Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1855-12-21

Necessity and Utility of the Repub.
lican Movement.


- CtepHdHe. corresponding Commit
Zee Of the Republican association OF
Washington Clb, d. c.:
GESrLEMEN: Having relinquished
political employment, and, to avoid
encountering again It's anxieties, al.
dicted myself 10 country life. am
constrained TO decline your invitation
to join the Republican association of
Washington City, although tempted
by the honor OF becoming its presid,
ing officer. Yet feel il my duty TO
say, that ia the main concur IN the
aims Of The Association. To exclude
slavery from the Territories of the
United States, and to rebnke the VIC.
laiion Of the Compromises which were
made 20 stand as covenants between
the Slave and Free Slrtes to effect
that exclusion. are. in my opinion, the
most important movements which have
engaged the public mind stree the
Revolution.
The extension Of slavery over the
new Territory would prove fatal to
their prosperity; but the greatest ca
lamity to be apprchended from IL Is
the destruction Of The confederacy, on
which the welfare of the whole coun
try reposes. Every conquest Of this
element of discotd. which has so of.
ten threatened the dissolution of shc
Union, increases the danger, Every
surrender Of the Free States invites in.
vasion.
The cause which your organization
Is extended to promote may well draw
TO It's support men Of all parties. DIFF
ierenees on questions of policy. on
constitutional construction, Of modes
OF administration. may we'll be merg.
ed 10 unite men who believe that moth
ing but concert OF action on the part
OF those who would arrest the spread
Of slavery, can resist the power Of the
combination now embodied 10 make it
embrace the continent from ocean to
ocean.
Tho repeating clause OF the Kansas
bill is predicated on the nullity of the
clause Of the Constitutluiion which
gives Congress the power 40 make
regulations respecting the Territories"
of the United States. Yet nothing IL
clearer in The history Of the Govern
ment than in this phrase. giving pos el
to Congress. "lo make regulations re.
specling the territories" was meant
TO give II the power TO exclude Slavery
from them.
Mr.. Jcllcrsou's resolutions Of 1894.
declaring "thot there shall Be Reithe,
SLAVERY nor ingotantory serViiadc IN an,
Of Me States" laid off in the Western
Territory, was subsequently renewed
IN the Congress OF 1875, which added,
"khot his regulation shall DO an arlicl,
OF compact" and il was 80 voted
unanimously by the delegations o
cigh. States out of twelve.
II was passed by the unanimous
votes Of oil the States by Che Congress
of 1897. which sat cotomporaneousl,
with the Convention forming the Con
stitution gave Congress the power '"l,
make regulations respecting the Terri
tories" and moreover affirmed the va
lidity Of "the engagements entered
before the adoption of the Constitu
ton" by the confederation lone o
which engagements was that made
by the regulation excluding Slavery
from the Territories Thus the Con
gress Of the confederation united II
giving double sanction to the exclu
sion.
The frst exerted the power o
enacting Mr.. Jeiierson's inIcrdict o
Slavery in the Territories Mea held b,
the United States. to which IL has pre-
yiou'ly given an impressive sanction
by adding. "This regulation shall b.
an article Of compact &c; and tn
Convention guaranteed this "engage
ment" entered into under the Confed
r Grafton, by declaring II "yalid" an,
employed the same terms; "regaiafio
, Of Me Territories" TO transmit III
power here cxertcd to future Congress
cs. In the face Of this history am
the letter Of the Constitution grantin
the power TO nuke whatever regula
I tious IL deemed iii respecting the ten
ritorios of the United States, the au
thors of the Kansas aud Nebraska bi
deny the conslluiionality of all III
regulations which exclude shaver
from the territories. and set nj naugh
all the preecdents that confirm Them
which have followed in unlnlerrupte,
succession. from the foundation q
the Government
That other clauses in the Constitu
|, |, ton, empowering Congress- to pas
laws 10 prevent the emigration or i'm
portalon' of slaves after 1905, show
the fixed purpose Of The founders ,
our Union 10 limit the increase Of thi
evil. The consequences was IN Ia
hibition. which prevents n South ca,
/, olina planter, who has slaves In Cubs
from bringing them To his home plan
tation: and 10 remove this obstructo
. to the increase Of slavery within III
. Union, and open Africa TO supply IN
= demand made TO the new act, the mon
lhern nulliiers are already called ~
on by their southern allies TO len
their aid; and certainly those who en-
. brace Mr., Calhoun'e doctrine, M sta
ted by Mr.. Douglas. that "evcry cit
zen has an inallenablc right to NOV
into any Of the territories with hi
property. Of whatever kind or descrir
ton, the Constitution and comprc
misses Notwithstanding, can harply r,
fuse IL II was on the annexation {
: Of the Mexican territories that Nj
s Calhoun asserted this principle,
= unsettlc the fixed policy Of the nalior
I beginning with the era OF the Dcclal
c alton of Independence: and he apple
IL alike to the compromises of lac
n and 1860. Mr. Douglas thus SIM
c up the position taken and the result
I "Undcr this section. as inthe case ,
= tho Mericm iaw in New Ksxieo an
1 Uah. II IL u disputed point whelh,
g Slavery Is prohibited in tho Nebrask
!. country by valid enactment The d,
= cision of this question involves IA
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