Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-05-12
For ne Ea4si,sr.
i'GT ne E'."''t''
THE CONSTITUTIONAL ADMISSION of NJ"
STATES.

Si.l Eo.
CLINTON, La, april 80 1857
....-, Eli,ors :-Prnciples should never be VIC
81 compounded for the sake OF exp-dIency
and slavery must oe ueo'' "''H &c II 10 anu q" '''
Cnnsti,ution has fixed 1t.
. vast deal of discussion and conflict OF opinion
IA we'll unnecessary and dangerous agitation
might be avoided in reference TO the admission Z"
new States, if Congress would cUiGe itself strictly
within the clearly defined limits Of lis powers and the
nem constitutions which may be presented Tor us nc
ton, wou!i take care 70 exclude nj! provisions EN-
brgcng Questions which cannot righituiy come u'e!
the supervision of those powers.
Every body must admit that the Cohs' y W.: W
new State upplyuy tor admission mo Inc oh'"n' Is
nul! and void and without force OF ens.' INV" I'M Iy'
gress shall vest il with al! necessary h"t"o, nv
question here arises, l. Congress IA pu'SiS
bodyi If So the admission nt new SUNS u """
IN more nor less than "f'e
rim, full authority aud power on t'e organic "T
ryL;cb il 10 constitute the new State, Ves'ing II WIN
cn.o nal sovereignty with The other States. lhs De
inc Inc case, eau Congress rlgh'iuliy egisate upou
and give force and authority to any provision OF .e
nrysuic law OF new, or embryo StH'e embracing
nns.tinus upon which such legislation IL expressly
forbidden! We have no hesitation III expressing oui
derd-d opinion that it cannot, aah 'al euch ac'ioH
on the part OF Congress can be vle:.h III no oihei
light than that of usarPdftoh o. "R"t"g"ed Do~er
As regards the power o; Congress IN reference to
the admission of new States take THIS pain ana
simple ground Congress beng a ies'sis''e oocy
whose ,owers are limited ana specified, the mere
creature OF confederation OF soVele'sn'les, cauno
rishttuy hveat with authority ana force, any pro
vision of law whatever matter In what manner OF
farm il may cume before H. il such provision Ut law
shall require nj Congress the exercise OF power
clearly Withheld from IT, Or, III otiler "ords' Coh
yress cannot, Indirectly, invest WIN authority and
force provision of organic law which Ii has not the
power to give i'll lis regular ana direct course VI le
gislatiou.
When therefore, n territory applies for admission
as State with its Constitution providing either Tor
establishing or prohibiting slavery within It's lulis
Congress has no power TO give authority or iorc.
10 either of such provisions, for the soundes reason
thar il ha, no constitutional right to egishte upon
such agesions and for the further reason that slave
nv il an inherent right wherever 1t may be ioHhd
within the jurisdiction o: the United States govern
ment. :,
In order that new State may be constitut!onaliy
admitted into the Cninn We hold that lis CoDstliu.
ton or organic law, when presented must De devoid
of all, or any provisions, embracing questions over
which Congress has no power III must 'ut w lot
gotten that the reserved rights or powers OF TIE
States, respectively, constitute eqaahy win thelr
delegated powers our tederM H0iOAdtay; that IL 10
say the reserved powers ut The States are c9@a.t9
n0ion9l with the delegated powers; are held ,YndHy
sacred from violation Ill Their respective Is
well as from encroachnents Of one or more States
unon ano,her's rights. Hence Congress has no more
right TO eXersise power reserved by the States han
Il State has to exercise any power when IL mas aee-
gated to the Federal Government
Tra r;obt of slavery is inherent and is one Of the
....rvsd r;,hf. of the sovereign STATES or people, 1t
80 f,nnd in ,brm b.,or. the formation OF the con.
,;,utinn.I comnart md formed one of the fundam.l.
,a basis OF said compact, recognising ana cohs'i'"-
80 H. Torr.ss nf the I;nit.d States and binding the
trol ,nrnnnnt ~ nroreot il where i, exists either
y; ha Si,,ss mr. ,h. t,irraI territories where the
:" ne - ",.r = il fo,ud,d in the sor,ytgny aud
right 10 curry a. /, .oun ,h ;n,,. and benefits of