, 1860-01-06

80 in the wrong, u lues expression Lual a
Ma srisis by virtue of tie Constitution
h.s5uitaleht y. to saying that the Constitu-
son bos established it, There is not only a
'"hstantial, but a wide and most obvious
J;aerence. The Constitution does not es.
tsbIisb Christianity in the Territories; but
christianity exists there by virtue of the
Gonstitution: because when q Christian
woTesinto a Territory, he cannot be pre-
vrnted from taking his religion along with
him. nor can he afterwards be legally mo-
lested for making its principles the rule of
his faith and practice
We have said, and we repeat that a
man does not forfeit his right of property in
a slave by migrating with him to a Terrific
rv The title which the owner acquired in
tbs State from whence he came must be re-
.Deeted in his new domicil as it was in the
Old. until it is legally and consttutionally
divested The proposition is undeniable.-
But the absurd inference which some per-
sons have drawn from it is not true, that
the master also takes with him the judicial
ysuaIirslwhich were furnished him at the
place where his title was acquired. Wheth-
er the relation of master and slave exists
or not, is question which must be deter
mined according to the law OF the State in
which it was created; but the respective
rights and obligations of the parties must
he protected and enforced by the law pre-
yaiing at the place where they are suppos.
ed 10 be violated. This is also true with
respect to rights of every other kind Two
merchants living in the same town may buy
their goods in different States Can it be
doubted that the title of each depends on
tho law of the State where he made is
nurchase? But the law Of larceny and
trespass is the law of forum common TO
both, and must necessarily be the same
The validity Of a mans marriage is tried
nv the standard Of the law which prevailed
m the country where il was solemnized; but
N he beats bis wife, she must seek protec-
tion from the law Of the place where they
live
Some of Mr.. Douglass partzans, and
nearly all of the auti-savery opposition,
contend that property in slaves cannot ex-
ist so as to entitle it to the protection of
the same laws which secure the right Of
property IN other things For their benefit
We shall briefly show how impossible it is to
admit the distinction which they insist up
on.
What is property? Whatever a person
may legally appropriate to his own exclu-
site use and transfer to another by sale or
gift. BY the laws Of the southern Suites,
negroes are within this definition, and the
Constitution of the United States not only
recognises the validity of the State laws,
but it aids in carrying them out The fra
mers of the Constitution, seeing that slaves
were liable 10 one danger from which all
other property was exempt namely, that Of
being Seduced away by the offer, in other
States Of legal shelter from the pursuit Of
their owners, agreed that the Federal Gov
ernment Should guarantee their redeliyery
to the exclusive possession of the persons
entitled to them as proprietors. The law,
then, Of the States in which they are, and
the consNtutionS Of the Federal Govern
meat, 70 all legal intents and purposes, pro
nounce that slaves are property. Beaten
here, our adversares convert it from legal
to theological question. But when they
appeal from The Constitution to the Bible,
they are equally dissatisfied with the dccis
ion they get. Nothing is left them but
that "Higher Law" which has no sanction
nor no authority, Divine or human. Those
who reject the Constitution mast BE- content
TO follow guides who are stone blind =
They are men who aspire to be wise above
what is written, and thereby press them
selves down to the EXTREMIST point Of hu-
man folly. They turn thier backs on all the
light, which the world has, or can have;
they go forth into outer darkness, and wau-
der perpetnally in q bowling wilderness Of
error.
But Mr.. Douglas is guiltlcss Of this here
Sy, at least He comedies that slaves are
precisely like other property, so far as re-
CARDS the legal remedies and constitutional
rights Of the owner He processes to take
the fundamental law Of the land for mis-
guide upon that point Let his practice,
then, correspond with his faith; let him
walk worthy of the vocation wherewith
he is called" )" let him make no more appeals
to popular prejudice for q Sovereignty which
does not exist; above all things, let him
never, by the slightest suggestion, encour-
nge any territorial government TO under.
mine the rights of the citizen by legislation
which is "unfriendly" to the security Of
either property or life. We must not pal
ter with the Constitatiot 10 double sense
but obey it, support it, defend it, earnestly
and faithfully, like men who believe in it
and love it, Whosoever attempts to triae
with its principles, or weaken the obligation
OF its guarantees, will find sooner or later
that he has fixed stain upon his political
character which there is not rain enough
in the sweet heavens" to wash out.
OLYMPIA, W. T., Jan. 4th, 1860.