The daily union., 1854-03-03


property belonging 10 the United Sa,esa II you do. you
have the right to exclude from carrying my wife and
children into said Territories II you. under The power
10 make all needful rules and regulations respecting The
Territory. claim prohibit from carrying my servant
or slave II you please you do il under an implied power
and you have the right 10 extend that implication SO as
TO embrace the right to exclude the wife OF my bosom
the exercise OF which relentless majority may carry
into effect whenever their interest their passions may
dictate II is not incumbent 10 say show that
The States have prohibited the general government from
the exercise OF a power disastrous and unjust TO
large portion of this republic demand OF you 10 vim
dieate your exercise oil the power. by the authority un
der which you do H. II il is not expressly stipulated
the bond, you imply the right, and thereby make the
constitution OF your country engine OF oppression n
stead OF a covenant OF protection. | am arguing this
question if II for the first time presented 10 the
American public without regard 10 the opinions OF the
fathers the action of The government: II either or both
have been inconsistent with the letter spirit OF the
constitution il is mol 100 late 10 shape The action OF
the government on this great question as to correct
their | appeal, thea. TO you rs one learned In
the history and the constitutional law OF your coun
try TO say whether there is any express grant in the
constitution which would authorize Congress TO say
TO one section OF this republic, you may 60 into the Ter
riioes with your herds and your ocks, your man ser
wants and your maid servants, your wives and your c
den but TO the other because you call your
me refresh your recollection with the opinions OF per-
haps Of your greatest staesmenl aude 10 the elder
Adams From. Mr.. Jetierson's notes OF Debate on Con-
federation /" Mr.. John Adams observed that the
bers of people taken by this article index OF the
wealth OF The State and not as subjects OF taxation that
10 this matter was of no consequence by what name
you called your people, whether by that OF reemen
of slaves that in some countries the aborng poor
called freemen, in others they called slaves but
that the difference TO the state was imaginary only
What matters it whether landlord, employing ten labor
ers on his farm, gives them annually much money
will buy them the necessares of life, gives them these
necessares at short hands" You will perceive, then,
that use the terms servants and slaves indicating
difference the state imaginary only" not in any
offensive sense, but upon high authority.
appeal to you, statesman, if express power is
given to exclude the South from equal participation
the Territories, point TO the authority upon which this
right has been exercised and It's continuance sought
to be indicated If, then, express grant can be
shown submit to you whether the implication of such
right on the part of the federal government ia nconsist
ent with the principles for which con,ended
in the revolution, and out of which this government
sprung! Where was the wisdom to resist British usur
patton and British tyranny, if it resulted in the establish
men OF government, to which the right gven according
10 the construction OF fanatics TO do that which we de-
MED to the parent government Is in accordance with
the wisdom which framed the federal constitution that
government in the States, imposing other restriction
than they should be republican, and yet when the same
citizens immgate to Territories, the joint property of ALL
they are communicated from right which the gene
raj government formed TO protect, and which the
States are prohibited from infringing In every State in
this Union the people have right to determine for
themselves their institutions and their laws; and yet,
when they go into the Territories, which belong to
the mjointly they debaned this right by govern
men instituted and created by the very States and
people in order establish Justice insure domestic tran.
quillity provide for the common defence promote the
general welfare, and the blessings OF liberty to
ourselves and posery You cannot escape the force
of this conclusion by the oftrepeaed declaration that the
constitution does recognise slavery property
do believe you would insist upon any such faacous
assertion You have authority expressly granted to
restrict me D the exercise of right involving the very
root from which derived all the blessings OF civil lib
ery Under the grant, you have no authority TO imply
power Of any kind, much less the exercise OF which
oyeruns and destroys the object for which the govern
men itself created viz protection in The rights OF
person and properly IT, then. the trainers Of the fed
eal constitution refrained from Incorporating into the
grant an express power, permitting directing the gen.
eral government 10 exclude slavery from the Terrific
ries where is the wisdom in permitting the exercise
of such an important right 10 be implied7 Is il no,
doing violence TO their intention and their sagacy TO
nsis, upon any such construction IT, too, the exercise
OF such power WIN fepugnaDt
TO the principles for the establishment of which we
went 10 war with the mother country, and finally
ceeded in obtaining acknowledgment by her of our
independence do you not violate the sancy of an hon.
EST Interpretation by claiming il Besides, if all section
asm in the federal constitution is studiously avoided
and the grea, fundamental doctrine OF perfect equality OF
rights among the States recognised and established do
you no, wound the spirit Of that sacred instrument by
laying hold OF right power, by the employment, of
which you generate the and utterly destroy the otber
Before concluding this part OF my communications and
appcable TO the absence OF seconalism in the federal
constitution, permit TO refer you TO the spirit which
aotuaed our loefahers in the settlement, OF this slavery
question: and invoke, il possible, the same spirit for
precpitae this country into all the horrors OF raerna
dscord In vol /, page $685. of Eotts Debates Fed
eral Constitution, you will find this historical fact
was moved and seconded TO agree TO the following
propositon TO be inserted after the fifteenth article
f any person be bound 10 service labor in any oil
the United Sta,es shall escape into another State he OF
she shall not be discharged from such service or labor in
of any regulations subsstng in the State to
which they escape but shal be delivered up to the per-
son Justly claiming their or labor y" which passed
.nsninousy in the Affirmative
This is literal record with the exception OF the Ifa
eism have given the word unanimously This have
done 10 point as commentary upon the action OF their
descendants Your ancestors, actually and unani
uoousiu give up a right, under their State govern
1 ment in order TO avoid sectionasm and create har-
mopy and good feeling among the members, which theii
descendants claim they vested in government OF tbei
own creation, around which they supposed they had