The freeman. (Fremont [Ohio]) 1849-1850, 1850-02-23

slavery should not be touched therein without
their assert
This District was ccded by Virginia and Mary
land, and accepted bv the United States 10 be the
seat of government; and to make it the se.t of
government should be the leading idea in all our
Legislation for it; and hence it is inexpedent to
abolish slavery here without the desire of the peo-
pie and the assent of Maryland.
After the adoption of the constitution, Maryland
and Virginia in feeling of fraternal peace and
happiness which then prevailed over the Union,
generously ceded to the United States this District
but in doing So they never thought that Congress
should make it a thorn in their side by aboishing
slavery here. He thought, in 1888, and believed
now, that the Congress of the United States, as an
honorable body could not interfere with slavery in
the District without violation of all those implied
agreements with Maryland and Virginia, which to
honorable men, were as binding as if contained in
the Constitution in express terms. The resolution
does not admit or deny that Congress has the
power TO abolish slavery in this District 1t is 81
lent The resolution in substance provides that
Maryland shall release the United States from all
those implied obligations; and, if she does so, one
obstacle in the way is removed There were 9TH
obstacles to the abolition of slavery here. One
was that the consent Of the people Of this District
should first be obtained.
The people of this District were in an anomalous
condition. They people governed by an ar
bitrary power. They are taxed and governed by
an authority in which they have no voice. Arb
trary power he defined to be authority exercis-
ed by power in which the people over whom 1t Is
exercised have no representative. Congress hav-
ing this arbitrary power should never exercise ii in
manner harsh or unkind The consent of the
people should be first obtained. The resolution
did not stop here 1t provides for another thing
There should be Just compensation given TO the
owners of slaves for their property. Congress
should be restrained by every motive of public pol
icy and every principle of eternal Justice from de-
priving the people of the District of their property
without making Just compensation. England and
France, when they abolished slavery in their pos
sessions did not DO SO without compensatng the
for their property; and these countries were
not bound by any written unwrltten obligation
to paw hut there was that obligation which all ma
tions recoonizt the obligation of eternal justice
The provision in tie Constitution which says that
al; private property taken for the Of the Gov
ernment must be paid for, did not literally author
ize this appropriation of public money. hut, by a
liberal Interpretation of the clause would make II
that all property taken for the at the instance
of the Government, would authorize the payment
for the slaves
He sil YESTERDAY that there was none of the res
WINCH Ulu not kfhNlNt Ct1l'tS-
sions. or which did not concede to the South with
out any compensation to the North. The North
contends, and he thought CORRECTLY, that Congress
has the power to abolish slavery in the District
The South denies this power. The North con-
cedes, by this resolution, that it is nexp"dent. and
makes and agrees that slavery here shall be cn-Px
istent with slavery in the States; but this conc"s
sion was made in consideration Of the assertion that
it was expipd-nt to abolish the slave trade in this
District. The right and the power to do this he
Thought unqurstonahle. By an amendment TO th',
Constitution, it provided, that all powers not
granted expressly to Congress were reserved TO
the States and to the people. This WAS applca-
BILE to the powers of Congress over the people of
the several States. But in regard to this District,
he considered the reverse was the law. Over this
District Congress had the same powe:s which the
States had over all within her limits, and Cong
res had all the powers this District express
sly prohibited by the Constitution. There WIS un
Staie but what had acted on the subject of the
slave trade. Kentucky had placed in her new
constitution the same prohibition against buying
slaves into that State to he dealt in property as
in the old Constitution. Mississippi had d
similar provision. Maryland had provision on the
same subject, and perhaps other States. Th,.
adoption Of this resolution he did not think would
be as acceptable to one as the other But in these
went to bed and so rising in the morning he ap-
pretended to hear new dangers and difficulties
But he had Witnessed proceedings in another State,
where it was declared that if the slave trade were
abolished in this District it would be. sufficient cause
for southern convention, which is the same thing
as considering the expediency of dissoving the
Union. To what degree Of folly and extrava-
yance passion will lead them!
He had been always ready to abolish the slave
trade in this District Why should the traders in
this kind of merchandise come to this place from
other States, and shock the feelings of men, by
marching long trains and corteges of manscled hu-
man beings on the avenue? Why should they be
allowed thus to outrage the feelings Of men by
speetacles So detestable as this? This subject offs
much disquietude should be settled with equal sat
Staction to both parties; and the South should re-
oice at this abolition much as the North. Adopt
this resolution and other healing measures proposed,
and there will be restored the country that peace
and harmony whichit has not known for thirty years
The seventh resolution relates to the surrender
Of fugitive slaves On this subject he would go as
far tue arthest in carry ing out the enforcement
of the Constitution. 1t requirement of the
Constitution; and every State, and every State Off
Ger, and every man in the Union, was bound to aid
in its execution. 1t was provision of the Const
tuition which every citizen WAS bound to observe /;
every man holding Office took oath to sup
port the Constitution, and WAS bound to aid in the
restoration of fugitive slave. No man was bound
to make tour of his State to hunt up fugtives
but all persons present at the arrest of fugitive