Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1851-01-18
rAor QMitman q.
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III t $50 JEffA
eipias Of Justice una equality aud d breach
|, OF the constitutions compact between the
staths. ! understand the word .Nagrazt'
IN tie sellse you here Use II, to be fiioto.
fsetf4- prominently stantling ont--so that
ttlt' llla il Of ttla American people caunot
ffil 10 aeH tie lnIrolsiitaIionaIity of tho
act" NV Il this no Does not the as.
Aeliblel wisdom Of tiie country. Us we'll ne
tie l,istofy Dt q large number Of the States
Positively contradict your assertion But,
sir, il II WA so giafiila ii breacll III yoti
aast,ft it II be, why dill you not point your
constituents ID tho yiosated clause, insteHd
pl attempting To eascouee yourself behind
!, stilaluipts argument, to prove that the
fiepft}atuta territory are not sovereign, and
Which il proved would not sustain your
assertion ''thstt the admission u California
IL Unconstitutional and void" Now my
democracy teaches that the sovereignty il
iii tho people, | cure not where they te4
side, hltl though this may not be Eoul0 or
Qtitttniu democracy, 1t certainty II the old
fashioned J%eilafsoalan Aalaaical denoefa
cg.
The Inhabitants Of a territory, possess
naturally all the attributes of Hovfnfignty
belonging % Siatas, bat politically they
have been, o. lave Also the people Of The
District Of Columbia. restricted III tlieir
rights by the constitution. Ilp,ae reatfis
tons were plnead Oh tlie inhabitants ol the
territories aud Distfiet by Suites. which
were before the confederation fully SOW
reign, and Which nlso found it necessary
for tle benefit Of oil, TO make mutual alc-
filieas 81 interests aud opiliiotla, and 10 div.
est Themselves Of many Of the attributes
known to q sovereign power. No state
can enter into any tfeaty, alliance OF or.
federation, COLI money, emit bills Of credit,
keep troops or ships Of war IN fine oi
peaee, 6akef a1st0 mn aggddAieak or e9HtpaG
With aR9fter State, or with II foreign
power, -and yet we all admit tliat The
sovereignty is IN the psople, for they cutl
form OK ahlnl Whatever political system
they may think proper indeed, IL il In
con eqaeiiee Of the sovereignty Of the in.
liadlthnts Of Ii territory, that Congress is
prevented from legislating oil the subject
Of slavery, or Of other property IN the terri-
tories.
The inhabitahts of California. when she
applied to Congress 10 aimit her territory
40 Il State. did not receive their constitution
from Tie States or Coligress--tlio Nash
vile Convention, or a COMMITTEES Of Safe.
", No. They presented a constitution
Of illeif own formation ,--nud who but u
sovereign people can choose ttiair own
form OF government ! She demanded al
mission into Tue Uiion upon m equal
footing with tho original States-ttnter
tho same clause sof the constitution by
which MISSISSIPPI AMI Louisiana were al.
United. She was admitted, aud declared
to be entitled to, aud TO possess, oil the
rights and privileges that belong to any
Stale in the Union. But you say tlattbe
net OF admission was unconstitutional and
void. Now that | ifiost earnestly desired
to see all The territory south Of rs 80
eated,-~bat ! assert upon the authority Of
men, whose age aud experience, patriot
ism, sound Judgment aud attacilnfent to
sotltlleru interests, would not silEer-even
If placed III juxta.position with yoir own,
that the admission Of California il clearly
a constitutional act. Now sir, to what
tribunal IL this inonientohs question to be
referred for decision +! You admit that the
question is not eognizable by the judicial
department Of the Government, ana that
the legislative aud executive departments
have decided against you.
Ga,ia.s 31,n,, tt4at tb.. ,n..4.t.tta a,,ys
no other department in the government Of
the United States, it 10 evident That your
only constitutional aud prudent course IL
to adopt your own admoIhtion, and ito
those high powers representing the major-
ity Of the people, and constituting the pro
per exponsnts Of their deliberate viii" all
pubic authorities, AMI all rood citizens
should yield cheerful and prompt obedience,
aud Of you, who 90 CALAMITY defended yonr
eortatry honor,sI can but bellows, that
you will rs d trIie-heartei American yield
10 the will Of d majority Of your country
aleit.
Your visionary theory, respecting the
power Of 4 State 10 make void the aet nd
California, viii be ~repudiated by
your constituents. They will see
tlias il saps the very foundation Of c~onstita
tional liberty, ailuihiiates the great Ameri.
call principles upon which all questions
be determined, aad places the aiu-
GRITTY ID the aseendeicg, giving it the poll
teal RUE aud government over the major
They will see that It gives to Il State
i supremacy over tile constitution md
of the United States, incompatible
with true liberty aud the existeaee of the
Nor do voa insist upon terms
that will admit of paciGc action, for you
Of misunderstanding States to
California TO re.ihquisIl all tie ter 4
south of So 50. and ID consent To !
such amendments Of tile federal constitn-
.io,, as shall hereafter amply secure. the
Of the slavehogdiae sates from mis-
construction aud further aggressions I
are three im~possibililies required.
It. As Congress is bat the agent If the ]
States, it can have no right to require one
# them to r%ellnanish a part of its territory, !
BIZ the powers not delegated to the United !
States by the constitution, nor prohibited s
~ Ii, are reserved to the States resoec- u
lively, or 70 the people. End. The nou-
'iaye-holdiiag States have not the power To I
the constitution. It requires three ]
Of tie several States to ratify any t
amendment, that may be proposed, before
I can become valid, and you Certainly
must be aware, that q large portion of the j
~aavsholdsalg States are utterly opposed to- i
t15seallnge III the constitution, al no such I
could remedy the evils Of the past, I
All might prove sur Tnin in the future. !
! have yet to learn Of any overt act 1
aggression against one of the slavehold- q