Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-06-28

tor according to the dictates of their con-
sciences, of enjoying and defending life and
hbeytv Of acquiring and protecting reputation
and propertyb @The PEOPLE shall DO secure
in their PERSONS, houses, papers, and posses
sions, from all unreasonable searches ana sEiz-
uREso "No attainder shall work corruption
Of blood, nor, except during the lie OF the o.
fender, forfeiture of EsTATE"*
MARYLAND" All government, OF rlght, OIL
ginates from THE PEOPLE, Is founded 10 com,
pact only, and instituted solely for the good OF
THE WHOLE "The INHABITANTS OF Mary
land are entitled to the COMMON LAW or ENG
LAND"
"Entitled,o consequently to protection from
Slavery.
aThe right, in the PEOPLE, to participate IN
the Legislature ID the best security OF liberty
and the foundation Of all free government"
every MAN has a right to petition the Legis-
latureo &c.
"That ,aonopolies are odous, contrary to the
spirit of free Government, and ought moi 10 be
suffered
This Constitution was framed in August,
1916 and reenacts the Declaration OF indie
pendence, proclaimed few weeks previous.
NORTH CAROLINA 49," Declaration of Rights"
That all political power ID Vested IN and de-
rived from the PEOPLE oNLYn aThat no man
rate emoluments or privileges from the commu-
nifty, but in consideration of public services
That freedom OF the press is one of the great
bulwarks Of liberty, and therefore ought never
to be restrained That ALL MEN have n
natural and unalienablc right to worship
Almighty God according to the dictates Of
their own conscenceso That frequent re-
currence to fundamental principles is absolute
ly necessary to preserve THE BLESSINGS OF
LIBERTY" "That perpetuitaes and nl0nOpoiits
are contrary to the genius Of FREE STATE,
and OUGHT NOT TO BE ALLOWED"
Plainly implying that North Carolina is to
be regarded free State" The Constitution
contains no establishment or recognition OF
Slavery, and confers no authority on the Legis-
lature to establish it. On tho contrary, it ex-
plicitly declares TART. 44) "That the Declara-
ton Of Rights is hereby declared to be part
Of the Consultation OF this State, and ought
never to be violated, on any pretence aohatever."
How, then, can there be any legal validity in
those remarkably rigid statutes of North Car
DINA, by which not only "monopolies and
"perpetuities are guarded, but rights of con-
science violated, slaves forbidden to read the
Bible, and all cOlOred men, bond or free, for
hidden to preach the Gospel?
VIRGINIA." AL men are by nature equally
free and independent, and have certain inhe
rent rights ." namely, the enjoyment Of life
and liberty, with the means of acquiring and
possessing property, and pursuing and obtain
ing happiness and safety"
So much for the Constitutions of four of the
original States still retaining Slavery. In three
of them, the terms employed are quite as full
and emphatic against Slavery as in the Consti-
tuition of Massachusetts Ia the other, they
are scarcely less 90 Let rls now look at the
&c oc 4 a alo,o Ckato
TENNESSEE -" Declaration of Rights -
That all power is inherent IN THE PEG
PIE, and all FREE Governments are founded
on their authority, and instituted for their
peace, safety, and happiness; for the advance
ment of these ends they have, AT ALL TIMES,
an inalienable and indefeasble right to alter,
REFORM, or ABOLISH, the Government they
live under, IN SUCH MANNER as they may think
proper"
includes, Of course, the rights Of the people
of color bond and free Rather incend-
ary" But read further:
GALL MIN have n natural and indcfeasible
right to worship Almighty God according to
the dictates of their own consciencss.o "That
the PEOPLE shall be secure in their PER-
SONS houses, papers, and possessions, from
unreasonable searches and SEIZURES" That
perpetuities and monoPoLeS are contrary to the
genius of free State, and ought not 10 be al,
loioed,n &C., SO.
If Slavery can be Lgaiised under Constitu-
tions like these the utility of Constitutions,
q means of restricting the despotism of legsla
ton and securing freedom, might ~ well be
abandoned first as last Constitutional Gov
ernments in such a case, become farce.
do not say that all the Constitutions OF
slave States compare with these. But do say
that Slavery cannot legally exist under such
State Constitutions. Some of the States have
changed their Constitutions since l7S9 But
challenge the proof that, at that period, there
was single State whose Constitution author
lied the Legislature to establish Slavery.
WILLIAM GooDELL.
This Constitution Of Delaware was adopted in
1891 after the adoption Of the Federal Constitution.
and after the Judicial decision in Massachusetts, de
claring Slavery inconsistent with Constitution Of
clx oharu