Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-12-14


section Of the fourth article declares that s'the
citizens of each State shall be entitled to all
the privileges in the several States" then, ifF
the Constitution Of the United States does
recognize property innegroes, and recognizes
the right Of the citizens to own such property,
then that right must be equal or universal
among all citizens of the United States
especially - the Judges of every STATE are
bound 10 disregard any constitutional provis-
ion or law in any State to the contrary,
whatsoever the same may be.
This makes it very plain that thare is no
power given by the Constitution, in any
manner, by which property in slaves can be
abolished, and any attempt to do SO, by any
legislature or people of any State, is violation
of the Constitution of the United States, and
violation of the equal rights and tho sover-
eighty of the citizens under it, when
soever ani wheresoever the same may be, in
any and all the States and Territories of the
United States, so long as the Constitution of
the United States is the supreme law Of the
land.
Therefore, instead of the people of the
slaveholding States encroaching upon the
people of the non slaveholding States. all they
ask is that the people of the Northern States
shall maintain those rights equal and in COM
mon with themselves which George Washing
ton had AMI enjoyed when he occupied the
Presidential chair of the United States, and
had sworn to support the Constitution Of the
United States, nor do they desire that the
people Of the Northern States should be re-
CURED to make any use of said rights, but
that they should preserve and defend them in
common with themselves, and hand them
down to their posterity untarnished and un-
blemished as they were received from our
fathers and grandfathers:
This done, and secession will be heard Of
"nevermore- nevermore."
But how can this determination on the part
of the people be made manifest, in order to
bring about general and universal reconcil-
| iatiou ou sAIS 4uoSSioh 1hiouShoue WIZ oLiSSo
States, since the people of the Northern
States, by large majority of their votes,
have decided that slavery must be restricted
1t must be conceded BY all reasonable men
that, if slavery is constitutional, nothing but
q subversion of the Constitution of the United
States can either restrict or eradicate it.
| H., 6,,k .ook;o,, &c th;rd ovt;clo nf <hf
Constitution of the United States declares the
Judicial power 20 be vested in the Supreme
Jourt of the United States, and makes said
Court the expounder Of that instrument; anc
the second section of article third extends thu
judicial power of said Court to all cases arising
under the Constitution and laws of the Unitee
States. Therefore, let the Supreme Court o
the United States decide upon the Lennon
slave case,' which is now pending before
them, and place that decision side by sid'
with the "Drcd Scot" decision, and it vii
appear to every one, at a single glance, that
under the Constitution of the United States
no State Consultation can be valid which ha.
an abolition or slavery .forbidding clause in it
Then let both houses of Congress pass y res
oiution requesting the President of the Unltet
States to issue proclamation to all the people
of the United States, clearly showing wha
has been decided by the Government to b.
the true law on this question. and requesting
the people to hold conventions in the dlfferen
i. States and counties, for the purpose OF con
, sideriag the impending crisis before the coun
try. Let the members of Congress use thei
influence, ALSO and let the people discuss ant
: pass such resolutions on the subject as vii
clear up the whole cause OF our troubles, ant
( will at the same time enlighten the minds
the people generally on this all-important ant
, all-engross:ng subject.
Let the people know the true state of TIN
case let the people know that this is not
question to be decided by any particular code
, Of morals or religion; that it is legally
constitutional ard political question, and tina
it must be decided by the law and the Con
? stitution of the United States, and you viii
r soon find that there is patriotism enough
, among the American people to counterfeit al
, the baneful abolition sentiment now so furi
ousy engaged in its onslaught upon the
rights of our Southern fellow citizens, who
have equal rights with ourselves.
This done, and Congressional interposition
. against servile amalgamation enforced Ito
which the South will at once agree), and this
+ Union viii. stand more firm than ever hereto
fore; peace and harmony will prevail over
the whole country, and, God being willing,
will continue so forever.
i And to this remain your Union Republican
friend, Jso G. STiNE.