Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-01-22
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
RIGHT OF TRANSIT BY OWNERS OF SLAVES.

The recent decision in the State of New York, by
which the slaves of citizen of Virginia emgratng
to Texas were liberated from his custody, is in ac-
cordance with other decisions previously made in
different States The contributions made in New
York and in Richmond to indemnify the owner are
the earnest evidence of public feeling (some public
feeling, at least) that the decision is unjust and
as have always regarded the previous cases de-
partures from law, am happy to find that the point
involved has at length caught hold of public atten
ton.
These decisions result from misapplication of
the common law as laid down in Somerset's case,
which has no application these States in of in
terna transit for the simple that these States are
nations The citations from Vatte and the reference
to rules Of international law, od have application to
the subjects of foreign States coming into the United
States and the slaves of such if brought hther would
be free y
The People of these United States people, acting
within their States just they act when eectng Pres
dent, have made Constitution which recognises the
existence Of slavery in all the States that see fit to adopt
it, and the people Of all the States that do not adopt are
bound to regard slavery lawful and slaves property
They have all agreed that slaves shall be represented in
Congress- and that the States represented shall
tribute to the public burdens in proportion representa-
ton Now, portion Of the people acting in single
State contravene what all the People have provided as
rule for all in the paramount law Can State prevent
the right Of transit through its borders by citizens of other
States Can any State limit this right impose
ditions it that tend to defeat destroy M 1t has
been often urged and is yet urged duty of the Fed
eral Government construct canal at the Falls of
Ohio the Indiana side suppose the work done and
citizen of Kentucky should take passage with his slave
of lie forM nd his
shall be carried through this canal is the slave emanc
pated because he passed through the State of Indiana
which does not permit slavery her citizens If
this be SO, il affords argument against internal i'm
provements by the Federal Government not yet urged
If State may thus destroy the right TO species of
property it may do to another species and have
seen it attempted recently in Northern State assert
that spirituous liquors incapable of ownership If
the relation Of master and may be disturbed
may that of parent and child. The rights of personal
property attend the person of the owner and in the eye
Of the law present with the person. In Govern
ment the right of transit from part of the Union to
another is the right of every citizen of every Government
pass and fro throughout the limits of his coun
try All local feter the right of transit or to
deprive traveller of his property, and all decisions of
judges that end repugnant to the constitution and
genius Of Government The decisions although sew
eral times repeated in different States, not law.
The present troubles Of Southern in regard to their
property and their rights from the false theories of
Government taught by their politicians from the days
of 1898 to the present time They have propagated the
peicous notion that these States soveregnties and
that may nuly the laws of all the rest and at
defiance the whole enacments of Congress If believed
they profess to believe that this Union Of the States
confederation of sovereignties and independent
powers would subscribe TO these decisions but know
ing that it was from the beginning Union of the People
the united consent of all that each part and each
person should be in all his rights, cannot sup
port any rule which tends to destroy the Union
to defeat the objects of the Union take away the
rights of its citizens.
Messrs Editors according TO the practice Of these de-
generate times every who acts writes, speaks,
must purge himself from the imputaton of selfish dho
nesty and accordingly say that have personal in
terest in slave property and had that reside in
the backwoods of Ohio whence beg subscribe myself
JANUARY 10 1853 COUNTRY LAWYER.