Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1855-07-19
n. The constitution of the United State.

! wv P"''o' IL CTchttu governments am
ddsIgnateu the functionaries for carrying /
into effect. /: granted powers and impose,
limitations to prevent abuse and oppression
ana, ~ ", II prohibited the States from
oo'hg duin acts, and made it their duty :,
perform certain stpulations tOwarGs cacl
Other, into which they entered in ra,ifyin.
The constitution, aud thereby pledged them
selves TO perform faithfully. OF these s,pu
lauons some are favorable to the slave State,
ana others to the s!aveholding States or
more briefly, some to the Southern and the
other to the Northern.
VI the former the most striking is tha,
which stiPulaies the delivery up by the latte
oil iugliive slaves, and which clearly involve.
Tue principle that non-slaveholding State,
shou'd adopt no measure to seduce our slaves
o. TO abstract them from their masters, or ,o
weaken or destroy our right in them. The
legislation of those States for the last twelve
years has, either directly or rindrectly, by acl
or ommlss:on, been in violation of this lead.
ing stipulation in cur favor; and the recent
act OF Pennsylvania has put it aside openly
without ptetext or attempt at justification
trampllng at the same time under foot the
act Of Congress to carry it into effect.
10 understand the full force and effect OF
the stipulation in our favor it must be borne
in mind that it has the character of what is
called extradition treaties; that is, treatiesto
denver up fugtives from justice. which in
good faith requires not only that the party
where the fugitive is found shall place no
impeachment in the way Of his reclamation or
even to stand neutral but that he shall take
active measures to seize and deliver him up
Against this fragrant breach of faith, more
sacred than any treaty stipulation, by this
act of Pennsylvania and similar acts of 9TH
er States, the Constitution affords no effectu-
al remedy. The appeal to the Federal Court
is mere farce. The expense, the delay and
the means it affords for the escape of the
slave, makes it no remedy at all, while our
principles and safety will not permit US to
resort for remedy to the principles of the
force bill, passed to compel the obedience OF
this State.
There is, and can be but one remedy short
OF disunon, and ihat is to retaliate on our
part by refusing to fulfil the stipulations in
their favor, or such as We may select as the
most efficient Among these, the right OF
their ships and commerce to enter and depart
from our ports is the most effectual, and can
be enforced.
That the refusal on their part would justify
us to refuse to fulfil on our part those in
their favor is too clear to admit of argument.
That it would be efiectual in compelling
them to fulfill these in our favor can hardly
be doubted, when the immense profit they
make by trade and navigation out of us is
regarded, and also the advantages we would
derive from the direct trade it would establish
between the rest of the world and cur ports.
My impression is that it should be restrict.
ed to sea-going vessels, which would leave
open the trade of the valley of the Missisaip-
pi to New Orleans by river and to the other
Southern cities by railroad; and tend thereby
to Cetach the Northwestern from tho North.
eastern States.
Nor is there any mpediment from the pow
er of Congress to regulate commerce among
the States. The right of the States to adopt
laws to protect their health, their inter nal
pclicy and peace and safety is paramount to
The right of Congress to regulate commerce.
find the subject fully argued in my re-
port on the subject OF circulating incendiary
publications through mail and the speech
made on the occasion. Several of the States
nave acted on it in reference to the subject
Of abolition, and especially this State and
Virginia.
There is but one practical difficulty in the
way, and that is, to give it force it will re-
luire the cooperation of ali the slareholdiRg
States lying on The Atlantic and Gulf. With.
out that it would be ineffective. To get that
S the great pont, and for that purpose con-
ceniion Of The Southern &ates is indispens
able.
Let that be called, and let it adopt meas
ares to bring about the cooperation, and !
would underwrite for the rest. The nom
'laveholdng States woLld be compelled to
observe the stipuations of the constitution
n our favor, abandon their trade with ours,
o take measures TO coerce us, which would
hrow on them the responsibility of dissolv-
n the Union. Which they would choose, |
10 mot think doubtful Their unbounded
lvarice would, in the end, control them.
Let convention be called, let it recon-
mend to The slaveholding States to take the
'oursc advised, giving, say, one years notice
before the acts of the several States should
70 into effect; and the issue would fairly be
made up, and our safety ana triumph certain.
have written fully, hurriedly, and in the
midst of the pressure. .ofmy engagements, but
hope, with sufficient clearness to be fully
Understood. aimed at nothing higher.
hall be happy to hear from you during the
session of your legislature, and at all times
when you find it convenient to write.
Yours truly, J. c. CALHOUN.
Percy Walker, Esq, Mobile.