Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1854-08-10

independent States'' That was the starting
point. Thirteen British colonies were on that day
converted into thirteen independent American Sta
tes. The language is clear and explicit The
causes which led 10 the separation, and the in
sructions which the several colonies gave to their
delegates in the Congress- prescribing the cond-
tions upon which the declaration Of independence
was to be made, clearly show why this emphatic
language was used The colonies did not, in the
first instance, demand independence. They
willing to acknowledge their allegiance 60 the Bri
tjsh crown, provided they were left free to manage
and regulate their own internal affairs and domJs
tic concerns in their own way. without the inter
fereuce - dictatOn Of the Imperial. Government.
They We're willing t. recognize the right cf Great
Britain to grant colonial charters like the organic
laws Of our Territorial Governments, by which the
people Of the colonies might make their own laws
thro their Representatives in their local legislatures,
but they so!emnly protested against the right of
the Imperial Parliament, in which they had no
representation, to make laws, affecting their per
! sons and property without their consent. Upon
this point the separation took place, and the Dee
laIati1u Of independence which you have just
heard read, declared the thirteen colonies 60 be
'sfree and Independent States."-But before the
Declaration was made the colonies gave ustruc-
tors to their delegates. prescribing the conditions,
upon which each would consent to such decl2ra-
ton. These instructions al prescribe the tCnca-
mental condition-that each colony shall have the
right to manage their internal affairs and domestic
concerns as r. Them shall seem meet and proper.
(la7rtv cbeel5)
Tho instructions " lich Pennsylvania gave to
her Delegates AS the condition upon which they
were TO vote fer the Declaration of Independence
contained this emphatic clause:
and ol,s;r3 ri,lt If rasl,lat;ne the Internal a,
3 ,-,+ -.I E. III, IF H., s,,,,a,, (CI,aars and
- \
The Constitution Of the United States was form
ei anl adopted by the poopic Of these thirteen
z;;rif- n I;li,,ct ma i,,rlr,a,.Ianr soyara;err,
p' - ft-,-.i+,,+;,,, So f,rn,al and mn
- ~ ~, ,o H. a,,7, St, ,,,,s left or+ire
~ - 60 a. .l - -, J,,,ast;r in
..:t,+:- =, -, ,,;+1, +1, ,,r,t f-7a,,,,,
+I vi,,,;,,rl ,f sIlf o,r7,T,,- .,es.g+e] in tbc
IIor,-, rt f,,ga7r,ge,r .,,l IN ,iD,l.,a ~,
~ ,,t;l an tr Llt4Is of f7,a !2tv,l.,-iaf, ,,a,a
G1.-grr-t : Irr1ta-,scN
~ rl.,,.r,- Ia l., +J,e 81, ,r;t;-,,ists tlo+
"a ~ u1il.s - - :'l ::
, C'- ''''0i -
SLfe.y M '.''.I-L ',t '.l !. .''1 i,' -;
rose oi 2. .|o ''9L,i' ~ - e. :. ::
sitNtfF, aAd 81 ef..4'''."S rI" ~ 'N =
"--eie IL -" ''',I" - 49,. 80. " ~ -
'.i ~ 49, ,g++,t;
-. = - e ~ So, -, i 80 ,.l.,.t.7
A. A. 49, IF ~, al-,ti,,, Of Tho C.,,s+i+i,tir,,
- - -. -, - 10, - rI;el = W. rr
,rl 80 49, -.l:- st5tas Is il ra.r,,na7i l.
a. o277ef ,,y r., ,~esT-rTo an oero assertion and
yri+lo,,f evidence +bat t7as9 twelve sIaveboIling
sfates devised and ratified the Constitution with
the views of 6asfrovin domestic. institution
q-1iel r-as ir,4er,lzs, with tI-air whole SOC,
s4far,. and e,-r-eszI,- reaoeenizeI rs one Of the
Isrosta oloT1prts f ,,,ricsl rayycr in the f-le-
ri r.rrasei7tation Why that clause IN tle fc,le-
,oI ,r,-i,licy for tle surrender Of f
airiyes from service if it was the object Of that
i,strli11ent 10 abolish slavery and release the sIa-
YES from BONDAGE? The pretensions of the abo-
Etiorfsts in this rasoect are rendered prepOsteros
nv +e terms Of the Constitution itself The idea
of either os+abIisIiao or rabolisbinc-extendinq or
crclrrosaTilno slavery by the Constitution of the
limited States or bv the action Of the federal co
y-arnrrat never entered the brain Of the trainers
of tI,s Co7,etittr+inn African slavery whether
It or WRONG ,ysa or unv-ise was at that time
ax;sti-,, in twelve f the thirteen States The in
stit,,+iT,- was ,lartad bv the British government
:: - r+T +Iirtaa,, colo,,;es without tIzir con
-s,,,+ and ar,inst their remonstrapces. The war
r tba revolution converted the dcpendcnt colonies
in+o iT5enon,Ien+ States. without Changing or af-
cc,;r II 7olatf ms o,istino between the master
ar5 sIavc slavery ceased to exist in one of the
S+,+es INT still remained IN all the Others Penn
s,1,-,,ia i4l,da nj the time the Constitution Of
Sc TTrf+aJ S:+s+as WIS formed
yvitb 4t,a few ev,erti,rs expressly provided for
in tlaf i,strI,yr7ent # was the Tesrn of the Con
-? - - -, ,,,J r,rtact ,t5,atever iY,sti
,, c+,+s at fr itsaIf had or sbould
estaI,lish or IeraIize. The people of each State
- If o-,+;,oI,- fraa to cbooie for Themselves
- I-i,,d ~ Sor,,sti, institutions thev would
- ard q, s,,, and g, Ioro, as each State shouid
Tins deterrnipe il become the duty of the Federal
grovernr1oI1t under the Constitution. to protect
s,cb institutions in the several States as they
should me- found to exist For instance. Pennsvl-
,-aoia was slavebolding State at the time of the
a7lo,,tion of the Constitution and remained so
more than a quarter of a century before the insti-
tr7tion closed rnder the decree of her own people.
So long as Pennsylvania continued to legaiize