The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1856-06-07

Its assuming to treat the citizens of free country
as the subjects or property of the Government.
If all these obnoxious features do not appear dis
tinctly in the act the construction which has been
placed upon them by, at least one of the Judges OF
the Supreme Court has marked them in bold and UNI
mstakablc outlines.
There u.s. however, at the start still more serious
objection to the whole of this legislation. II not
only not warranted by the constitutional is an at
tempt to take away from free people rights which
they have surrendered. 1t H. to say the least
founded on an entire misconcepon of the relations
which exist between the government and the people
nndcr our peculiar system.
The federal government is limited one Consti-
tuted by the States in their sovereign capacity, il
possesses no powers but those clearly delegated to it
in the compact of union. This character of
government Is not left to Inference; ii is stamped in
express words upon the instrument that created it..
There 1t rests and casuistry cannot blot it out The
"PowERs not DELEGATED ARE REsERvED.' The cnu-
meration Of certain rights shall not be construed to
deny or dsparage Others retained by the people,"
When therefore, it is proposed to legisate upon any
subject the first inquiry must be, whether that sub
ject is within the jurisdiction Of Congress. The
broadcst construction does not pretend that crimes
and msdemeanors generally, within the jurisdic
tion of the federal government. Whence, then are
the powers claimed under the act in question! To
what clause of the Constitution do you trace themy
There is no semblance of u warrant for them to be
found in the Constitution unless they be included
in the power to define and punish Offences against
the law of nations" If the grant of power be not
contained in that clause il is not to be found in any
place. The act, to be defined and punished must be
an offence against the h,c Of nations To olenses of
that class is this power limited; to them alone it
be applied. Will it be pretended, that under this
power to define and punish, Congress has power to
go out of the law of nations and make offences or
crimes of those acts which, by the law of nations
are not condemned? If so, the whole field of erin
ina jurisprudence is thrown open to federal legisa
tiot, and the specification of limitation becomes
absurd.
Such are the prima facie objections to the
Neutrality fLams--straight-w aistcoat, as we
have called them, which cripple and confines
the natural action of the United States Many
unanswerabe proofs of their non-constitution-
atty were offered, and many convincing illus
trations of their injurious Influence On the ma
ton, and their injustice was established, not
only from an American but from q European
point of view also.
But even if those laws were constitutional,
says General Quitman, and we quote his own
words:
II would still oppose them as unwise, impolitic,
and against the genius of our free institutions
They founded upon the false assumption that the
Government should direct the morals and control the
sentiment Of tee people 1t is sheer political hypoc
risy, or, at least, Standardization, to crown with
honor the memory of the good man Lafayette, whose
portrait is deemed worthy to decorate this republican
Hall, in company with that of own Washington,
in our gratitude for the aid which, in despite Of his
c0nntrys laws, he rendered us in the dark hour of
our revolutionary struggle If we are by legislation
to stigmatise criminal the efforts of our cti-
zcns, to bear assistance to ncighboring people,
gr0aning under the yoke of an iron despOtism-a
despotism TO which the condition Of our ancestors
was almoss state of freedom.
Ii our moral and national obligations to other ma
tons require to cnrb by severe penal statutes the
adventurous and progressive spirit Of our people,
and we have constitutional right to do so, let the
bond be executed. II no such obligation rests upon
InftF ,nn 10. thoI
our country it is my opinion that even if we had
the power to rctard the progress of the age it would
not be exactly the perfection of wisdom for us to do
So Keeping IN view the rcmarkaplc and interest
ing condition OF adjacent tries, cannot fail to
perceive that we have reached an epoch, pregnant
with mighty events. year. a month even, may
determine whether Mexico, Central America and
Cuba shall be European or American. II, as fear,
the eyes of the two great powers of Western Europe
are directed to their acquisition how easy would it
be for them, with their armies and their fleets now
unemployed to effect their purpose! How long,
bloody, and dcsruct tive would be the struggle should
we attempt to assert the rights which, since the days
of Monroe, we have claimed upon thlscontinent and
which, but for the Ignorant policy of the act of 1878
we would now peacefully and without violence pos
sess But for that act, Tehuantepec Nicaragua, and
perhaps all Central America, would now be Aneri-
cauizcd, advancing and prosperous, under liberal
and stable form of government In Cuba, the tyrant
flag of blood and gold would have given place to
the tri-color of Independence to the starry and
the free and the home of the brave" The bayonets
Of Spain, with the war ships of France and England
could not have supported in that lovely island an
nnreientlng despotism had not the private American
aid invoked by the patriots of Cuba been cut off by
the stringent application of this law.
We are rejoiced that this subject has been
brought before Congress, and by gentleman
of such acknowledged standing and ability as
General Qutman, and we trust the national
legislature will act upon it without delay. 1t
is the most vital question of the day. The
Slavery Issue is secondary to it, because in re-
llity that issue hinges on the continuance or
of the Neutrality Laws The
expansion of the South in Mexico, or Central
America, OF Cuba, depends upon their repeal.
The people understand this fundamental truth,
and will support General Quitman in his
efforts to remove the abortion
rom the statute books We must either re-
urn to the act of '94, or demand total re-
zeal of the existing laws.
DD- Sunday the 25th ult, was the 10th an : :,