Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1851-08-28
COM NJ NICATIGM S .
FOR THE ADVERTISER.
OUR CAUSE OF QUARREL.


on the C"ns;itutionality Of the Wilmot Proviso,
and Of the admission of California into the Union.
with her present Constitution and population. and
with the whole mode of procedure adopted by
Congress in relation toit.
It is assumed, by some, that Congress has the
power to prohibit slavery from the Territories,
under the Constitution. and by others, that it has
the right to prohibit it, in virtue Of its sovereignty.
Now. in order to ascertain correctly. the extent
of the power If Congress to legisaic for the Ter
rtorics it will he necessary to rccur briefly. to
the source of that power. apprchcnd, that it
mav he derived from the second clause of the
third section Of the fourth article Of the C"nsti-
tu,nn.-a part or which reals thus: "Thr Con-
nrcss shall have power to dispose of. ard make
MI ncclrul rules and regulations respecting the
Trrrorv or other property belonging TO the
United Statcs' IF twcrc mol derived from this
clause i, MIGHT he Justly implied from the power
tn make war and conclude treaties. in which is
romnr"hrrd"l The power, not only Of acquiring,
bni also of ~nvcrrin" Territories. When grant
is made permission TO carry it into effect must be
necessarily Inferred The Constitution, more
over. authorizes Congress to make laws for exc
cutting it's powers.
If slavery were notreeoenizcd by the Consti-
tuition. and blended with the whole operations Of
the Government and with the welfare Of large
portion of our pcoplesi if it appeared i" "ncedful"
to exclude j. from any Territory under our jurs-
d;ct;on, there conld bono doubt of the.apthority
of Congress to do so ! But the Constitution does
recognize, il. in yaro1.c clauses makes Provi-
sion f0rflr rendition q isitvcs from service; it
protects tho importation of \fricans from being
prevented prior to 1903: it allows slave rrrT"
s.na.;nn in Congress: it taxes slaves; and it
considers them property, in every respect.
" The time Of III" a,Iop'inn Of the COnstitu
,on. property IN slaves. was claimed by. almost,
I'll the creator nations On tho Glnhr: and t'lr ne
arons brought here, were. probably, the drscrn-
dants Of slaves. to the third and fourth genera
tions. For. MS was the custom of ancient nations
It is vet 'hc custom nf the barhar"us tribes of
A Frira. TO pacr The lives Of their captiycs in war.
at the absolute disposal of the victors who either
max Saves of them. OF doom them to a cruel
death.
1t would then. be most violent and lagiiious
Outrage upon the Constitution, under strained
and forced construction Of its powers 10 cripple
and abolish mn Institution, which was guarded
and protected. in the most solemn manner. and
in the most explicit terms, by the sanctions of
tlat instrument and universally respected. by
the authors of both our Constitution and liberty.
The sovereignty of the Supreme Legislature,
except as an agent TO execute the known will OF
the people and Of the States and to carry ont the
compact of the Constitution. is an idea, to my
mind, totally incomprchcnsiblc. The General
Government is one Of limited powers. and has no
authority beyond the Constitution and 1t is cX-
prcSSly set forth in the tenth amendment OF that
instrument, that The powers not delegated to
The United States h. the Constitution, nor pro-
hibitcd ly i; to the States, arc reserved to the
States respectively or to the people" The States
thru"h are snvcrrisns, and t"y arc independent
and ccual, and il is tht voice of tlrcc-uurths Of
them alone which can amend the Constitution.
Hence. may be riirly .ltduccd, the uncnnstu-
iionaty Of this gigantic abolition movement,
which has DESTROYED the equality of the States,
as 10 their right Of property in the newly acquired
Territories which has disturbed th" equivalence
of the Northern and Southern sections, hy trans-
fcrrng i'll power in the government t" Iic farmer,
I and ;nbbnr the latter even of her boon Of in'lc-
pcnlcncc. which has thrown the country int" Il
general frrmcnt, and poisoned the fountains OF
society and Legislation.
1t will scarcely be demanded at this iimc, that
such fact as the sovereignty and equality of the
Siacs should be proved by course of reasoning
Bat that every point Of the argument may be
sustained. it is only necessary to refer 10 the
Declaration Of independence" iisrI in which
is :hc solemn announcement. that " thee ncd
Colonies are. and. of right. ought to be. free md
independent States" The second article of
the E" articles of confederation and perpetual
uminn between the States reads thus: Each
Sta,c retains lis sovereignty, freedom and Indc-
pcmdrmcc, and every power. jurisdiction and
right, which is not b. this confederation expressly
delegated 10 The Tri,yd States. in Congress as
scmblrd" The riow,ng sentence occurs III the
fifth article " In determining questions in the
United States in Congress assembled, each State
shall have one vote" The articles of conrdcra-
ton were ratified separately, and on different
1ays by the thirteen original States. In the
treaty by which Grca, Britain acknowledged the
independence Of the United States, each Of the
thirteen States, by name, was styled "a s0'er-