The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1860-01-14
Preamble aud Resolutions adopted at the
Great Union Meeting In i ork.

Whereas, The People of the United States,
" IN order to form a more perfect Union, es-
tablish justice, insure Domestic Tranquility
etc, etc., as set forth in the preamble of The
Constitution for the United States, have or
dained a Government of non-slaveholding and
OF slaveholding States ard. whereas, The Gov
ernment is a Government of compromises and
concessions.
LIST. In the clause Of the Constitution. Fart.
|, Sec. u recognizing slaves as persons to be
represented by their masters, aud as property
tosbe taxed upon these masters.
I'd. In the clause art. l, Sec. 81 that Con-
gress shall have power to suppress %insurrec-
tions.
3D.. Cart. |, Sec. o. in prohibiting Congress
to suppress the slave trade prior to 1903, and
in giving Congress the power to impose a tax
or duty upon each slave imported before that
time. not exceeding ten dnllars for each slave.
4th. In the clause Cart. a, Sec. q to de-
liver up on claim of the party to whom slave
service may be due, the person OF slave held to
such service or labor. Applause.
9th. la the clause Cart. a. Sec. f., upon the
application Of any legislature, or Executive Of
the State, TO protect said State against do
nestic violence /;
And whereas, The Federal Government has,
from its origin, been administered by the Ex-
%ecutiye, BY Congress, and by the supreme
Court OF the United States, not only in the
letter, but in the spirit Of these compacts.
LIST. Before and after the old Confederation.
in the division of the then unsettled Territories,
by declaring all. North of the Ohio to be non
slayeholding, and all South Of the Ohio to be
slaveholding.
I'd. In the ordinance, July l3, 1887, making
free the Territory, now Ohio, Indiana, Illinois
aud Michigan. but providing therein, also, for
the surrender Of fugitive slaves. Applause.
ID. In The acts, President Washington ap-
proving, admitting into the Union the Terri
tory of kedtacky, slaveholdipg, then the
property Of Virginia, and afterwards the Ter
ritory Of FARMLAND, siaveholding, now Ten
nessee, then the property of North Carolina.
4th. In the ordinance, April Z, 1898, John
Adams approving, organizing the Mississippi
territory. then belonging to Georgia, now
Alabama aud Mississippi, in which was espe-
cially expected iherefrom the anti-Slayerv
clause OF the Northwestern Territory,-in
these words
" ExcErrISG and %ExcI.uDING the last article
Of the ordinance of 17S7.''
9th. In the Fugitive Slave Law of 1893,
George Washington approving, which passed
Tue Senate unanimously, and the House ayes
48, noes Z.
9th. In the purchase of Louisiana fPresi-
dent Jefferson approying), all that vast region
West ofstiie Mississippi, stretching TO the
Pacific Ocean and to The British Possessions,
oil Of which was under The laws Of Spain Or
France, slayeholding, and larger in extent al
that time than the whole United States.
It'll. In the Treaty of 1888 10th a~rticlel
llsItv iliilr ~ a fN,st.at tbn .i,na.ta{.S. p y h
with the official correspondence of Washing.
ton, Randolph, Governor Morris, an John JAN.
thereon.
sth. In the Judiciary act, 1889 18th sec
tom adopting the constitutional laws Of the
several States which recognize slaves as proper-
W us well as persons.
9th. In the acts enumeratine slaves for tte
purpose OF direct taxation, especially the act
of 1919, James Madison approving. which as
sessed taxes upon the land, dsee7inr houses and
SHARES, at the value each OF them was worth in
money.
10th. In the Treaty of Client flsI4,l under
which from Great Britain our Government,
received 81 100000, and paid it over to the
owners of deported slaves.
18th. In the purchase of Florida in 1919. a
slavetolding territory, from Spain.
18th. In the decision by the Supreme Court
OF the United States, OF The eonstitutiopality
Of the act of 1913, in Priggs' case, aud Of the
like act Of 1850, every case, before any OF the
high Courts, Federal or State, unless in one
State Court in Wiscensin-and in divers
other. decisions upon Laws, Ordinances aud
Treaties.
RESOLUTIONS.
Therefore, be it Resolved, That the Union
fItAlt E.rs,r1 49,. - ~ !
mest delicate and important relation that can
exist bctx zen communities Of people, demands
from each pa q warm and earnest considera.
non ior the safety, prosperity and Happiness Of
the other; and that whatever policy tends to
snbverta mise ends, (hear, hear,) is hostile to
he true-esisit Of the compact,
That thks Constitution, the Treaties. The
laws Of the United States, aud the iadicial
thereupon, recognize the institution
1f slavery as legally existing and that it is
'ar duty, as good citizens of a common poy.
'rnment, in good faith to stand by that Con.
.'titution, those Treaties, ~tcheers,l those Laws.
md The decisions Of that fnal arbiter of ali |
disputed points, the Supreme Cont of The
lniled States. (Vocterous appiaase.l ;
That inasmnch as the proceed .ngs of The i
Convention which framed the Constitution. 4
we're brought to q stand, as appears by the I
eciaratien OF Roger Sherman, one of its mast !
distinguished authors. until a compromise was
greed To, on the various propositions relating
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