Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-08-07
- Ne ,ui5lish below another article from

questions in issue. Iusticie does not, and can
nov, support his assertions by argument, and in
this he Is 4 good type of the party to which he
belongs. Assertion Of doctrine, appeal TO pop
ulsr passion and prejudice, the use OF such can't
and ad ecptGnda7, phrases as freedom national
..slsTery sectional are the arguments upon
which they rely to engender strife, nsurp powers
not given in the constitution, destroy the friend
IL relStions which should subsist and ultimately
subye.t the Union itself Is this the spirit of
sclishncss OF Of supposed philanthropy for the
slavss If the former land we believe it Isl 1t
needs no comment, and if the latter that is a
strange philanthropy which would coop up the
slaSe. confine him to the limits which he now
occupies and thus prevent that amelioration III
his condition which would be consequent upon
enlarged range of habitation. For the Black
Republican forgets that the increase in the num-
her of slaves will be nearly the same whether
they remain in their present location or go else
where, unless they become enleebled, unhealthy
AMI injured from their numbers, which this mock
philanthropy ought not to desire.
We call attention now to the five propositions
of Justicia- The first proposition, with single
qualification, is correct The territories are
solely under the jurisdiction of the Constitution
and he Laws posstd By Congress in conformity
a,ih the ConstitutiOn. Not under the jurisdic-
fiction of blinded and passion led Congress, as
is to often the case, but of Congress acting con-
stitutionally. Virginia, to a certain extent, is
under the jurisdiction of the Constitution and
Congress, but even "JusttiR" does not pretend
that Congress has the right to interfere with her
institutions, yet, blinded as are the northern
majority in the House, Congress might attempt
70 violate the Constitution in this PARTICULAR
Then her jurisdiction ceases It exists only
while It is exercised constitutionally, when it
thus ceases to exist, its exercise is us"rPatfO".
Hence our qualification of the position alluded
10.
The second proposition is as far Us it goes cor
rect But why not finish it and end thcquestiOn at
once by adding the words, NOR to establish or
interfere with ii" How strange that men can
come so near the truth and then miss it. The
second proposition should read thus: "7he
csnstitution eontsrs on Congress no potcsr to
ereate, a6olish or iategfsre With sLarcTy an the
territories or elseuhere.n Not ono word is said
in the Constitution which gives either the power
10 create, abolish or interfere with slavery to
Congress, and hence Congress has no such pow
er. This is the true conservative doctrine for
all men of all parties. The Constitution gives
no right to create, no right to abolish and no
righsto interfere with the subject. The whole
matter is left with the States and the people and
not with Congress. Article 10th, amendments
to the Constitution, says, "The powers not del
erated to the United States by the Constitution
nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved
to the States respectively or to the people" All
the powers of Congress must be found afBrma-
lively given by the Constitution, all the restTic-
lions on the powers of the States arc affirmative
Is prohibited and all other powers belong to the
States and the people and not to Congress The
power to touch slavery is not given by the Con-
stitution to Congress, it is not prohibited to the
States, and hence it belongs exclusively to the
States aud the people and not to Congress. Let
this be remembered by all conservative men.
The Constitution was adopted for the purpose
of forming more perfect Union" Establish
Justice" and to "ensure Domestic tranquility"
So saws its preamble And what is the mani
fest tendency of this sectional Northern agita-
ton? Docs it form "more perfect UniOn," "
docs it establish Justice" does it ''ensure Do
nestle Tranquility" for Congress thus to usurp
power not found in the pages of the Constitu-
ton! This is question which every conserva-
tive patriot must answer for himself
The third proposition means nothing The
Constitution recognized slavery just where it
found It and left it there without endeavoring to
contract or expand its limits. 1t is the same
Constitution to the citizen in Maine as Texas, 1t
recognizes slavery wherever the slave is found
in the Union, whether in Maine or Texas. It
created no private rights, it gave the States no
rights, it asked only and received from the
States surrender of such portion of the
rights of tho States and people as were necessa-
nv for the purposes of the Federal Government,
that surrender is in express terms, the power Of
the Federal Government is limited by the terms
Of the grant and all other rights not prohibited,
remain where they always were, in tho States
AID in the people Slavery. then existed in eve.
nv State save one It<was then far more ma
tional than is the present Republican party.
Tho Constitution did not attempt to gain con-
troll or interfere with any question of private
property. 1t was not granted as a power and it
has no more power now than then. Such au-
thority was not needed for Federal purposes,
and it was not granted.
Tho 18th proposition is fallacious in Toto
Slavery is not the creature of municipal law
but may be the subject of it. There is no state
in the Union which has passed law Grating
slavery, or creating the right purchase and SELL
They pass laws which, like the Constitution of
the Union, recognize and protect" it as other
property and provide for it as property. We
need not follow this question further. It has
been fully argued by "virginius' in our columns.
The 9th proposition is similar to the fourth,
faIlacious entirely, and assuming the whole con.
s6tntonal Question. The Constitution does not