Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-07-02

I !
FRIDAY MORNING, July 2, 1858.
Gov. johnson ana Mr.. Crittepden--The
Columbia.
The discussion Of the washington School Bill
ELECTED from GOV JoRSsos a very able cOnstitu.
tOnal argument on the power of Congress to legis-
late for the District Of Columbia to which invite
the careful attention Of cur readers. In this debate
he encountered some of the finest intelects Of the
Senate, sehooled BY long parliamentary experience
in contests Of this kind, and fortified with legal
learning and profound knowledge Of the political
history Of the country, such as few men possess.
Gov. JoHEsoE was not dismayed By this formidable
array Of talents in opposition to him. but proceeded,
with drectness that is Characteristic Of the man,
to strip the subject of theveil of sOphstry in which
thew bad developed IT, and presented it in astrong
clear light which renders it perfectly ineligible 70
the most common underst anding. He resorts 70 no
subterfuge OF evasion in his argument but comes up
TO the question boldly and fearlessly caring more
for truth than conquest, and confident Of the cor
rectness of his positions Heuse no technicalties
he cites no authorities he seeks no eztraneOus aids,
to support his opinions Bis reasoning is based !
upon admitted facts and undisputed principles The
inevitable. He sezss upon the arguments Whichhave
been welded against him, AID hurls them with
crushing force upon mis- assailants, until the ram
parts of their reasoning toter and crumble beneath
his blows. He drives them from every position
which tbev assume, anu semOlishes their fortihea-
tons and defenses.
The leading question involved in this discussion
Is Of vital Importance to the country. 1t was as
sumed by the advocates Of the bill, that Congress
has the power to appropriate money from the treas
ury for the benefit Of the people Of the District 1t
was contended that the clause in the constitution
which declares that Congress shall exercise e1eiu
sive legislation ever the District conferred the au
thority which they claimed. Mr.. CBrJTBNDEE VINO
supported the bill, quoted the opinion Of CnieI-
Justice MARSHALL, defining the powers OF Congress
over the District to be the as those OF state
Legislature over State and he argued, that since
a legislature has the power Of sPPropr1atng the
public money for the support Of Common senools IN
the State Congress has the same power IN the DIS
triet of Columbia Gov. JOHNSON refuted this argu-
ntbysaing that while the legislature ola State has
the right to use the revenues of the State for the
r,omotion of education, it has no right to use the
money belonging to other States for this or any othef
7,rnose The bill under discussion approPrlates
the public money belonging to all the states IN
or,r,op for the support of schools in the District
7, takes tbe money which all the States have con-
tribted TO the general government and uses 1t Tor
the benefit of the District alone. 1t robs the poor
and destitute children of Tennessee, Of the mesns
might be applied to their education and improV
mept. and gives it to 8 single city, where millions
have already been layished. Congress has no more
% tn ne D
ingon hau to our Own State and surely the children
~ Tennessee need the advantages Of public schools
oujte as much as those of Washington City. 1t Is
impossible to evade either the force or the justice OF
this argument If Congress has only the power Of
q State Legislature, when making laws for the DIS
trict of Columbia, 1t has the right 10 appropriate
the revenues Of the District alone, for the beneht Oh
Is citizens.
But Governor JOHNSON goes further than this. he
contends AID We think correctly, that the clause IN
tbeoonsution above referred to, oOnfers no original
power upon Congress It only authorizes 1t to ez'
eeis The power which resided in the Legislature Of
MARYLAND before the oession of the territory which
oomDoses the District Of Columbia. The Legislature
Of MARYLAND caeded the District of Columbia to the
States of the coufederagy. Together with the ter.
riory 1t transferred the States all the authority
which il possessed over it. The Legislature o.
course could give no more power than it had itself
The States, through The Constitution, gave to Con
ress all the power that they might acquire over sucl
District by the act Of cessiOn. They could give NJ
more than they received from Maryland. Congress
then has the power to make no laws for the Dlstrc
ofColumbia which the Legislature Of Maryland coul'
not have made at the time Of the cessiOn. Now n
one will be bold enough to contend that the Legs
laure of Maryland had the right to appropriate tn
money belonging to all the States for the benefit o
that District. 1t is Just as absurd to claim tina
Congress has that power.
We desired TO direct attention to the discussion
this subject because connects itself with anOthe
question of far greater imPOrtanoe-the right
Congress to abolish slavery in the District OF Colum
bia Now, by the constitution of Maryland, thei
Legislature had no power to abolish slavery. Con
seouently 1t could not transfer that power to tn
general government, and Congress does not possess
and Of course canaot exercise it.
1t is somewhat significant, in view of the friendl
relations now existing between the Black Republi
oansand Mr.. CH1TrENDEE, and their anxiety to ru
him for the Presidency, that when asked bis OPinlo
ofthe right Of Congress to abolish slavery IN tn
District he refused to answer the question directly
but so SNAPPED MS re ply as " biOAASS' 80 ---t
that he believed in the existence Of that right
is evident that Mr.. CRITTENDEN is doing everythin
in his power to ccnciliate the Black Repuohca
Party. and establish himself securely in their fave
and affections. He mas probably accomplished hi
object. The congratulations Of BURI1NGANE an
WILSON on mis- speech against the admission OF ksr
sas, the public dinner rendered to him and Mr. BEL
by GREELEY, RAYMOND and others, the honor
conferred On him at Cincinnati, all show that tn
abOiiuous:s are satisfied that he will suit thei
purposes and aid 10 accomplishing ther treasOnabl
objects. He now comedies to them all that the
can claim He does not deny the right to abOlis
slavery in the District he disavOws the authOrit
Of the bred Scott decision, and above ell votes wit
them to exclude a slave State from the Union
LATER FROM LBEBA.-Letters have been recel'
ed at the Office OF the American Colonization sOcI
~. Washington, from Liberia to the 18th OF Apr
The following extracts from letters of Dr. snOWdeI
dated at the interior settlement Carysburg, Marc
25th. will be interesting to our readers;
Up 10 this date the emigrants are well and dom
we'll Three or four Of them have had slight lndl
position. None have had decided attack OF AT
" HnIH Tho