Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1851-04-24
THE TIMES
ADD EESS
FROM GEN. JOHN B. CLARK, TO HIS
CONSTITUENTS

last supmsr, while a candidate for
your suffrages, avowed certain
opinions upon the various questions
then agituted in the country; some of
which were of the first importance to
the permanency and well being of the
Government itself, involving no less
than the constitutional rights of the
people of our State as we'll as of every
slave holding State in the Union, to one
description Of property secured by the
constitution ofthe United States; also
The right of the sovereign people,
through their Representatives, in the
General Assembly, to instruct any Sen.
ator chosen to represen, the State in
the Senate Of the United States, and
the corresponding duty of such Sena-
tor when instructed TO obey or resign
his trust into the hands Of those who
gave it.
These, with many questions of ex.
pedisney in the enactment Of laws
necessary TO a proper and judieious
administration of the State Government
formed the basis of the canvass to
which | have alluded. spoke my mind
freely and fully before you on all these
subjects before the election, and gave
you pledge of my course, ifelec,ed as
one of your Representatives.
In consequence of the frank and
fearless avowal of my opinion upon
the great and leading question of the
day, viz: whether Congress can con-
sti,u,ionaIly, by legislative enactment,
resric, slavery in the territories be-
longing to the United States. l drew
down upon me torrent of abuse and
bilingsga'e, unexampled in the country
before. All the Fcderaliss, Free Soil.
crs and Aboliliohsts We'd with each
other in abuse and denuncia,ion of me
and my opinions. My motive was as.
sailed-my partyfdelity called in ques.
tioh, and even nay honesty and ntegri,
ly as citizen were denounced. was
alternately eoaxed and threatened, ,
and every means, fair and foul. resort
ed to by those who sought 10 trample
upon the living and fundamental prin-
ciples of our government, to force me
from the canvass or have me defeated
at the polls. Ia this important crisis
10 me, personally, and also to our com :
mon country, veniured to stand firm,
and battle for the constitution us it is,
and the equal rights of our fellow. .citi-
zens secured by its guarantees, restric.
lions and limitations. l felt an abid.
ing confidence in you. fellow citizens Of
Howard, with whom have resided
for more than thirty years. arrived
at manhood amongst you. My first
vote was cast in your county. My
course in all the various relations oi
life, religiously, morally, politically and
socially commenced here. In the dark
est and most dependent time of my
manhood you have sustained and up
held me-lhe mantle of your charity
has covered many of my faults, while
your kindness and generosity have
displayed my virtues, if any ever pos
sessed. Why ough. | not to have con
tidence in you.
The resul, showed that my conf
dence was not misplaeed-you nobly
sustained the doctrines of our fathers
and selected, by an overwhelming ma
jority, my colleague and myself a
your representatives to speak and vot
your will in the Legislature, on al
questions Involving your interests.
What were my pledges 10 you, ant
how have redeemed them? | deniet
that the Constitution of the Unilet
States conferred upon Congress an.
power or authority whatever te legs
late over the territories belonging l.
the Union, ia such manner as to re
stric. slavery in ;hem-such power i
no where TO be found in that instru
/; ment nor can il be inferred from an.
delegated power. The Constitution O
= the United States, which is the bond G
Union between the several States, tn
written charter of the liberties Of III
people in every Stale, was formed an
adopted by the representatives of tn
States; each State, of its own choic,
: entered into the Union on terms c
e perfect equality with each other, an
9 in the formation and adoption of III
h Constitution, certain powers wer
e delegated to the Federal Governmen
deemed necessary for its existence an
= efficiency, but expressly rsssrving a
= power not delegated or prohibited,
;. Inc States or the people, respsctivel,
It Ours is a government oflimited pow
d srs, specifically defined by write
1t Constitution. The rightful exercise c
. any power by the Federal Govern
!. ). ment mus, be within the limits Of lh
r Constitu,ion-why else was il wri
Ell tent Why were the powers not dell
J. gated expressly rsservedi The Walt
10 Of our Government consists in havir
% n written Constitution ar Chnrfsr Al