Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1859-09-29
Yoars. in lispair, n
TIMOTHY 0ALDBUCK.
The Presidential Question.
Views Of Mr.. Bolts on Slavery.-North-
ern DOughfaces Rebuked.
RICHMOND, July 81, 1859.

RIcHNoND, July 81, 1859.
Ny DEAR SIR:-I have Just received
your letter of the 26th inst, in which you
ask me to write YOU eractly how standon
the question of slavery, which | supposed
hail been fully expressed in my Powhattan
(African) Church and Academy of Music
speeches, except so far as regards this new
question, since raised. of Territorial code
for the protection of slavery by Congress.
BY another letter, also received this after
noon, learn that your last letter relating
to Mr. Bates and myself will be published
tomorrow or next day, and therefore any
answer to your inquiry would be too late
/ for the purpose designed. But IT | had
received it in time, should have answer
ed have never favored the acquisition of
territory for the extension ofSlavery; have
never favored, and never will favor, any
system of legislation for the introduction
Of slavery into territory now free, against
the viii Of the people of the territory. j
am unaltcrably opposed to the lesalization
of the African slave trade, and to the re-
peal of the laws on that subject, and would
visit the severest penalty of the law on all
who might bo gago1 in thst inhnman and
unlawful traffic This have said over and
over again, until thought il was understood
by all. believe Congress possesses the sole
power of legislation for the Territories, and
that power being lodged by the Consti
tuition, Congress had no more right to
transfer it to the Territorial Legislatures
than it would have to transfer the war
making power to the State Legislatures,
and this power of legislation being, in the
language Of the Supreme Court Gin former
days). absolute and unqualified" Con-
press could according to its discretion con-
stitutionally legislate for or against its in
PRODUCTION, as might he most desirable to
I the people of the Territory, or as might ap-
/ pear to them most wise and jndlclous; at
the same time. i cannot deny that as it
was the intention of those who framed
the Constitution to prohibit its intro
dnction into all the territory then be-
longing to the United States (as indicated
by the ordinance Of 1877, which was "a
greed to, IN the main, by the men who
formed the Convention that adopted the
| Constitution, and which was recognized
by the first Congress that sat under the
Constitution. it is fair to presume, at
least, that they did not intend to throw
any obstacle in the way of its prohibition
in any territory that might be thereafter
acquired.
! Bnt, although this right in Congress
I does exist, the South has chosen by the
passage of the Kansas Nebaaska bill,
(which with the aid Of the Executive and
q few of their Northern Democratic allies.
they forced upon the Nortli). to enter into
a compact. bv which it has been agreed,
and provided by legislation yet unrcpeai
ed, never to attempt it's exercise. either Tor
or against its introduction, but, in the lam
gnace of the law, "to leave the people
threof free to form and regulate their own
domestic institutions in their own way"
} This is the bargain they have made for
themselves, and they have no right to com
plain for being held stictly to the terms
imposed bv themselves on others. Ii they
have made "a bad bargain. they have none
but themselves to blame for their own fol-
ly, and i would no sooner sustain State,
: a party or a section. in playing that dis
!. reputable game Of "fast and loose, I" In hold
ing on to andinsisting upon good bargain,
and breaking faith and violating obligations
to avoid bad bargain. than W 'uld an in
dividual engaged in the same demoratzinS
and unjustifiabe process. of trading and
trafficking-a mode oftransacting business
which no honest man in private life would
attempt. and which none of any sort would
J be tolerated in practicing in any well con-
Quoted society. e
i have uniformly advocated the policy
of confning slavery to its present limits,
unless indeed, it should gradually and nat
I urally, as in dne course of time 1t probably
: will, find it's way to warmer and more
> Southern climate thanthe line 30 de-
Z grees North latitude / therefore paid no
4 more attention to the pretext set mp by Mr..
/ Calhoun when negotiating for Texas
"that Il ,eos necessaryt to open. ne,o country
for redundant slape population. which
scouM otherscise overrun the present slave
4 States"--than do now to the opposite de-
mand of his followers, ''for revival Of
the slave trade for the supply of deficient
i labor / have regarded and treated each
4 proposition proceeding from an unsriend-
4 ly spirit to our present Union. and de-
sire to break up the bonds Of brotherhood
by which we are cemcnted; and L have
I turned deaf eartfo their arguments, sand
! paid no respect to theis advocates.
! The institution of slavery where 1t exists
( was never in less danger of interruption than
! at present, and those who are most noisy
- i,rsv1vs-o1< a ,iDf0, ftvpl .cvorss lS'
WaEzsw EHa ASs "a lSSSah%s fSsonesced 70 DC