Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1857-02-05

9 srnment, but vas subject to the ssTsreigni'
and conflicting regulations Of thiriy-sns allie
8 independent slalsS.
scout all such dOgmaS. / rejeies ts-da
IN the assurance, that, despite the President
false statements and false logic. We have a Ma
tiOnsl GoVsrnmsnt, fully empowered BY th
Constitution, to regulate exclusively the CON
mercs Of the country with ell foreign States
between the several States Of the Union, AM
throughout the SstiOnal Territenss. Ever,
American citizen knows that the eommsreia
embarrassment Of the country. after the estab
lishmsnt Of Independence, arising out Of tn,
conflicting commercial regulation Of the statel
under the Confederation, cOatribut4d more
than any other cause, to the formatioa of the
Constitution.
Who will forget the nsblS action Of Virginia
in 1887 Virginia. the mother Of dead heroes
aud dead patriots, and dead Statesmen, but
thank Godl the mother also Of living repub-
lie, and living Constitution. When Virginia.
in 1886, appointed her commissioners, instruct
ing them TO meet such commissioners as the
other States Of the Union should appoint to
take in consideration the trade and commerce.
OF the United States, she took the first great
step towards the formation Of that more per-
feet union, and free Wrinen Constitution, under
which We live. Sir, that Constitution was or
dained aud established by the people Of the
United States, to establish JUSTICE 10 provide
for the common defensej to promote the gen.
eral welfare; TO insure domestic tranquility;
10 protect industry,to regulate commerce, an d
TO secure the blessings OF liberty, and not to
form mere alliance Of independent States
with an equality Of right and States, to enslavs
men within and without their representative
jurisdictions.
But says the President, .hs States are equal
and have each and all as States equality oil
rights The several States are equal in re-
spect OF all the great and essential rights of
free commonwealth in respect Of all rights sane
toned By the Constitution and consonant with
It's SPIRIT they each aud ALL under the Consti.
tuition, have the right to do whatever free
State may Ofright Co. except that they may not
exercise any Of the powers granted by the
Constitution exclusively to the General Gov
ernmeut But have yet to learn, that anv
State, formed under and by virtue of the Goa
stiluhon, may of right snslave its own children,
and cell them like cattle in the shsmbles l.
The Constitution does not provide for the erec-
ton and admission into the Union of such
States, or does il admit The existence of such a
tyrrany within the Territories, where its iuris-
diction is exclusive. The States, say, are e.
qusl under the Constitution in the right, within
their representative limits, 10 establish Justice,
TO promote the general welfare. and to secure
to each and every person therein the absolute
enjoyment Of the rights Of human nature, which
are as impressible as the human soul, and as
universal as the human race But the States
are unequal in the right to Co wrong, il l may
be allowed the pAradOx-in the privilege to
trAmple upon the inborn rights Of humanity,
and 10 violate the principles Of eternal justice
which requires, that every man shall receive
his due. The original States, not under the
Constitution, nor by force ofths Constitution,
but Independent Of it. retained to the emsslves
monopoly in the horrid crime of slavery, within
their respective limits, and also ia the slave
traffic for twenty years upon the high seas.
This reservation of privileges by the original
States this inequality between them and the
new States formed under and only BY force Of
the Consttution-iS written upon the face Of
that instrument, and declared BY the national
legislation in the erection ahd admission of
new States. The constitutional provision for
q thres-6fth representation, based Iupon slave
population and alsO, the provision for the
recapture Of slaves escaping from oHe State into
another, implied an exclusion Of the Genera
Government from any interference for the abO-
lition OF slavery within the original States
These two provisions are, in fact, implied limi-
tatiOns upon the power of the General Govern
States. So, also, the ninth section of the first
article Of the Constitution was an express lin-
tatiOa OF the power Of Congress over the for
sign commerce in slaves, for the exclusive ben
eft of the then existing States. That section
is in these words:
"Tbs migration or importation Of such per-
sons as any Of the States now existing shall
think proper TO admit, shall net be prohibited
by Congress, prior to the year 1903. but tax
or duty may be imposed on saeh importation,
net exceeding ten dollars for each person. |
This express limitation in favor of the Ori.
giusl States, was absolutely necessary if they
would continue the foreign slave trade after
the adoption of the Constitution, for the reason
| =