American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1860-01-05
NEW SFRIFS---VOL. T, NO, So.

Ut Teunlte the ScattcreA ana nOStlIe 1rag |
meuts. ...sH..r
cordially congratulate you upon the
6nal settlement by the Supreme Court
of the United States of the question of
slavery in the Territories, which had
presented an aspect so truly formidable
at the commencement Of my admins.
tration. The right has been establish.
ed Of every citizen to take his property
of any kind, including slaves, into the
common Territories belonging equally
to all the States Of the Confederacy, and
to have Unprotected there under the Fed
eral Constitution. Neither Congress
nor a territorial legislature nor any hu-
man power has any authority to annul
or impair this vested right. The supreme
judicial tribunal Of the country, which is
a coordinate branch of the Govern
ment has sanctioned and affirmed these
principles of constitutional law, SO man
ifestly just in themselves, and SO well
calculated to promote peace and harmo-
ny among the States. 1t is a striking
proof of the sense of justice which is in-
herent in our people, that the property
in slaves have never been disturbed, to
my knowledge, in any of the Territor-
les Even throughout the late troubles
in Kansas there has not been any at
tempt, as am credibly informed, to in
terfere, in a single instance, with the
right of the master. Had any such at
tempt been made, the judiciary would
doubtless have afforded an adequate
remedy. Should they fail to do this
hereafter, it will then be time enough
to strengthen their hands by further
legislation. Had it been decided that
Congress or the territorial legislature
posses the power to annul or impair the
right to property in slaves, the evil
would be intolerable. In the latter e.
vent, there would be a struggle for a
majority of the members of the legisla-
ture at each successive election, and the
sacred rights of property held under the
Federal Constitution would depend for
the time being on the result. The ag-
/ itation would thus be rendered inces
: SAINT whilst the territorial condition re
3 NAMED and its baneful influence woe
keep alive a dangerous excitement a
' mong the people Of the several States
Thus has the status Of Territory
5 during the intermediate period from it,
first settlement until it shall become ;
State, been irrovocably fixed by the f
e nal decision of the Supreme Court
S Fortunate has this been for the prosper
C ity of the Territories, as well as thu
= tranquility Of the states. Now, ,emigrant
!, from the North and The South, the Eas
y and the West, will meet in the Terrific
;, ries on common platform, having
d brought with them the species Of pro
: perty best adapted, in their own opin
i ion, to promote their welfare. From
!, natural causes the slavery question will
It in each case soon virtually settle itself
O and before the Territory is prepared 70
l. admission as a State into the Union thi
i decision, one way or the other, will hav
is been foregone conclusion. Meanwhil
n the settlement of the Territory will pro
e ceed without serious interruption, an,
d its progress and prosperity will not b
G endangered or retarded by violent pc
is litical struggles.
it When in the progress Of events tn
y inhabitants ofany Territory shall hav
lie reached the number required to form
it State, they will then proceed, in reg
t. ular manner, and in the exercise of tn
1T rights of popular sovereignty, toform
er constitution preparatory to- iadmissio
&c into the Unio6. After this has bee
Q. done, TO employ the language Of th
Sc Kansas and Nebraska act, they "sha
b. be received into the Union with or will
J. out slavery, as their constitution ma
ir prescribe at the time Of their admi
r sion" This sound principle has hal
~ pity been recognized, i'll some form {
= other, by an almost unanimous vote
ht both houses Of the late Congress-.
er All lawful means at my comman
d. haye been employed, and shall contir
to ue to be employed, to execute the Law
y, against the African slave trade. Aft
,g a most careful and rigorous examinatic
ey of our coasts and thorough investig
n, tion of the subject, we have not bee
lo able to discover that any slaves hay
". been imported into the United Stat
de except the cargo by the WaDderer, nur
be bering between three and four hundre
les Those engaged in this unlawful ente
ot prise have been vigorously prosecuted
h. but not with as much success, as the
of crimes deserved. A number Of the
of are still under prosecution.
I'd Our history proves that the Fathe
he of the Republic, in advance of all 9th
I'm nations, condemned the African slav
is trade. It was, Notwithstanding, deer
-e- ed expedient by the frumors Of the Co
he stitution, to deprive Congress Of I
he power to prohibit "the migration or il
me portation Of such persons as any of t
ch States now existing shall think prop
~, to admit" "prior to the year one tho
ar- sand eight hundred and eight
to 1t will be seen that this RESTRICT
Die on the power Of Congress was confn
ill tosuch States only as might think pro
al er to admit the importation Of slaves,
re- Itdid not extend to other States or
ar the trade carried on abroad. Accc
IN dinghy, we find that so early as the q
N ! of March, 1874, Congress passed