The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-07-16

politicians or on the rapacity of your people.
The idea that the conquered people should be
permitted to give law to the conquerors, is so
lpreposterously absurd, that do not intend to
argue it. Doubtless these people would be
willing, not only to exclude shareholders, but
all other Americans, il, bya simple vote, they
lwere allowed to do so. | may remark further,
that, but for the anti-slavery agitation, South
ern shareholders would have carried their ne
groes into the mines of California in such num-
bers that have no doubt but that the majority
there would have made it a slayeholding State
We have been deprived of all chance Of this by
the Northern movements, and by the action Of
this House, which has, by Northern votes, re-
peatedy, from time to time, passed the Wilmot
Proylso. so as in effect to exclude our institu-
tons, without tn. actual passage Of law for
that purpose. 1t ~ 2 mere farce, therefore, with
out giving our people time to go into the coum-
try, il they desire to do So allow the individuals
! by vote, to exclude whole class Of our citi-
zens. This would imply that the territory be-
longed to the people there exclusively, and not
| to all the people Of the United States
Compared with this great question, the abo-
ton of slavery in the District Of Columbia is of
| little relative moment. One effect, however of
the ant-slavery agitation here is worthy of a
| passing notice. Within the last two years, since
| the matter has become serious it has seemed not
improbable that the seat of Government might
be removed from the District AS this would be
extremely preudcial to the interests of the citi-
| zens here, many of them have SO far changed in
their feelings as to be willing to allow slavery to
| be abolished, yielding to the force of the pres
sure from the North; besides, so many of their
slaves are from time to time taken away by the
abolitionists, as to satisfy them that such pro-
perry here is almost worthless. great inn
| preston was made on them by the coming in
last year OF Northern ship, and its carrying
| away seventy slaves Mt once. Seeing that there
was no chance of getting Congress to pass any
adequate law for their protection, as most Of the
States have done, they seem to be forced to as
sent to some extent to the Northern movement.
Sir, it is most surprising that the people of the
Southern States should have borne, with so lit
tie complaint, the loss of their slaves incurred
| by the action of the free States. The Consti-
tuition of the United States provided for the de-
livery of all such fugtives, and Congress passed
an act to carry it into effect; but recently most,
if not all of the Northern States, have compile
tely defeated their provisions, by forbidding any
one of their citizens to aid in the execution OF
the law, under the penalty of fine and imprison-
ment for as long term usually as five years.
There is probably no one legal mind in any one
as constitutional. For though the States are
not bound to legislate affirmatively in support
OF the Constitution of the United States yet il
is clear that they have no right to pass laws to
obstruct the execution of constitutional pro-
/ visions. Private citizens are not usually bound
| to be active in execution of the law; but if two
4 or more combine to prevent the execution OF
any law, they are subject to Indictment for con.
! spiracy in all countries where the common law
doctrines prevail. If the several States coult
rightfully legislate to defeat the action of Con
gress, they might thereby completely nulify
most OF its laws. In this particular instance
such has been the result; for, though the mas
ter is allowed to go and get his negro if he can
4 yet, in point of fact, it is well known that tho
free negroes, Abolitonsts, and other disorderly
/ persons, acting under the countenance and au
y thority of the State laws, are able usually to
overpower the master and prevent his recap
u, ture.
i The extent of the loss to the South may be
understood from the fact, that the number O.
runaway slaves now in the North is stated as
being thirty thousand worth, at present prices
little short of fifteen millions Of dollars. Sup
pose that amount of property was taken away
from the North by the Southern States acting
against the Constitution: what compBint would
there not be; what memorials, remonstrances
and Legislative resolutions would come down
upon us? How would this Hall be filled with
lobby members, coming here to press their
claims upon Congress? Why, sir, many of the
border counties in the slaveholding States have
\ been obliged to give up their slaves almost en-
\ tirely 1t was stated in the newspapers the
other day, that few counties named, in Mary
land, had, by the efforts of the Aboitioniss with
in six months, upon computation, lost one hun
dred thousand dollars worth of slaves. A gen.
teman Of the highest standing, from Delaware.
assured me the other day that that little State
lost, each year. at least that value of such prop
erty in the same way. A hundred thousand
dollars Is heavy tax to be levied on single
congressional district by the Abolitionists.
j Suppose a proportional burden was inflicted
on the Northern States. How would Massa-
chusetts bear the loss annually Of one million
one hundred thousand dollars, not only inflicted
without law, but against the express provision
of the Constitution! We may infer from the
complaint she has made of slight Inconvenience
imposed on her by that regulation of South
4 Carolina which prevented ship-captains from
carrying free negro servants to Charleston.
! This whole action on the part of the North is
not only in violation of the Constitution but
seems to be purely wanton, or originating in
malice towards the South. 1t is obvious that
i they do not want our slaves among them; be-
cause they not only make no adequate provision
for their comfort, but in fact, in many of the
i States, have forbidden free negroes to come
i among them on pain of Imprisonment, &c. 1t
/ cannot be a desire to liberate slaves, because
they have never, to my knowledge, attempted to
/ steal negroes from Cuba or Brazil. 1t is true,
however, that having the right now to come
among us both by land and water, they have
greater advantages and immunities For if they
went into foreign country, they would incur
the risk of being shot or hung, as robbers and
1 pirates usually are
! Sir, if any evils have grown out of the exist
ence of slavery they have not at least affected the
North. During the days Of tic slave trade,
which (asI formerly had occasion to remark)
was continued down to 1903, by New England
votes in the convention, the Northern ship-owners
/ realized large profits by purchasing negroes on
the coast of Africa ut thirty or forty dollars per
head, and selling them to Southern planters for
! several hundred dollars. The bringing in of
,ha,e Slaves cnused larpe tracts OF the Southern