The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-07-13

Council was Yesterday appointed 70 wait upon the
result OF the interview Is not known.
Much excitement exists In mercantile circles; in
deed, among the public generally, at the deprecia-
ton OF the island paper currency, or as 1t Is called
the Legislature, TO meet liabilities occasioned by
the lapse of the revenue bills and are now at five
/ per cent discount. The new responsible govern
neni bill, which has not yet received her Majestys
sanction, contempates the raising OF loan out Of
/ which these checks are to be redeemed. 1t is at
least probable that the loan (f5o 000) will be OBJ
tainnei in due course, as i was partly promised us
| hy The Duke Of Newcastle Notwithstanding this,
however there is great want Of confidence in the
| island paper.
Mining operations still continue. In some districts
! they are going with increased energy.
The raging Of the fearful pestilence, however,
throws gloom over the entire island.
| There is perfect exodus going on here to Navy
| Bay Many thousand laborers have left within the
last few weeks. This, added to the ravsges Of the
cholera. must greatly press upon, our labor market
and materially retard all agricultural operations.
THE COLONIAL VIEW OF AMERICAN SLA.
VERY AND THE KANSASNEBRASKAQ CUES
From the Kingston Journal June GIL
To persons born out of the United States. who
have not given any serious attention to the subject
Of slavery 1t exists in that country, perhaps It Is
not generally known that according to the language
of the constitution, slavery not recognized
| federal institution The reason why we have en-
ployed the past tense, and tacised the words "was
not. will he developed in the course Of this article
At the period OF the disruption OF the thirteen Ame
rican colonies which formed the original States Of
the newborn republic from the British empire,
eral OF those colonies recognized slavery az legal
institution, while the rest utterly repudated the
right OF nan to hold his felowmah in bondage aud
claim him as chatte in settling the constitution
Of the new Sta ties, difficulty was experienced
IN the amalgamati0n Of such discorlant elements.
The hee States would not consent To ignore the
principle for which they had fought aud prevailed
the right Of all men to be free; and the slave States
were unwilling to surrender to that principle the
immense profits dervabe from converting into
marketable commodity the bodies and souls of hn-
man beings equity Of a skin not colored like their
own" But, as 1t was absolutely necessary for the
purposes Of selfpreservaticn and mutual protection
that union should be made between the thirteen
States, ether bond or free, compromise was en-
tered into by which those States which legalized ss
very should be free to continue abolish the odious
institution az they nigh. think fit, while those States
which boosted of universal freedom were not con-
strained to violate the conscicnces their citizens by
being consentiDg parties to iniquity which they
protested to abhor. In word. 1t was enacted that
each state should possess the power within itself Of
determining whether slavery should or should not
be part and parcel Of their laws. Aud although
one clause Of the Constitution provides for tho
citiOn of persons owing service to others, who shall
escape from one State TO another, the word slave
is carefully and purposely avoided This was done
through the interference of Madison, who objected
to the offensive term, which appears to have been
and this objection WAS explained by Madison to be
on the ground that the scrupulous statesman did
not like slavery TO be recognized as an organic law
Of his country. That the term, persons owing
SERVICE" OF "bed to servitude'-for We do not re.
collect which is the exact phraseology, although
both equally convey the meaning-was not inter.
greted to mean slaves Is evident from the fact Of
remain unmolested in their new location, and that
in order to legalise the rendition of such persons
It was deemed necessary to pass the Fugitive Slave
IN fhn uaain fvnffh iu 0tr
cious law, slavery was not an organic law of the +
United States, and was not recognized as a legal !
institution by the federal government, but was !
left to each particular State to sanction it not
as it might think fit. Accordingly, we find that
several States, between the settlement Of the
constitution and the present day, have, from
latures, and without any appeal to Congress, abol
ished slavery in the manner which they themselves
have thought fit and proper. Nor has Congress ever
attempted to interfere with either OF the States so
berating the slaves, as indeed, it could not legally
90 so. Slavery was, them emphatically legal in
stitution in the several states in which it prevailed
II Is, however, so no longer; but may cow be con-
si6crod as matter in which Congress may consti.
tionally egislate In point OF fact the constitution
OF the United States has undergone alteration in
this particular. The iilst indication ofthis change
was the passing Of the Fugitive Slave law, by which
the Northern States were honored by being appoint
ed the catchroics and bum bailis of those of the
South, and which authorized officers Of the United
States to enter any Particular state, and apprehend
shy individual who !nsy be sworn to, no matter how
falsely as fugitive slave, while these officers may
legally claim the assistance OF the officers and citi
gems If the State whose soil is thus violated to aid
In The capture Of the runaway, no matter how repug
! ant the people Of that state may he to slavery.
The change hos now been made greater by the
passing of the Nebraska bill, by which act Congre
has not only virtually repealed the Missouri compro-
mise, by which slavery was forever excluded from
territories north OF tie 30th parallel of north lati
tude, but the newly erected Territories are in con-.
travention OF the original constitution of the re
public deprived Of al choice, whether they shall
shall not admit slavery part and parcel Of their
institutions. Slavery Is. in fact, thrust upon Ne
biaska and Kansas, by the authority OF Congress
and the local Legislatures OF these two Territories
when they shall have been formed, will have no say
in the matter-they arc powerless - anIul the de-
cree which has gone forth, however earnestly they
may desire to do so. Il would be but very little
stretch of authority FOR Congress to pass act lc
CALLING slavery throughout the American Union
thus taking the matter out Of the hands OF the State
Legislatures But as the last feather added to the
load broke the camels back, such an act would
raise, such storm OF indignation throughout the
North would lead % the disruption Of the Union
which is the strength OF the North American States
and, in the absence OF moral principle, We must sup
pose the southerDcIs have sufficiently wholesome
dreao OF the consequences Of such event to keep
them from making further aggressions the rights
OF the North. The. recent occurrences in Boston
ard elsewhere, where the capture OF fugitive slaves
has been resisted to the etrson OF blood, pretty
clear indications that NoTtherners win not permit
their rights 10 be violated beyond certain point.
The thin end OF the Wedge which has tended to
sunder the North from the South in some degree
was inserted into the constitution when the Fugi.
tive Slave law was passed. Inc Nebraska bill is a
heavy blow on the thick end. driving il In still
deeper, and widening the fssure. The Southerners
must be careful how they apply another blow, if
they do Lot desire the Union 10 he entirely broken
and the North completely severed from the South.
There arc many ways Of ciecting this besides the
legalizng Of slavery throughout the Union. One of
these is the present coulse Congress seems deter
MINED TO pursue relative 10 the annexation Of
Cuba. Already has Mr. Slidels resolution emf
towering the President Of the republic 10 suspend
The neutrality laws, arc declare war on his own au-
lhoIity, during The recess passed the Senate. We
have received intmaiicn Of is having passed the
House of Representatives: hGt there is little doubt
that il will II il hes not passed that body AREA ~.
This IL. indeed. rl0ical clange In the Constitution.