Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-08-16

restriction OF slavery and the assertion OF
smlned them ALL do not know any one opinion or set
OF OPINIONS likely to result In injury the coored race
the opinions which the Republican organization
proposes To act for the simple that bese opin
Ions tend directly the overthrow OF the government
The foregoing observations manif.sty predicated
upon tho -upPositon that tho Union IL tn continue
aud that the government 10 to 40 in its appointed
But is the Union continue after Presidential
election has been carried by party organized As tn. Re-
publican party ia and after majority OF the people othe
United States, included s free satss have pronoun
cedfor the doctrines Of that organization This In the
solemn question which every has to ask himself
we often hear masked. With an air OF mingled conf.
dsncc and defiance whether the Southern will dare
TO quit the Union because slavery prohibited in one or
all Of the territories Of the United States have no au.
hoy To speak Tor the South the North only give
expression To my own opinions, and voice TO my own
fears, and say frankly that have idea that Con.
grssonal prohibition Of slavery In this that territory
would alone place the Union in serious jeopardy Bot this
by no disposes of the pes OF the present crisis
Those peris spring from the doctrnes avowed by the Re
publican party as'their bas for Presidential election
and not from the precise objects legislation which those
doctrines invented promote aud 10 which they are
immediately applied The leaders this pro-
fees with less Of sincerity that they have
wish or purpose to interfere with slavery in the
The difficulty Of their postion will be- that after having
carried Presidential election aud majority, in the
houses Of Congress by the of the free States
doctrince which they have avowed they and siH
not Be atIOei TO keep er hdnds OF from sarery the
states This To plain result inspection
OF the formal instrument in which their principles
bodied that cannot witness the accession their anks
OF men whom We have resoring to them without
asionishmenL l fluid In that nstru the assertion
that the principles promulgated in the Declaration Of In
dependence embodied in the Federal
that the Fathers Of the Republic assert the right
OF AL men, to liberty that the Constitution ordsn-
ed aud established ITO secure the blessings OF liberty "
without the slightest attention to the restriction by which
the people who ordained confined that object of its pro-
visions 'ourssirss and postey" IL is true that
these doctrines put forth basis for the very
founded assertion that "the primary object and Interior
design OF federal government is grant these rghts
f liberty 10 all persons under its exclusive Jurisdiction
But II these do .nes true why how can you con.
hne the object and design Of the Federal Constitution
with respect 10 liberty TO the regions where has
elusive jurisdiction The Constitution WAS intended to
operate in the States well in the Territories in pa
where it only has limited well In places where
it has exclusive jurisdiction and although the mode
in which IL is TO reach its object and design NAV be ind
rect in place aud direct in another yet object in
one place is to secure liberty to "s men," IL have
the object and design, deucibe from the pre-
misses for all other places II the principles Of the De.
caraton Of Independence, which contains sweeping
sertions OF the liberty aud equality OF all men, in truth
embodied in the Federal Constitutional that Constitution
imposed no limitation upon those principes-f not
made 10y and for particular of men, and the pose
ty OF that race-then those who TO administer IL
just much bound to s powers promote liberty in
the states, they il in the territories
Nor let any suppose that II these doctrines are
sanctioned by the entire vote of the North will not
be found to attack the institution OF slavery in the states
Congress IL is true has power pass of
cpaton Tor the States But Congress has a commercial
power, and revenue power, both OF which are to be
used within the States well within places where the
Jurisdiction of the Federal government is exclusive BY
the commercial power IL may prohibit the sale OF slave
from one state into another state BY the power
IL may impose a tax slaves according 10 their value
without violating the provision which confines direct and
capauon taxes TO the rule Of uniformity the rule of the
Both of these acts would be a severe blow the
prosperity OF the Southern states and either would drive
them Of the Union but both within the powers OF
Congress and if the doctrines Of the Republican party
sound, obey founded in the truth of consti
tutional history, which utterly deny that party would
he bound to use the powers OF the government;
efectuaie its primary object and Interior design" of pro-
noting the liberty OF "a men" Whatever the powers
of Congress those who WELD them construe and
exercise them in accordance with this great purposes for
which they believe them to have been granted
Can any doubt either that the leaders of the Re-
publican party, it successful would be impeled by the
force behind them attack slavery the States after the
North had sanctioned the doctrines which they have
appealed TO us? How is the North hold itself back in
the career of revolution. when it has placed upon
the Constitution construction, which mades il agent
for the liberty not OF ourselves and posterty but of
all men y VIII il be OF any avail then to CRY out that
the doctrine il confined pases where the Constitution
has exclusive jurisdicton?" How will the Aboltonst
who has helped you fight the battle and means that
victory shall rebound to the benefit of his plans
treat your limitation! How will an excited and tumuu.
Gus party, composed OF Heterogeneous materials flushed
with success and eager for the humiliation Of the slave
holder. treat your attempt to discriminate? Will they
not tell you, and tell you truly that the rights of
the in state in territory and that If the fathers
OF the Republic you direct power promote those
rights IN the place, they must equally
your indirect powers for the purpose in the other
place: Most certainly they WILL nature OF men and
Of politics will have changed.
These the considerations am persuaded which
lead and ought TO lead the people of the South look
with fear and trembling the issues of present
test. There be doubt OF their attachment the
Unon there can be no doubt Of its infinite importance
them well us. But that they can be driven from
it, and that they will be- If, the OF establishing
right exclude slavery from territory we of the
North are determined to make the Constitution assert the
blessings of liberty for all men, sincerely and unhesta-
ngy believe IL not the immediate and protested
ect that alarms the South IL is because we resent
the repeal OF the Missouri resction-sn act which d..
approve strongas any onebu it is because the North
il threatening to turn the Constitution into All antsa.
very instrument and to engait into it, by great popular
movement, pretended purpose OF the fathers make
the general government active enemy institution
now existing IN hteen OF the states This il what alarms
them and ought TO alarm Ii ough excite the fears
Of all who love the Union, and mean maintain it.
therefore, by obligation of duty by the pri.
mary law OF all duty, by the first adnontons of patriot
ism, bound 10 ascertain how my individual inhu-
be eectualy used avert the dangers by
which surrounded This is the first time in the
history OF this country, since il had Constitution that
political party has been organized to carry a Presidential
election upon doctrines that positively revolutionary
All former parties that have existed and all others
that now exist have been coutent take the Declaration
Of Independence for what il truly bold assertion
natural rights by coloni4 who were about To throw of
the yoke Of their mother country, by revolution but
who never thought OF dssOyiDg by il the existing inter
VI OF OF these colonies
All other parties too have been content to recognize in
the federal constitution a compact between sovereign
States some of which savehoding and Of which
nonsayehoding communities for certain limited aud
special purposes aud all have respected the limitation
which the Consultation expressly establishes when de-
clares that OF its objects Is secure the blessings of
liberty TO The people pho made Il, aud their posteri
y. But now we are told that this Limitation il to be
disregArded that the principles Of the Declaration
OF Independence, in all their naked force cmboded"
in the federal Constitutions and that the primary object Of
rat afuf alau
OF universal emancipation. In the face Of the OF his
tory and the statutebook which show that Washing
ton and John Adams aud Jefferson who may be presumed
70 have known the relations between the Declaration Of
Independence and the Federal CONSTITUTIONAL gave the
Presidential approval 10 laws establishing sanctonng
negro slavery in territories where the Constitution had
elusive JurisdctiOn, told that the primary oh
iect and ulteror design Of that Constitution esa
-h in those territories the liberty Of all The day
will come therefore, and will come instantly the
cessfu maintenance Of this doctrine by tho Of the
entire North when it will be idle say that il put
into party platform 70 the temporary
purposes Of an election Itsan atemptto by tbs
aOlsm iudQmont of tho he