Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-05-10

rbuted directly to the UNFOLDING and encouragement Of nm
Sey and piracy Having made yueh treaties nobody would
doubt our duty to fulff them the letter. any more
would doubt perfect right to refuse reneuing them the
moment we were able 10 deend rights by our own
strength No, in making treaty take our relations
win onsrs a. We find fhs and make The best provision for
our nsn which practicable under the circumstances The
question h Ia adopting or rejecting proposed mu,al tirn
on not whether Is the desirable on general grounds
e1Pedleney bot whether is preferable 10 that which
ihe inevitable alternative rejected
But If no binding treaty could be made on the suh;ec ~
slavery what would have been The necesa,y II
would nave been State where acknowledged rights were ia
constant danger Of being drawn into cosfc between ad
acent and neghbong States Leading 10 vsr lh.v n, ha
perpetual, or perhaps 70 sill more disastrous re,ub. n
some States being subugaed by others Of superior nhyc
Strength IN contest which light and wrong would he i.
essded and violence and brute force would supersede The
government OF law and the reign Of peace Can this bs re-
garded as an Imed exaggerated view Of the n
these States independent but without compact with each
other the views Of the laws Of nations above stated ara
correct Inc states were equal in right but unequal in
power In view Of the laws Of naiiops there was no differ
ence between Rhode Island and Virginia or PENNSYLVANIA
and Delaware With equal rights constantly in danger Of
being brought into conflict with radical df opinou
and views both justice and policy, the subject slavery
the danger hostile collision was Imminent What slssrna-
i've was there, but either general treaty Of alliance or
league or union under Government n whom should be
connded oil these subjects Of and mutual interest
latter expedient was adopted The several States agreed
70 renounce their rights Of sovereignty to missd exisnt
among other subjects, the regulation Of their intercourse
with foreign Powers with the Indian tribes and with each
the right Of and peace and that OF making treaties
either with foreign Powers with each other Certain other
subjects Of common interest also surrendered and placed
under the exclusive control and jurisdiction Of the common
Government Instead Of enforcing their rights they could
General Government furnished with u snd complete eai.
ase, judicial and executive powers TO take Of
3 ?. {. 4. g s =
carry them into full effect On coming TO this arrange
ccuId not be kept out Of view that States had
sanction the existence Of slavery BY their laws whilst others
denounced and held IN abhorrence unjust and criminal
alike opposed to natural right and good policy. II could
not however but be known to the trainers Of the consu
ton that in the States where slavery allowed by law
certain rights attached citizens which were recognized
by the laws Of nations and which could be taken away
without their consent They therefore provided for the limit
ed enjoyment Of that right il existed before, pre-
vent persons owing service under the laws of State and
escaping ihereom into another being discharged by the
laws OF the latter and authorizing the General Government
to prescribe for their restoration This s the cGsus
fds to this extent the States bound by their compact
but no further Slavery NOT created established or per-
petuated by the constitution. 1t existed before; would
have existed the constitution had not been made The
trainers Of the constitution could absogate slavery the
qualified rights claimed under they took they found
it, and regulated it TO limited extent The constitution
therefore, not responsible for the origin continuance Of
slavery The provision contains the best adjustment
which could be made Of conflicting rights and cm and
absolutely necessary effect what may be considered
the general paci6caon by which harmony and peace should
take the place Of violence and These were the ccu
stances and this the spirit in which the constitution made
the regulation Of slavery, far prohibit States by law
from habong fugitive staves essential element 10 its
fomation and the union intended TO be established
essentially necessary to the peace, happiness and highest
prosperity Of all the States In this spirit and with these
views steadily in prospect seems be the duty Of all Judges
and magistrates expound and apply these provisions in the
constitution and laws Of the United States and in this spirit
bshoves all PERSONS bound obey the laws Of the United
States to consider and regard them. sYf
The duties and relations Of the States each other by the
laws Of nations anterior to the making Of the constitution,
and the qualified but acknowledged right arising from the
establishment Of slavery States and its exclusion in
Others having been alluded to briefly in the opinion of the
court, was thought advisable, in this noe to expand
the argument somewhat, arising from that consideration
especially to state the judicial authorities upon which
il rests. t ss.as. 2ag g.et 1a.