East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1860-10-04
/, EAST SAGINAW, MICHIGAN, OCTOBER A, 1860


; rights of the South, an act of Congress
was passed for the admission of Kansa
into the Union at once, providing sh
would consent TO become slaveholdin
J State, but postpaning her admission in
definitely if she refused.
In your published letter, you justl
condemn the seceders from the Charlesto
Convention, who, you think, ought t
have remained, and prevented the nomi
nation of a candidate who is obnoxiou
to the South. Do you not perceive, Sin
that the secession was part of the pro
gramme for breaking up the Democratic
Party? And is it not palpable that afte
absolutely vacating their seats at Charles
ton, they went to Baltimore for the mer
purpose of more eflectually completin,
the work of destruction by drawing OF
another detachment? /, Sir, entertain
no 1oubt that the secession was the re
suit most desired by the Disunionists
that the object of the new issue ther
gotten up was merely to form pretex
for secession, and that its adoption wa,
the last thing they desired or designed.
| Glance moment at few facts: Ala
bama, led by an open disunionist, went t,
Cincinnati, in 1856, under instruction.
to secede unless the equal rights of al
the States in the Territories should be
conceded and incorporated into the plat
form o. the Democratic party. The con
cession was made, and they had no op-
portuniiy to secede.
They came to Charleston under the
same leader, again instructed to secede
unless the convention would put into the
platform a new plank, the effect of which,
if adopted, would be further to disgust
and ALLEVIATE the Northern Democracy
In this instance the sine qua non was not
complied with, and the Disunionists
foated off on the rejected plank into an
unknown sea, unfortunately carrying with
them large number of good aud true
Union men.
And what is this principle, the non
Reorganization of which has rived asunder
the Democratic Party, and apparently
threatens the dissolution of the Union?
1t is that, it is the right and duty of
Congress to legslate for the protection
of slave property in the Territories.
Now, l take it upon me to say that
more latitpdlnarian and dangerous, claim
Look at it in constitutional and prac-
tical light: If Congress haze the right
to legislate for the protection of slave
property in the Territories, they have a
right to legislate for the protection of all
other property; and if they have right
to legislate for the protection Of property,
they have right to legislate for the pro-
lection of persons. The assumption that
they can legislatc for the protection of
slave property leads, logically and newt
ably, to the conclusion that they have
power to legislate for the Territories in
all cases whatsoever. If you can put
your finger on the grant Of this power in
the Constitution, please put 1T also on Its
limitations, if any can be found. Upon
this principle Congress may acquire an
empire outside Of the organized States,
over which it may exercise unlimited
power, governing it as the Roman Sen
ate did their conquered provinces. And
this under Constitution which jealousy
restricts the exclusive power of legisla-
ton by Congress to few spots OF land
purchased, with the consentlof the States,
| for specified objects, aud grants no power
of general legislation over Territory
whatsoever.
| To verify these positions We need only
advert to the Constitution. Among the
grants of power to Congress is the fol
lowing, viz:
'To exercise exclusive legislation II
all cases whatsoever over such district
(not exceeding ten miles squale) as may
by cession of particular States, and tn
acceptance of Congress, become the sea
of government of the United States, anc
to exercise like authority over all place;
purchased by the consent of the Legisla
ture of the State in which the same shal
be, for the erection of forts, magazines
arsenals, dockyards, and other needfu
buildings"
Mark the jealousy with which thi
power is restricted. For the protection
of the Government even it is limited :
Territory not exceeding ten mile
square, and it cannot be exercised owe
the forts, magazines, arscnsls, dock
Yards, and other needful buildings,
situated within the States, unless th
land on which they may be located shs
be first purchased with the consent
the Legislature" of those States. Is
conceivable that the wise men who rt
stricted the exclusive power of legisl'
. ton in Congress to a territory nc
exceeding ten miles square, did, by an
indirection, grant that power broadl
enough to cover the whole continent on
side of the organized States, should it
annexed by purchase or conquestY
i The following provision is the only on
in the Constitution which has bee
chiefly, if not exclusively relied upon
sustain the position that Congress hi
: any power whatsoever to legislate ov'
the Territories, viz:
aThe Congress shall have power
: dispose Of and make all needed rules ar
. regulations respecting the Territory
0 other property belonging to the Unite
: States"
|. The word "Territory" used in tn
r. provision obviously means land, al
N nothing else. The United States. at Z
r time when the Constitution was adopte
= .u...> .,oount of land nor