The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-08-26

The Richmond Enquirer, OF the 18th
inst, publishes the following manly letter
from the Hon. STEPHEN A. DoUoLAs. 1t il
addressed TO Col. JOIN l.. PEYroS, Of Stsun.
ton, Va:
WASHINGTON, Aug. 2, 1859.
my Dear SIR You do me more than
justice in your kind letter, for which accep
my thanks, in assuming that do not con.
cur with the Administration 10 their views
respecting the rights Of naturslized citizens,
a. defined in the LIE Clerc letter. which, it
Is proper TO observe, have been since materi.
ally modified.
Under our Constitution there can I've no
just distinction between the right of native
born and naturalized citizens to claim the
protection Of oor government at home and
abroad. Unless naturalization releases the
person natursli1ed from all obligations
which be owed TO bis native country, by
virtue Of bis allegishce it leaves him 10 the
sad predicament OF ewing allegiance to two
countries, without Peiviag protection from
eitber--a dilemma which DO American
citizen should ever be placed.
"Neither have you Inexperienced my
opinions in respect TO the African slave
trade. That question seriously disturbed
the harmony OF the convention which framed
the federal constitution. Upon it the dele
gates divided into two parties, under cir
cumstances which, for time, rendered bar.
monious action hopeless. The one demanded
the instant and unconditional prohibition of
the African slave trade on moral and relipi.
Gus grounds, while the other insisted that it
was legitimate commerce, involving no
other consideration than sound public pol
icy, which each State ought to be permitted
to determine for itself, so long as it was
sanctioned by its own laws. Each party
stood firmly and resolutely by its own posi-
ton until both became convinced that this
vexed question would break up the conven.
ton, destroy the Federal Union, blot out
the glores OF the revolution, and throw away
all its blessings, unless some fair and Just
compromise could be formed on the common
ground OF such mutual concessions as were
indispensable to the preservation of their
liberties, union and independence.
Such compromise was effected and in
corporated into the constitution, by which it
was understood that the African slave trade
might continue as legitimate commerce in
those States whose laws sanctioned it until
the year 1903, from and after which time
Congress might and wovld prohibit it for
ever throughout the dominion and limits of
the United States, and pass all laws which
might become necessary to make such pro.
hIbltion efectual. The harmony Of the con.
ventlon was restored, and the Union saved
by this compromise, without which the
constitution could never have been made.
I" stand firmly by this compromise, and
by all the other compromises OF the consti.
tuition, and shall use my best efforts to carry
each and all of them into faithful execution,
in the sense and with the understanding in
which they were originally adopted. In
accordance with this compromise, am ir.
reconcilably opposed to the revival of the
African slave trade, 10 any form and under
any circumstances.
81 am, with great respect, yours truly,
IS. A. DorGI.As."