Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1857-04-15
TaE RAFTsmAM's JOURNAL,

the sovereign people of the United States in
representation, Investing them with such right
of entry and occupancy ,and without such grant
from Congress, you, as citizen OF Pennsyl-
yania would be but treSpasSer. Now: the
sovereignty of one of the citizens of the Uni
ted States does not empower him to exercise
it when he by his removal from the States cea.
ses TO be citizen; his citizenship and his SOW
ereignty are co-existent. If you should re-
move TO Europe, or any part thereof, Your SOW
ereignty would not go with you, and your
rights in the country to which you removed,
would be whatever rights the laws of that
country gave you. The same rights you would
have in Kansas which would be the rights YES
ted in You by grant of the government by
act of Congress. Hence, if Congress have no
right to establish slavery in her territories, the
people resident there cannot, for their powers
cannot exceed the powers OF those from whom
they received them; else it would be found
that Congress conferred or delegated powers
that she did not have, which would be absurd.
| would advise YOU to first ascertain what are
the principles of the government OF the United
States, and then see that those principles are
preserved and established. The s'peculiar in
stitution'' cannot be national principle that
characteriZes our government, Tor the institu-
tion existed prior to the organization OF the
government, and WAS not established with the
government. And further, many of the origi-
nal States that held the institution when the
government was established, have since abol-
ished it. Qucry-have those States dismem-
bered themselves? If not, they have not a
bolished their national principles. If slavery
is 4 national principle of the government, then
it is essential that each State belonging to the
government should be identified with it. But
some Of the original States did not hold the
institution, and some new States have been adj
mittcd or nationaliZed without II. 1t follows
then that it is not national. What then, You
ask, is the national principle of the govern
mcnt In answer TO which | would first cite
YOU to the declaration of principles of 10,
ssthat all men are created equal and have GER
tain inalienablc rights, among which are life,
LIBERTY &c. Again, when the Constitution
was made, its preamble, setting forth the prin-
ciples thereof, is, s'we, the people, to promote
the general welfare and secure the blessings OF
LIBERTY to ourselves and our posterity, do or
dain and establish" " &c, &c. Again, the prin-
ciplcS Of a government may be found upon its
ensigns. The ensign OF our government, you
will perceive, is column, supported by two
erect chargers, crested by an eagle with ex-
tended wings, and undcrwrittcn with ITiUc,
LIBERTY, and independence. You will, there
! fore, whenever the declaration Of principles
reads that one OF the rights of mankind is sla-
very, and when the constitution, that docu-
ment as yet unpolluted with any combination
/ OF letters that you can pronounce Slavery,
/ when II is made to secure the blessings of
! siareTy to US and our postcrity, and when yon
| read the word slGrery instead Of liberty from
/ our ensigns, and when our nation declares the
! peculiar institution national by cmblazonng it
| upon her national escutcheon-thcn, and then
only, may you establish slavery, or assist
! therein, and remain intact from perjury. FL
nally, my fellow citizen, would advise you to
act in the capacity in which you are placed
| with Difference to the ultimate good of the
nation, preserving the principles Of civil lib
erty, and be discreet and wise, If you can, but
be President yourself. at all hazards; for most
assuredly is it as requisite for 4 President as
| for 4 bishop to "srulc well his own house,
though il may not he as requisite that he be
| ssthe husband of one wife, AcqUit Yourself
| like 4 man, rs becoming citizen of the ''Key-
stone State" so that it may not be said of you
that you had exhibited, while at the E@W hite
House." what GEORGE, your relative by name
or family, did upon his return, when baniShed
by the King!
You will believe me, that although am ac-
! customed to the numbering business, having
made and nayigated many large rafts of nu
merous platforms, the sCincinnati platform
| is one that / never did run, nor even would
any man upon if. It's unsafe and unsound
and if in market in 1860. will remain unsold.
| 4 RAFTSMAN.
To Mr., who is the Inaugurated.