Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-12-31

will not thereby be increased. Over the Il
ject Of the African slave-trsde, Us a brancf
foreign commerce, the States. in their il
vidual capacity, have no power. as We b ]
seen, except such as may relate 10 police e
sulations and measures Of selfprotec,io,I
such, Tor instance, as would exclude the ;na
of this importation on the ground that !, We, :
nuisance and an evil injurious to the safety ::
wcll.beins Of the State. This power wonld \
confined in its nature to defensive measrrae, l
measures Of exclusion and suppressed
could not embrace the power to prono,.
encourage the traffic by affirmative measr,t
Any law Of State for that purpose w.,
deal with ii rs matter purely Of foreign 80.
mcrce and not rs matter Of police rceul,,;,
This would not be within the exception recosn;,,
ct. as limiting the great principle Of escIes,s
power so clearly settled in the case OF CHI.
". Ogden. IL would. therefore. be obnoxious,
the objection OF unconStitut;onalitv The >.
peal Of the acts of Congress could no, enl.rl
the exception as to police powers j, couli N
alter or repeal the Constitution The DOVE
would remain where it was before. The ~
of Congress being ctfared could no, ,ran>,,.
the power 10 the States. which the Constr,
ton In, vested exclusively in Congress, Gov,
grcsS cannot divc>t Itself of it. That W, =,
require m amendment Of the Constitution,
The States could get back the power they
surrendered. in no other way than by
amendment Now. if this would be true
the absence Of these Congressional laws, m,
more is il true when these laws are unrepcal,'
Il follows. then, that all such measures As ),
been proposed III some State Legislatures n
ing for their object the encouragement and /!
of this traffic, are unron>,i
tional Even il i, were admitted that
States possessed concurrent powers wi f
Federal Legislature over the subject. Stat
must then yield to the Federal Leg>lau a.
the Constitution declares that the FeIt T.
shall be the supreme law o; the land
the State in conflict with the feds
would bc null and void, and could onV n
forced by notification and rebellion. "a
State measures, then, if adopted in CO
ton Of the acts Of Congress, would +
most pernicious nature. Ii the citiz
State are induced by such measures t,
in the trade, they would be liable to "a
ment for the crime Of piracy, and thu !,
would be unable to rescue them. exo
terposing its authority. in resistance o
thority Of the United States. This wet Y
about revolution. And it requires nok
10 tell that the result would bc-that tn
ludcd victims would be the sufferers fros \
folly Of such rash legislation Neither will
Of the Apprentice system which
been suggested in one State. obviate the |
,nlty or lessen the danger Of such u result !
That j. All evasion Of the law, which would al
,f securing All escape. The words Of the f.
.ral acts meet this modification. Ii the i.
ported African is held to labor or service"
single day, his Importation OF migration
and will involve every one conccr
ri. in the crime and penalty Of the law. Il
sufficient 10 add. in respect to the Apprea,,S
,yStcn. that il il is intended Ia be carried \
IN good faith. il is hostile 10 the policy 4
Every Southern State. and ruinou> 10 the m,.
.c,, Of slavery, ~ it would fill the slayeh9.
ny States with the most miserable free hey
population. And if il is 10 he a false pref,
sion, and the Apprentices are 70 he he'd
slaves. it is not only liable to all the objcctio,
against the slave trade. hut brands Itself v,l
he double iniamy. both Of violating the as
If Congress and pcrtidously violating the fat
If the State plightcd 10 Il barbarian negro. !.
he honor oil the South. if this traffic Is 10 b
opened. let il he done in manner which IS,
II least hay. the credit Of bodnes, AMI GO
nlth. Let not falSchood be its cover anu pt
idy its instrument. would rather Set
Southern State driven into qualification !.
open heroic rebellion against Federal pOwe
han to see it. through fear Of Federal arthC;
". hide itself in false prctcnccs and peril!y.
If all the phases which this matter has ycta
'umed, the most revolving and hlmlia,ns
hat Of importing Apprentices. France a
England originated this most revolving form
Slavery and the slave trade Let their phil:
hropists have the honor Of it. 1t is unwoTa
he national character Of the Slavcholdts'
State, Of the South. X. e. II
TO Hg CONTINUED