Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-04-24
COM MUNICATIONS
For the National Era.
THE NEBRASKA BILL-N0. 2.
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IcoEcLupKD.l
To all persons acquainted with the principles
Of law, and the relation between the United
States and the several States, il would be inn
pertinent to do more than state this argument,
to annihilate 1t. For others, il is necessary to
enter into some explanations.
The arsenals1 dock yards, forts &c, are, Tor
the most part, within the StGies,- and IN order
that the United States may have that control
over them which is necessary to their order,
security, and efficiency, the several States where
they are situated have, at the request of the
United States, ceded TO them the jurisdiction
over the areas which those establishments oc-
cupy, reseryng always to themselves the rights
>of sovereignty 30 far rs to send civil officers,
and, If necessary military force, within them,
and into all buildings within them, to serve
,.writs, warrants, or summons, IN any civil or
: criminal cause
Without this ressrvation--in other words
this limitation Of the sovereignty of the United
States over these sp0ts--there is no probability
that these cessions would ever have been made;
and the specific purpose Of the provision, limit
ing the legislation Of the United States over
them, was to cause this reservation to be re-
spected.
Conceding, then, to Mr.. Cass the question
which he begs as to the parity Of territories,
0Ibou6I6 VI,
vision touching the latter, 80 far from showing
that the general provision touching the former
ia limited to the care and disposition a the ter
rt0ries as property, and does not reach per
sons shOus precisely The revcrSe. The general
provision contained 30 obviously "a tire unlimit
ed power Of Legislation" that it was necessary
to restrain it in regard to u part Of that which
came within its pnrview, or it would have
swept the reservations Of the States But it was
no, limited in respect to the other and greatest
part of it's subjeot-the territories where no
State jurisdictions and of course no State res
ervations could exist; therefore it remained,
and NOW is within the territories an 9 nnlim-
tied power of legislation" not only over prop
erty of the United States, but also over all
property, and all persons, and all their rela-
ti0ns, save that to God--in other words, full
and complete sovereignty and supreme domin
ion.
The Constitution itself would supply this
principle Of Interpretation, if it were not de.
rived from higher source, anterior to C0nstl-
tntions For example, it gives power " to regu-
late commerce. land by the by was the
word iaw acarefulIy excluded" here p but it
was no plain that this provision contained
the power to suppress the commerce an human
flesh, that South Carolina and Georgia, the
States which desired its continuance, demand
ed and obtained a special provision, 30 limiting
the general one that it could not take effect
the slaue trade until after tloenty gears. Pre-
cisely mt the expiration of that term, an act u
Congress- prepared and passed in anticipation
of the event, Ia year before it happened) took
effect and executed that power Of abolishing
the slave trade, which was 30 clearly contained
ID the general power /" TO regulate commerce."
So, il the several States were to repeal their
respective reservations Of jurisdiction over ar
senals, 60, then would the unlimited power
of Liquidation over them also attach to the
United States.
There Is another view Of this subject as fatal
to Mr. Cass's reasoning as the preceding. AL
though the United States have not complete
sovereignty over the areas occupied by their
arsenals, dock yards, lighthouses, iorts, hospi-
tab, So, within the States, yet they do possess
y entire, except that modicum Of it which the
Sfatns -haxn raueU The reservation, ~ we
have seen, is coniI6<(l 20 the right Of pursuing
and srresting criminals and 4dsssssy5 seeking
an asylum or residing within those establish
msnts, a0d sending summons there.
Now, does that cesion Of sovereignty by the
separate States, which leaves in their hands
only the residuum above described, include no
power to legislate over persons and their rela-
tionsi II not, who in the world has power to
lcgislafe over persons in those places The
States havo ccded il. What has become of it
Has il persisted, or has it gone to some party
10 whom il was not ceded? think a commit.
tee Of the Senate had better be appointed to
70, during the next recess Of Congress- in search
Of it. Ii would be good treasury job. need
not say who ought TO be chairman. Mean
time il would be well to advertise it in the
slsve-treasury presses. That would enlarge
the job.
Seriously, can any sane man doubt tAat the
People OF the United States can say by their
Congress, that slaves shall not be employed
nor held within thete national establishments?
Does any sane man suppose, that if an officer
or agent Of the United States should bring his
rlaves into tho navy yards at Brooklyn or
Charlestown, or into the arsenal ut Springfield
there would not be hue and cry which would
compel Congress by return of mail, to legis-
late them out The interests Of free labor,
and PR judics against the yictims who are en-
titled to ouT tenderest sympathy, would do this,
probably without much aid from principle.
cannot see that officers Of the United States
have not as 60 a q right TO bold slaves in navy
yards and arsensls North, as they have in the
Same establishments South, and 70 set them TO
work in the employment Of the People Of tho
United States, and to como to the People with
their bills and get their pay. Il Is aaid TO he
very nice speculation Mt Norfolk, Psasocofa,
and Mmphis, and probably in those wretched
and superanous Southern minis also. Oar OF
hcsrs and agents, in these cases, can have the
benefit Of slaves for ther domestic and body
service, and at the same time, have them at
board and wages in the service, real or nomi-
nal of the People Of the United States, and
for ought know, get army or naval pay and
rations for such servants into the bargain.
WIN should Virginia Florida Tenneaaee and
other Southern sisters monopolize this snug lit
tie businessi
Well, then even with the illegitimate yoking
Of territories arsenals So, Mr.. Cass is not
saved For, II the People Of the United States
have only 80 much power over persons in the
Territories M they have over them in the arse
nala 60, il Is sufficient for the prohibition and
sbcIision Of Slavery.
The States Of North Carolina and Georgia,