The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-07-13

the cOnOtSy. Bus With Zen. Pierce there was
no ALTERING; he calmly faced the storm and
he stood firmly BY the Constitutional rights Of
the South. II cannot be uninterestinR 10 refer
briefly to few Of his votes, on some Of the
most important aspects in which The subject was
presented. On the 18th January, 1895, Jackson,
Of Massachusetts,, presented petition to abolish
slavery in the District Of Columbia. General
Pierce voted to lay it on the table, and during
the debate thereon. he said, "he would prefer to
meet the question 10 some form. which could by
no possibility be considered either eqnivocal or
evssiye.".
During the same session. MI. Geo. w. Owens,
one OF our own representatives, offered the fol-
lowing resolutions:
"Resolped, That in the opinion of this House,
the question of the abolition of slavery ia tho
District of ColumbiH, ought not to be enter tain.
ed by Congress.
"Resolred, That in case any petition praying
the abolition of slavery in the District Of Coium
bia, be hereafter presented it is the deliberate
opinion Of this house, the same ought to be laid
on the table without reading"
General Pierce was in favor of these resOlu.
tons "a the journal shows During tho ses
sion Of 1856, Dir. Pinckney, of South Caro-
lima, moved to refer all petitions and papers
touching slavery to a select committee, with in
structions to report against the power and ex.
pediency Of Legislation BY Congress on the SUBJ
ject Gen. Piercs's name is recorded on the
journal, on the Southern side of the question
in every phase in which it was presented. The
motion thus to refer was finally adopted and
through Mr.. Pinkney, their chairman, the select
committee reported:
II. That Congress had no constitutional au.
thorty to interfere, in any way. with the insti-
tuition of slavery, in any Of the States Of this
confederacy.
"2. That Congress- ought not to interfere in
any way with slavery in the District of Colum.
bis.
80. That all petitions, memorials, resolutions,
propositions or papers relating in any way, or
to any extent whatever to the subject of slavery,
or the abolition of slavery, without being either
printed or referred, be laid upon the table, and
that no further action whatever shall be had
thereon"
Gen. Pierce's name ia recorded in the affirma
tive upon these resolutions.
Later, in 1898, after he had been transferred
to the Senate, he voted for the celebrated rcso
lutions offered by Mr. Calhoun, in which he
expressed so clearly and with such mastery
torce the respective powers Of the federal and
State governments, under the Constitution Of
the United States. AS they are decisive Of the
opinions of General Pierce, it is important that
they should be seen and read by the people
throughout the country. As they passed the
Senate, they are as follows
l. Resolred That in the adoption of the fed.
eral Constitution, the States, adopting the same,
acted seversly, as free, independent and sover
eign States; and that each for itself, by its own
voluntary assent, entered the Union with the
view to its increased security against all dan
gers, domestic as well as foreign, and the more
perfect and secure enjoyment Of its advantages,
natural. political and social
2. RESOLVED. That in delegating portion of
their powers, to be exercised by the federal gov.
eminent, the States retained severally, the exclu
sve and sole right over their own domestic in
and police to the full extent to which
shose powers were not thus delegated, and are
alone responsible for them and that any inter
meddllng OF any one or more States or com.
bination of her citizens, with the domestic insti
'uions and police of the others, on any ground,
political, moral or religious, or under any pre-.
text whatever, with the view to their alteration
or subversion, is not warranted BY the Consttu-
ton, tending to endanger the domestic peace
and tranquility Of the s ates interfered with,
subversive OF the objects for which the Consti
tuition was formed, and by necessary conse-
quence, tending to weaken aud destroy the
Union itself.
3. Resolued, That this government was insti.
tuted by the several States OF this Union as
common agent, in order to carry into effect the
powers which they had delegated by the Consti-
tuition, for their mutual security and prosperity;
and that, in fulfnent of this high and sacred
trust, this government is bound 30 to exercise
its powers, not to interfere with the stability
and security of the domestic institutions of the
States that compose the Union and that it is
the solemn duty Of the government to resist, to
the extent of its constitutional power, all at
tempts by one portion of the Union to use it a.
an instrument to attack the domestic institutions
of another, or to weaken or destroy such insti.
tutions.
4. ResoIred, That domestic slavery as it exists
in the Southern and Western States of this
Union, composes an important part of their do
mestic institutions, inherited from their ancestor.
and existing at the adoption of the Constitution,
by which it is recognized as constituting an i'm
portant element in the apportionment Of powers
among the States, and that no change of opinion
or feeling on the part of the other States Of the
Union, in relation to it, can justify them or their
citizens, in any open and systematic attack.
thereon, with the view to its overthrow, and that
all such attacks are in manifest violation Of the
mutual and solemn pledge to protect and defend
each other, given by the States respectfully on
entering into the Constitutional compact which
formed the Union, and as such are manifest
breach of faith and violation of the most sol
emn obligations
5. Resoiped, That the interference by the citi
zens of any of the States, with the view to the
abolition of slavery in this district is endangerng
the rights and security of the people of this dis
trict; and that any act or measure of Congress
designed to abolish slavery in this district,
would be violation of the faith implied in the
cessions by the States of Virginia and Mary.
land, just cause of alarm to the people of the
slaveholding States, and have direct and inev
table tendency to distract and endanger the
Union.
g. Resolped That any attempt of Congress-
to abolish slavery in any territory Of the United
States in which it exists, would create serious
alarm, and Just apprehension, in the States aus
tanning that domestic institution, would be
violation Of good faith towards the inhabi
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