Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-02-15


ny, and grossly libels their character. They
secured by the Federal Constitution power
for Congress, to abolish the slave trafhc, which
il had never before possessed; and that this
power could not be exercised till the year
1908 was the result of circumstances which
they could not control, and proves nothing
against the truth Of the declaration of the Ad-
dress, that their original policy was to secure
freedom to every person "outside of State linn
its and within the exclusive jurisdiction Of the
Federal Government
Be it remembered here, that slaves imported
into the State, prior to the year 1908, were not
"vithin the ereiuaye jurisdiction Of the Fsde-
raj Governmsnt')
The Sentinel follows up its fallacious state
ment, with an assertion, which we arc glad to
zoe made SO boldly, as follows:
And now, if cargo Of these chattels
be shipped at port within State limits and
the floating territory upon which they stand
moves to the ocean, outside OF State limits
and bearing the flag the evidence Of the ex-
elusive jurisdiction Of the General Govern
ment, they continue chattels, solely and eI.
ci1siUely by virtue of that very exclusive
jurisdiction Of the General Government which
this Free Soil party alleges secures freedom
emphatically. In both the former cases. it is
the exclusive jurisdiction Of the General Gov
eminent alone, which secures Slavery ON board
this floating territory
Mark-the Sentinel speaks Of slaves as if
they were named and treated in the Federal
Constitution as chattels, or subjects of mer-
chandise. He has no authority for this. Slaves
are never mentioned or regarded in the Con-
stitution as property. No provision in relation
to them implies that they are property. There
is not word in that instrument which can be
tortured into giving countenance to such an
idea. If there be, produce it. Give US the ar
tcle, the section, the clause. Stop your decla-
nation and submit the proof Of your assump-
ton. Repeatedly have the pro-slavery men
been challenged on this point, but never have
they responded. We defy the Sentinel to quote
q single clause of the Federal Constitution au-
thorizing it to regard or name slaves as chat
tells or property, when discussing their rela-
tions to the Federal Government
But, let us examine its bold averment. It is,
that aslavos shipped at port within State
limits" and carried in an American vessel out
upon the ocean, outside Of State limits are
not held as chattels in virtus Of any State laaO,
but only "in pirtue Of the srelusiue jurisdiction
of the General Governmentn
We thank the Sentinel for the important ad-
mission it makes. 1t involves principle, fun
damental in the creed Of independent Democ-
racy-a principle of Natural Law, recognised
and respected in the Constitution of the United
States. That Principle is, that Slavery, being
against Natural Right, exists only as the crea-
ture of force, embodied in or recognised by
positive statute, which has no operation beyond
the Jurisdiction Of the Legislature enacting it.
On this Principle slave escaping from one
sovereign nation into another, is exempt from
reclamation. An attempt to seize him and
carry him back to the place whence he fed,
would be not only an outrage on his right but
an affront to the sovereignty Of the nation in
which he has found refuge.
On this Principle slave escaping from Vir-
ginis into New York would be secure against
reclamation and seizure, but for . positive stip
ulation in the Federal Constitution in relation
to fugitives from service or labor On this Prin-
ciplc, slave carried by his master from Ken
lucky into Ohio, or permitted by him to 60 there,
cannot be reclaimed or seized as slave, the
said stipulation being confined expressly to per-
sons escaping from service in one State into
L. wkc~n
and not embracing persons held to service in
one State, ind placed by the voluntary act Of
their masters in another On this Principle,
slaves shipped at Norfolk, Virginia. oarriedin an
American vessel, on the ocean, outside of State
limits, by the voluntary act Of their masters
cease TO be slaves because as the Sentinel ad-
mits, State jurisdiction does not extend beyond
State limits-the laws Of Virginia have no ex-
ira territorial force
But at this point, the Sentinel meets US with
the assertion, that such slaves, the moment
they are carried "outside of State limits,n arc
held as "chattels," in virtue of the exclusive
Jurisdiction Of the General Government--ait is
the exclusive jurisdiction Of the Federal Gov
eminent alone which secures Slavery on board
this floating territory
Has the Sentinel analysed the bearings OF
this assumption Is it willing to abide by its
consequences admitting for the sake of argu.
ment that il is true? II it be true, what be-
comes Of the Senfinsps favorite policy Of Non
Intervention by Congress in relation to Slave.
ry? The General Government is a savehold-
er--the People Of the United States, whose
agent it is, are shareholders The General
Government and the People Of the free States
are habitually guilty Of Intervention in regard
to Slavery, which the Sentinel and its pro-Sla-
very associates insist should be entirely with
drawn from Federal action! This is not all.
IL the General Government can intervene in
behalf Of Slavery, 1t can intervene against it,
If Intervention by the General Government
alone secures Slavery on board Of American