The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1858-08-03

u. b. HOWELL q CO.,
HENRY NEWTON Il co.
KEOKUK POST,
FER WV. REEFS, As't.
Heary cray ON the Drea scott Prin-
eiplc.
According to the opinion Of Chief Justice
fancy in the Dred Scott case, endorsed bv
President Buchanan and the Democratic par
~, thu Constitution Of tie United States car.
ries slavery into oil the Territories of the
United States, and neither Congress nor the
people Of the Territories have power TO ex-
clude it 80 long n they continue Territories.
This doctrine, il is known, is in direct viola
tioa ct the views and policy Of the founders
eof he Government and Of all parties in the
country down to very recent period. In
1850 We believe it Was that the great MULTI.
e., John G. Calhoun, of South Carolina,
enunciated the idea which has now received
the sanction Of the Supreme Court, of the
President and Of the entire Democratic par
ty. At that period there were not corpo-
raPs guard in Congress or in the country
who endorsed Calhoun's position. Henry
Clay said in reference to it, in his speech de-
livered in July, 1850:
81 am aware that there arc gentleman who
maintain that in virtue OF the Constitution,
the right to carry slavery south OF that line
1.-THE Missouri Compromise line,) already ex-
lists, And that Of course those who maintain
that opinion want no other security for the
"A n \ nrfa TIM pf has a.,
line, than the Constitution. II | had not
heard that opinion avowed, l should have re-
garded il as one OF the most extraordinary
assumptions and the most indefensbie posi.
ton that was ever taken by MAN. The Con-
stitution neither created, nor does il con-
tinue slavery. The Constitution
10 client and passive"
And, again, further on in speaking of the
Missouri Compromise, he says:
"a positive recognition Of slavery south of
the line 80 deg. 30 min Is there ANYBODY
who believes that you can &c, twenty votes il,
this body or proportionate number in the
House, to declared in favor OF the recognition
OF slavery south Of the line of SO deg. 80 min.
Sir, it is impossible. All that YOU can get
oil that you can expect to get all that was
proposed At the last session, is action north
that line (the Missouri Compromise line.
and non'action, as regards slavery south of
that line, Its introduction upon the one side,
with no corresponding provision for it's ad-
mission upon the other side of the line Of SO
deg. 80 min"
And to close our extracts for the present
from that great speech Of Henry Clay we
give the following passage:
"My rules Of interpreting the Constitution
OF the United States are the good old rules
OF '9s and '99. l have mover in my life devil
ated from these rules. And what are they ?
The Constitution is an aggregate Of ceded
powers. No power is granted except when
u Is expressly delegated or when il is mecca
eAry and proper 10 carry into effect delera-
I'D power. And il in any instance the pow
er 70 curry slaves into the Territories ia guar
antied by the Constitution, or is an incident
eneccssary 10 the carrying out of any other
power that is delegated in the Constitution.
have been unable to perceive it. Amidst
ell she vicissitudes Of public life and amds,
all Exchanges and turns Of party, never
have ia my life deyiated from these funda-
mental, and, think, Enthusiastically true pr,n-
ciples OF interpreting the Constitution Of the
United States. Take these principles to be
true and where is the power--can ANYBODY
point 1t out to me, which gives yoo the right
70 carry slaves TO California; California then
being Territory Whore il the delegated
power, or the power to which i, attaches as
necessary implication. 1t is no where to
De FOUND. You must resort 10 some such
general principle ms the Federalists did In
the early history Of this country, when thew
commended for the doctrine Of the general
welfare. But you cannot put your finger on
The part OF the Constitution which CONVEYS
the right or the power TO carry slaves from
one OF the States of the Union to any Terri
tory OF the United States.o
Now We ask those who revere the memory
or regard the opinions Of Henry Clay wba,
he would have thought and said Of the nrin !.
eiplo Of the bred Scott decision In the
meantime We shall say to the Supreme Cour,
TO President Buchanan and to the Democrat.
&c party what Henry Clay said in the Senate
o. the United States, egh. years ago 10 John
=. ea'houn You cannot PIT your finger
on The part q he Constitution ,chieh cou.
pfys Mf right or the potoer to earru ,lav,,
from one q the States offhe Union 70 an,
Territory Of the United State.D
rerocks - ne Quincy neral., wa3se
temper seems to have sugJered ,na.x