Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-09-27
From she Charleston {: c. Evsnlns New
THE IssuE-PR0TECTION TO SLAVE PROPERTY

puT UiJc'tWi " l'uu-IdH "dN 'iS7' $500 VII
Saturday. That we may not lac misunderstood,
it is proper 10 oNpiain more fully our objection
10 a CONGRESSIONAL slave code. Il i; not to be
identified with Congrc>>lona! protection IL
slave property. and in opposing ii We co nol
waive. but in fact woald sac .-t..tn The drlha"d
for that protection.
The protection Of man in t.e enjoyment; OF
a right l,hc usual function Of government and
law does not embrace the power to a5roGate
or destroy the right Itself, and not, necessarily
even the power or duty TO rcgulaicit. This POW
or MAY extend to rgh, solely derived RON
government or law, but not right derived
from God and nature, or which Is independent
Of or prc-eyistcnt 10 government. In tins coun'
trv the right Of a master 10 i slave wa 80 IN
dependent and prc.cXi>tcit, and State LAWS Only
recognised i as one existent aud vested, aad
TO some extent regulated it for lis preservation
and Tie GOOD Of the parties concerned, and the
Federal Constitution also recognized 1t and
guaranteed is protection, but was not con
structei 20 regulate it, or 10 authorize lis Tcgu'
lation. The regulation pertains solely TO a State
government and ;l!c right To- regulate II IS one
Of the reserved State rights
Protection 20 the right Of the master TO hi>
slave, involves but two proposition; the re,
Straiut Of third parties from interfering with II,
and the enforcement Of Tic aabor,'Ilaiion 81
the negro To lis owner. |; simply recognizes
and preserves the ordinary right OF property,
wthou, regard 10 how the right viii be cXer-
c;,cd 'ihi, in the limits o.! Il State can only
be afforded by State Government. In the
Territories or on the common domain, II can
only lac afforded by the Federal Government,
as the common representative there oil the
States OF It's authorized agent.
Bat protection is one thing, and interference
with or the regulation Of the relation between
the muster and the slave themselves, isanothcr.
One refers to the ,g',rDal and the other 10 the
int.rnM integrity ard character Of the right
The legal entertainment and regulation o! the
latter or internal relation. constitute what
NAV be designated slave Code proper
Ii does not involve the power 10 destroy
the right. bat addresses itself 10 the cha
ractcr and extent Of il exercise. MS
authority belongs 10 State within lis limits,
and NAV belong to Territorial Convection,
assembled and when forming
a Constitution and State government. But we
do no; a,,u; tina; Congress may cou>tiluuonaI-
" exercise IL in a mere Territory or 90. the
resi-; the assumption Of such jurisdiction by
Con.rcS, on all grounds, whether Of cApcdieI'-
cy. policy, power or justice No State Rights
man can assent 10 or concedc il. "der ~
scope and pretcncc. the power 10 cvcn cna'c!-
pa.e slavery Iaay be a>>umed-a rowe: certain.
is mover contemplated H.? the Constitution, and
rcpcliin.lv ignored and denied in spirit and
letter in lis guarantee Of the right Oi TIE E:S-
ter 10 the possession and labor Of his slave. -
THIS guarantee embodied in the fugitive Save
law, and which only protects ;ic right TO such
possession and labor. furnishes tie analogy
whereby 70 determine and Emit the character
and extent %; the protection which HAY and
should he required -: Cong,c>S To- slave proper
" in 4 Territory
But let u PAUSE for some illustrations or the
distinctions and principles above laid down.
Shall We in a>kin: d; Congress Il slave Code,
and 10y admitting the power 10 cnnccGc
to that body the privilege Of providing, in
conjunction with the protection Of master :
right. such unwarrarlab!c in;cricrcnce> with
it, exercise, as that illc master Shall not work
his Slave but bali Il day. shall hot punish him
children and Grant him land for his Own work
ring ordained holiday The whole idea Is ab-
surd and monStrou>.
On the othc: hand. Congress may provide =
general Law for all the Territories. that the ,na>-
Ter NAV have possession Of ard control over the
person Of his slave; that he may direct his
labor AMI receive lis proceeds; that he r!ay
recover him when y fugitive. "nd obtain his
person or value from :.y stranger "!io may
seize or a5d,ct him; that the master may not
MAIN or Kill hi> negro, or the latter refuse
obedience to his owner. ami that these pro-
visions must he enforced by the officials and
Courts aud Legislature of 4 Territory. This
much the Congress may grant, and the South
should demand il is not interference a.air>;
the master and citizen. but Intervention in
favor Of his right. his intcre>; and his sGPe-
rori,y This intcrN cnton is a duty under the
Constitution. under the rights and authority Of
the Southern States, and by virtue Of the
decree Of the Judiciary in the bred scott case
! is the performance of this duty which Dou.
las and hi, followers refuse.
We ADMIT unhc>itatin.ly that "Non-nter-
ycn;ion by Congress with slavery il Il 'rcIrito
~ for or again,;, has been the sound. cstab-
,i.!cd and >tereo,ypcd policy and doctrine Of
Inc sOuUl, ana 40" VI tlt Ic't'"I -N'''"'
lncnt. and we arc willing TO abide 10y it. Bn,
by this is meant j."'itic"l non-interycn,ion
with slavery As Il poihic"L or public institution
with it in lis federal rclationS-with it a Il
political element to be dragged into the arena
Of politics. Congress or elsewhere, Ia subse:Gc
the IranSitory purposes Of parties or sections.
IL ;hs view. nolI.intervcntion i our creed; bat
tii, view is the p"Ili" or political ole in con-
;radstnc,iun to the private domestic and per-
ional one \ private right may remain the
same. whether it, public relation bc rcpubll-
can. representative. monarchical, dcSpotic or
any other. The Intervention We claim. Is Zeal
hot political The protection and municipal
preservation Of the private right and property IN
a slave, As in any other property. II asked, why
this Intervention for slave property, ana not tor
any other species: we answer that slave pro-
pcitv, and not other kinds, i asSailcd and en-
ansercd. and that in order not Ia dScrlni-
nate specially in favor o. it. the proposed law
NAV be general and comprehensive III H. terms
rs 10 all property.
We conclude jy saying that what Tie South
should demand i. that the Democratic Conycn-
ton and Congress should both an! screialy.
=, their next sessions in formal tcrin> rccog-
me, endorse and acknowledge the Obligations
10 carry out the doctrines and acquisitions Of
the judiciary in the bred Scott cast. Whether
Is ties, Of political fidelity, or pledge Of LEGAL
security to slavery, it will be sufficient for the
present in the direction Of protection TO the
rights Of the Southern States and citizens.
With reference to the Democratic Charleston
although We deny and oppose the
rol:cy and prcrgicty Of such irregular bodies in
general. We ate no, opposed 10 the people Of
south Carolina sending delegates 10 ii, if they
DC in favor of killing OF Douglas and >quatter
,oyercignty. and pledged to require legal Sc
,uri,y to slave property in tie Ter'iioric,-to
.n.iorsc the bred Scott decision.
WALLIyG on WATrR-On Saturday after
noon, Mr. IIicock performed lis promised feat
If walking on water. i'll the presence Of about
. score OF witnesses. The River Don, near the
Don Station. was the scene Of this unriyallcd
EXPLOIT. \ lit:le after O'clock. three or four
members Of the Press, with Mr.. Goodcnougb
proceeded to the appointed spot. where Mr.