Washington telegraph., 1855-07-04
b g t a I i a t ory

Communicating upon the late high-handed null
LITIGATION OF law of Congress by the Legislature
OF Massachusetts,, the Louisville Journal asks
What ought the people of the South to DO in view
of such legislatIona-and answers the question as
follows
Iii the States of the Union were unlimited SOW
ereighities, they would have the means of redress
IN their own hands, and might place restrictions
on trade, even InterdIct it entirely, with States
that enacted laws affecting inuriously the rights
OF property of their neighbors. In such 4 condi-
tion OF things. selfinterest alone would be potent
enough to prevent neig ghboring States from per-
sstence in hostile legislation. Bat at present the
Federal Constitution restrains the States from
such retalIatory means of TedresslBg wrongs
The slave States cannot reach Massachusetts, or
her citizens except thFousht the medium of some
law that shall at the same time operate upon their
oUa Citizens This can probably be done here by
a well-devised license law We believe that the
exclusive jurisdiction of the States over the sub
iect OF licenses to sell goods. and merchan-
die, has been affirmed by the competent tribun-
ais of the country. The States have the right to
TX the amount that shall be paid for license to
sell anything within their borders, they can
either grant OF withhold licenses altogether for
the vending OF any goods they may deem it ex-
pedient to exclude from sale except, perhaps for
eign goods on which import duties have been
paid. Here then the people of the slave States
have ample means of retaliating on Massachusetts,.
next session of their Legislatures that will either
refuse license for the sale OF anything the growth
and product of Massachusetts,, fix so high
prlce on the license the sale of such goods
that no person can afford to pay it. In either
case adequate punishment may be provided
against the violation of the law
1T may be said that the law would be evadeG
by the purchase of Massachusetts, goods in other
States-in New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore,
&C. To meet this case, the law may provide
that person in any State, selling to our mer-
chants Massachusetts goods, knowing them TO be
such and without giving them notice, shall be es-
teemed guilty OF fraud, and any obligation given
for such goods shall be null and void. If, in ad-
dition 70 these legal provisions, the people OF the
slave States will resolve not to purchase or use
the products of any State that shall legislate
against the property of the people oil the slave
States, it Will be still more certain to brig the
people of those States to their senses The ope-
ration of these measures. If they are risidly and
honestly carried out by the harmonious action of
the legislators, merchants, ard people OF the South
cannot fail TO be injurious to the industrial in
terest against which they directed, that the
people affected will yield to the pTomptIngs of in
terests what they now deny TO common honesty
and the Constitution of the nation aid will re-
peal the laws of which the people of the South
complain.
-lt is due to the importance of the subject. and
to the dignity and self-reSpect of the people OF the
cOutI, tudI tiey resolve 70 10 snail De
done without excitement, buster, or denunciation
The laws that it may become necessary to enact
ought to be carefully considered, and framed by
skiIlful lawyers. so that they may provide proper
and efficient remedies without infringing tie con-
stitution of either the State or the Federal gov
ernment. And they should contain provision
authorizing the Governor to suspend bv proclaim
alton their operations against the products OF any
State .hat shall repeal the obnoxious laws against
which they are intended to retalIate"