this Convention
adjourn, it adjourn to meet at Nashville in
the State of Tennessee on the 9th Monday
after the adjournment of the present session
of Congress, and that the Southern States
be recommended to fill their delegations
forthwith.