Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1854-07-31

, African slavery, whether righto wrong
wise or unwise, was at that time existing
in twelve of the thirteen States. The in
stituton was planted BY the British gov
ernmentin each of the thirteen colonies
without their consent3 and against thei
circumstances. The war of the revolution
converted the dependent colonies into in
dependent States, without changing or af
fecting the relations existing betwee tn,
master and slave. Slavery ceased to exis
in one Of the States, but still remained ii
all the others, Pennsyly ania included, al
the time the Constitution of the United
States was formed. With the few exec p
tons expressly provided for. in that nstru-
ment, it was the design of the Constitution
to recognize and protect whatever institu-
tons each State acting fet itself, had or
should establish or lega!ize. The people
OF each State We're left entirely free to
choose for themselves what kind of domes-
tic institutions they would have, and SO
soon and SO long as each State should thus
determine, it became the duty of the fed
eral government, under the Constitution, to
protect such institutions in tie several
States, as they should be found to exist
Fer instance, Pennsy lyania was a slave
holding State at the time cf the adoption
OF the CONSTITUTIONS, and remained so more
than a-quarter of century before the in
stitGiion ceased under the decree Of her
own people. So long as Pennsylvania con-
tihted to legaIize slavery by her own laws
| and constitution. the Constitution of the
United States recognized and protected the
institution of slavery within her limits, as
solemniy and imperatiyely as it now re-
cognizes and protects the prohibition which
Pennsy fyania has imposed on slavery With
in her own limits. The sane remark is
applicable to New Jersey. New York,
Connecticut, RhoGe Island, and New
Hampshire. Each of those States recog-
nized and protected slavery within their
limits at the time, and for long period
subsequent to the adoption of the federal
Constitution; and each of them has since
abolished and prohibited slavery without
the consent OF interference of Congress. So
No man denied the right OF each OF these
States, under the Constitution to retain the
institution OF slavery. SO long as they chose
to do so--no man denied their right to
abolish it at the time it was abolished in
each by voluntary action of Their own
people; and presume that no man will
now deny the right of each of these States
to Introduce slavery. provided their ow
people should deem it just and wise TO dc
SO by the modification OF their local con-
| sti,ution and laws.
1t being conceded, then, that the origi-
nal States, one and all, have the undoubt-
ed right. under the Constitution, to intro
duce or exclude slavery at pleasure, with
what reason eau it be contended that a
different rule may or should bA applied to
the new States. 1t hardly requires an az
gument to prove that each State this
Union must be equal in respect to its rights
and powers to every other State. The
States are sovereign and independent in all
things except where the Consultation OF
the United States has imposed limitations
Those limitations apply alike TO all the
States OF the Union, new and old, slave
holding and non-slayeholding. No other
Limitation upon the sovereignty Of State
can be imposed than those contained in the
Constitution none can be imposed by act
OF Congress, none by any branch of the
federal government. meme by any earthly
power. except the Constitution Of the v.
States. Entire aud perfect equality,
therefore, among all the States Of the Uni
on, in respect to their rights of legislation
and sovereignty, is cardinal and tunda
mental principle III our republican system.
Indeed the moment YOU impose upol, the
rights Of any one State limitation which
the Constitution has not enjoined upon all
the States, such State ceases to be STATE
,oithin the meaning. of the CoasfitMion.-
Such Limitation produces inier,ority where
the Constitution has provided for pe,fec,
equality. Under the clause OF the Con-
stitution, providing for tie admission o.
NEW States" as a general thing, Con
gress is invested with discretion to admit
or reject; but in. the event a new State i.
admitted into the Union, it must come IL
as State, with all the powers and rights
of State under the Constitution, aud on
an equal footing with tie original States
/ in all respects whatsoever. Therefore
whatever powers ale possessed BY anyson
lStatc-oid or new--in respect to slavery
may Of right, under the Constitution, bt
exercised BY each and every State. III
pursuance OF this sovereign right, which
is common to all the States, sixteen Of the
States of the Union have abolished or pro
hibited slavery. while The other fifteer
States have recognized and protected j
| within their limits. This great principle
was distinctly recognized and solcmnly
guaranteed in the compromise measures Q
1850. [Appsause.l -
The acts TOR the organization OF th'
Territories Of New Mexico and Utah
each contains the stipulation that whel
said "Territories or ahy part thereof shall
be admitted into the Union as States they
shall be received with or without slavery
as their cons,itutieh she'll prescribe at ths
THE af admission" The Nebraska bill
which has passed Congress at tins session
also carries out the same principle in th,
| precise language of the compromise mea
Isures Of 1850. which have just quoted
! [Great applause. e. s.s. las5
In 1920 Congress passed an act 70 al
thorize the people Of Missouri Territol.
to form constitution preparatory to thei
admission Into the Union as State. OIL
an equal footing with the original State
ia all respects whatsoever. The 9Th see
+ ton OF the act declared that slavery shosl'