The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-02-15
LECTURE OF HON. n. TooMBs,

LECTURE OF HON. n. TooMBs,
GEORGIA,
Delivered in the fremont Temple Boston, Massachusetts,
on the gath January, 1856.
sLAykRY--Irs CONSTITUTIONAL sTATUs-frs INFLUENCE
THE AFRICAN RACE AND SOCIETY.
propose submit you this evening some considera-
tions and reflections upon two points:
st The constitutional powers and duties of the federal
government in relation 10 domestic slavery # s.@
I'd The influence Of slavery exists In the United
States, upon the slave and society,
Under the first head shall endeavor to show that Con-
grsss has power to limit restrain in any manner to
impair slavery but the contrary it is bound TO pro-
tect and maintain in the States where il exists and
wherever its flag floats and its jurisdiction is paramount.
On the second point maintain that, so long as the
African and Caucasian coexst in the society,"
the subordnation of the African is its normal neees-
sary and proper condition and that such subordnaon Is
the condition best calculated to promote the highest in
res and the greatest happiness OF both and conse
quenty Of te whole society and that the ab@liuon OF
slavery under these conditions is not remedy for any Of
the evils of the system admit that the truth of these
propositions stated under the second point is essentially
necessary to the existence and pcrmanence of the system
They the truth that the white is the superior race
and the black the inferior and that subordnaton with
without law will be the status Of the African in this mixed
society and therefore, II the interest OF both and
pecay OF The black race ana OF the whole society 'ha'
this status should be fxed controlled and protected by
law. The perfect equality OF the superior and the e-
gal subordnation Jf the INFERIOR the foundations on
which have erected republican systems Their
soundness be tested by their conformity to the
ereiguy of righthe universal law which ought to gov
all people In all centuries This sovereignty OF right is
Justice commonly called natural ustieenot the vague un-
certain maginngs of men, but natural justice interpre
ted by the written oraces and read by the light of the reve
ations of Natures God In this recognise "hgher
law and the duty of all men, by legal and proper means
to bring every society in conformity with it,
proceed to the consideration Of the first point
Tie old thirteen States before the revolution de-
pendent colonies of Great Brtain-each separate
distinct political community, with different laws and
each became independent and sovereign State by the
declaration of Independence AT the time Of this declara
ton slavery fact and fact recognised by law in
each of them and the trade lawful by
the laws of nations and the practice of mankind This
declaration draughted by STAKEHOLDER adopted by
the representatives of Shareholders and did not emancpate
single African slave but the contrary one of the
charges which it submitted to the civilized world against
King George was that he had attempted to excite "do
mesc instruction among u.s. AT the time OF this decia
ration had common government; the Articles OF
Confederation submitted to the representatives, of the
States eight days afterwards, and were not adopted by all
Of the States until Is These loose and imperfect articles
of union sufced bring successfully through the
olutoD Common danger was q stronger bond OF union
than these Articles of Confederation after that ceased
they inadequate to the purpose OF peace They did
not emaneipate single slave.
The constitution framed by delegates elected by the
State legislatures twas eanaiion from the sovereign
States independent separate communities 1t was rat-
fed by conventions of these separate States each acting for
ITSELF The members of these conventions represented the
sovereignty of each State but they not elected by the
whole people Of either of the States Minors women,
slaves Indians Africans bond and free excluded
from participating in this act Of sovereignty Neither
all the white male inhabitants twentyone years old
allowed participate in it, Some excluded because
they had land Others for the want Of good characters
others again because they nonreemen and large
number excluded for great variety Of still
important None exercised this high privilege
cept those upon whom each State for ITSELF had adudged
IL wise, safe, and prudent to confer IL.
By this constitution these States granted to the federal
certain and clearly powers
10 order ITO make perfect UaO establish justice
domestic dn9uiy prouds for tie common offence and gen
eral weare and 10 TIE blessings Of liberty 10 Them
selves and their posterity" And with great wisdom and
forecast this constitution lays down plain certain and
sufficient rule for its Interpretation by declaring that
the potrs not herein delegated 10 The United States by tie
constitution prohibited By IL 10 e States reserved 10
The States respecuely the people" The federal govern
is therefore, limited government. II is limited
presy the exercise Of the enumerated powers and Of
such others only heh shall be necessary and proper 10
carry erecuo these enumerated powers The decla
ration of the purposes for which these powers granted
neither increase diminish them. II any all
them were fail by of the insucency Of the
granted powers them that would be good
for a grant but could enlarge the granted
powers That declaration itself limitation, instead
of enlargement of the granted powers If power
presy granted be used for any other purpose than those
declared such would be violation Of the grant, aud
fraud the constitution and therefore IL follows that II
an-ayery action by Congress is warranted by
express power within any OF the declared purposes for
which any such power granted the exercise Of
granted power effect that action under any pretence
whatever would fall under the just condemnation Of the
constitution.
The history Of the times and the debates in the
ton which framed the constitution show that this whole
subject was much considered by them, and Hperpexed
them extreme and these provisions OF the cons
tuition which related TO earnestly considered by the
State conventions which adopted H. lncpent legislation
providing for emancipation had already been adopted by
some of States Massachusetts, had declared that sla
very extngushed in her limits by her bin Of rghu
the African slave trade bad been eqsated against in many
Of the States including Virginia and Maryland and North
Carolina. The public mind unquestionably tending
towards emancipation This feeling displayed itself in the
South well in the North Some of the delegates from
present sayeholdng States thought that the power
abolish only the African slave trade but slavery in the
States ought TO be given TO the federal government and
that the constitution did take this shape made one
Of the prominent objections TO 1t y Luther Martin
distinguished member Of the convention from Maryland
and Mr. Mason of Virginia not far behind him In his
emancipation principes Mr.. Madison sympathized TO
great extent to much greater extent than Of the
representatives from Massachusetts, in this an-savery
feeling Hence find that ansavery feelings
svey induged in by many members Of the convention
both from slavehoding and non-saveholdng States This
fact has led TO many and grave au and unscrup-
ous have used II much TO deceive the northern pub
lie Mere opinions Of individual have been relied
upon authoritative expostons Of the constitution Our
reply them simple direct they the opinions
of the collective body Of the people who made and who
had the right to make, this government; and therefore
they found place in the organic law and by that
alone bound and therefore 1t concerns us rather
TO know what the collective will Of the whole af
hrmed by the sovereign States than what the opn-
ions of individual in the convention. We wish
know what done by the whole what some of the
members thought best TO be done The result of the
struggle was that not single clause inserted In the
constitution giving TO the federal government any
where either to abolish limit restrain, Ia any other
IN, innpat the of Inft.