Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1856-01-03
MlisteIlaneous laco0inD,
LETTER FROM FRANCIS P. BLAIR.
SILVER SPBISe, MARYLAED.
December u, 1855.

~ ~NNSoAe' DeaASA Ahs NOOAiOG uuu AChlo NlG-
phass. Corresponding Committee Of the Re.
publican Association of Washington City,
ID. c.:
GENrLENEE:-HaVing relinquishOd political
employment, and. TO avoid encountering again
its anxielies. addicted myself to country life,
Lam constrained 10 decline your invitation to
Join the Republican Association of Washing
ton City, although tempted by the honor Ofbe
.c,ming its rresidng officer Yeti Ifeel it nyduty
to say, that 10 the main colcur in the aims
Of the Association. To exclude slavery from
the territories of the United States, and to re-
,buke the violation of the compromise which
were made 10 stand as covenants between the
slave and free States TO effect that exclusion,
are, in my opinion, the most important move
menis which have engaged the puplic mind
since the revolution,
The extension of slavery over the new ter
ritories would prove fatal to their prosp riy ;
but the greatest calamity to be Npprrhendrd
from il is ,he destruction of the Confederacy,
on which the welfare of the whole country
TepOses. Every conquest Of this element Of
discord. which has so often threatened the dis
aplution the Union increases the danger
Every surrender OF the free States invites in.
vasion.
The cause which your organization is in;en-
ded to promote may well draw TO its suppor,
men Of all parties. Differences on questions
Of policy, On constitutional construction, OF
modes Of administration, may well be merged
TO unite men who believe that nothing but con
cert Of action on the part Of those who would
arrest the spread Of slavery, can resist the
power Of the combination now embodied to
make it embrace the continent: iom ocean tc
ocean.
The repeating clause ofthe Kansas bill il
predicatcd on the nuilty of the clause in the
conslitution which gives Congress the power
tO make regulations respecting the territories
Of the United States. Yet nothing is cleareI
in the history Of our government, than tha
this phrase, giving power to Congress 'to max,
regulations respecting the territories wa
meant to give it the pOwertO exclude slavery
from them.
Mr.. Jefferson's resolutions Of 1874, decIar
ing that there shall be neither slavery nor IN
Voluntary servitud in Any of the States lslt
of in Western territory, vas subsequent!
renewed in the Congress Of I785, which adde's
that this regulation shall be an article OF com
pact and it was so voted unanimously by th'
delegations of eight States out Of twelve
1t was passed by the unanimous votes OF al
he States by the Congress of 1887, which sa
totemporaneously with the convention forming
ne constitution, and that constitution CAV
Congress the power Po make regulations res
pecling the territories and moreover affirmed
the validity Of the engagements entered int
before the adoption Of the constitution BY til
contederation--on Of which engagements wa
that made by the regulation excluding SLAYER
from tie territories. Thus The Congress {
the confederation and the constitution unite
in giving double sanction to the exclusion.
They first exerted the power Of enactin
Mr.. JeGerson's interdict Of slavery in the tel
ritories then held by the United States t
which it had previously given an impressiv
sanction by adding, this regulation shall b
an article of compact &c; and the conver
ton guaranteed this engagement entere
into under the Confederation, BY declaring
valid and EN- ployed the same terms, 'regr
lstion Of the territories to transmit the pow
or here exerted TO future Congresses. ln tn
face Of this history, and theltster of the Cor
slitulion granting the power to make wha'e'
ev regulationsi it deemed I'll respecting the te
ritories Of the United States, the authors
the Kan1asNebraska bill deny the constitution
atty of all the regulations which exclude sl
very from the territories, and set at naught a
the precedents that confirm them, wi in ha'
followed in uninterrupted succession. fro
the foundation of the government.
That other clause in the constitution, EN-
powerng Congress TO pass laws to prevent Il
emigration OF importation OF slaves after lSO
shows the Gxed purpose of the founders of O.
Union to limit the increase of this evil. II
consequence was an annihilat;on, which pr
vents a South Carolina planter, who has slav
In Cuba, from bringing them to his home pla
-tatlon; and TO remove this obstruction to I
increase of slavery within the onion, and Op
Africa to supply the demand made by the n'
act, the Northern nullifers are already call
on by their Southern allies to lend their all
and cs:.4inly those who embrace Mr.. Calhonl
doctrine as stated by Mr.. Douglas that e,
srv citizen has an inalienable right to move
% any Of the territories with bis property,
whatever kind or description the constitute
"a compromises Notwithstanding can har'