The southern press., 1852-07-13

and apprehension pervaded the whole extent of
the country. But with Gen. Pierce there was
no faltering he calmly faced the storm and
he stood firmly by the Constitutional rights of
the South. II cannot be uninteresting to refer
briefly to few of his votes, on some of the
most important aspects in which the subject was
presented On the 18th January 1885, 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, she would prefer to
meet the question in some form, which could by
no possibility be considered either equvocal or
| evasiye." ...@
During the same session, Mr.. Geo. w. Owens,
one of our own representatives offered the fol.
lowing resolutions:
aResolued That in the opinion of this House,
the question of the abolition of slavery III the
District of Columbia, ought not to be entertain
ed by Congress.
| "Resolred That in case any petition praying
the abolition Of slavery in the District OF Column
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 as the journal shows. During the ses
sion of 1856, MIR. Pinckney, OF South Caro-
| lima, moved to refer all petitions and papers
touching slavery to select committee, with in
structions to report against the power and ex-
pediency of legislation by Congress on the sub
iect. Gen. Pierce'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
81. That Congress had no constitutional au.
thority to interfere, in any way, with the Insti
tuition of slavery, in any of the States of this
confederacy.
80 That Congress ought not to interfere in
any way with slavery in the District of Colum-
| bia. " .r.
"3. 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" o@.-- ~. ":. ....#.:
Gen Pierce's name is recorded in the affirma-
| tive upon these resolutions. ......'.
| Later, in 1888, after he had been transferred
| to the Senate, he voted for the celebrated reso
luiions offered by Mr. Calhoun, in which he
expressed so clearly and with such mastery
| force, 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: ...
| /. ReSolred, That in the adoption of the fed.
eral Constitution, the States, adopting the same
acted severally, az free, independent and sover.
| eign States; ana that each foritsef, by it's own
voluntary assent, entered the Union with the
vi W to its increased security against all dan.
gers, domestic as well as reCn, and the more
perfect and secure enjoyu t of its advantages,
natural political and soci
2. Resolped, That in d egating portion of
their powers, to be exerci. I by the federal gov
ernmett the States retain L severaly, the excu
sive and sole right over iieir own domestic To-
situations and police to the ful extent to which
| those powers were not thus delegated, and are
alone responsible for them and that any inter
meddling of any one or more States, or com.
bnatiou of her citizens, with the domestic insi
fulions and police Of the others, on sny ground,
political, moral or religious, or under any pr.
text whatever, with the view to their a,ers ton
or subverson, is not warranted by the Constitu.
ton, tending to endanger the domestic peace
and tranquility of the S ates ntcrfered with,
subversive Of the objects for which the Consti
tuition was formed, and, by necessary consc
quence, tendin! to weaken and destroy the
| Union itself.
g. RESOLVED, That this government was insti
tuted by the several States Of this Union, as a
common agent, in order to carry into eff.ct the
powers which they had delegated by the Consti.
tnton, for their mutual security and prosperity;
and that, in fu'ilBent Of this high and sacred
trust, this government IL bound 50 10 exercise
its powers, not TO interfere with the stability
and security of the domestic institutions of the
States that compose the Union and that il j.
the solemn duty Of the government 10 resist, g.
the extent of its Constitutional power, all al.
tempts by one portion Of the Union % use IL a.
an instrument 10 attack the domestic institution,
Of another, or 10 weaken or destroy such inati
tutons.
| T. Rcsolred, That domestic slavery ~ Il exists
in the Southern and Western Sta'es Of this
| Union, composcs an importsnt part Of their do
nestle institutions, inherited from their ancestor
and exiting at the adoption Of the Constitution,
/ by which il is recognized ~ con tituting an ion
portant element in the apporiionment 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 IL, can justify them or their
citizens, in any open and systematic attsckS
thereon, with the view 10 it, 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 Uni)n, and "a such are manifest
breach Of faith and violation Of the most sol
emn obligations
5. RsSoiued, That the interference by the ciii
zens OF sny 1t the States, with the view 60 the
abolition of slaveryin this district, is endanperinp
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 10 The people Of the
slaveholding States, md have direct and inev
table tendency TO distract and endanger the
| Union.
| s. Resided, Thst any attempt Of Congress
to abolish slavery in any territory Of the United
States in which ]. exists, woull create serious
alarm, and just apprehension, in the State. sus.
tanning that domestic institution, would be n