Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-06-23

adopted and the majority should refuse to legslate
at all about him or his property; should refuse to
mass laws for the punishment OF person who har-
bors runaway or who sells liquor to slave or
who trades with him for stolen goods, or who in
hicts on him injury without the consent OF the
owner We all know there multitude of such
legal provisions in every slaveholding community,
without which there could be no control over the
slave population-no discipline-and they would be
a nuisance and q curse.
If the legislature should refuse to throw around
us these guards and should leave us prey to evil
doors, what is to be done? Many of these might be
held, at least under the system Of Jurisprudence
prevailing in the Southern States to be ofenses at
common law--that great body of lee non scripta on
which every community must rely, to great ex-
tent for the preservation of order--and might be
punished wherever that law is recognized. Blu: it
must not be forgotten that the common law can on
ly have force BY the express adoption or tact SUI
ferance Of the law-making power.
The advocates Of the doctrine | am discussing say
that if the legislatures fail give suitable and ade
qnate protection, Congress must pass what Will
for brevty call "slave codes for the Territories;
that is must take upon itself the local legislation for
them, at least to that extent
cannot give my assent to this proposition; and
in discussing it. propose to confine myself to con-
sderatons of ezpediency without going at all into
the much higher and broader question of the con-
stutional power of Congress in and over the Terri
lOTlcS. MY present ONJeCI Is NOT u ScSh luc
darieS Of power but to show that if Congress has
the right do this thing, it ought not to be exer-
cSed and above all that the representatives OF the
southern States ought not to ask for nor consent
to it
Four-fths of the time of Congr ss now, is TAX
up with questions connected with the Territories
and their inhabitants From the conflicting claims
Of two SquatteIs to quarter section Of land to the
most absurd pretenSions to sovereignty over whole
empires of which not foot is theirs every local
dispute and every vast scheme Of plumber seeks ad-
mittance into Congress to choke up the channels OF
legislation and to inflse gall and bitterness into the
councils of the great Republic II the most lmpor-
tant national interests negected-f commerce and
all its attendant interests left to the guardianship
of subordinateS in the Treasury Departmental the
relations of the Confedcracy with the other powers
of the Garth left exclusively to the President and
Senate-if sixty millions Of dollars per annum are
levied on the people under system OF revenue die
Tt I'll by combination of interested parties, the de-
tails and principles of which almost utterly I'M
known TO the peoples these sixty
millions annually appropriated by Congress with
out examination to the objects Of the expenditure
without discussion to their necessity propre'y,
and often without the appropriation bills being even
r, al to or 10y the members Of the House of Repre-
sentativeS-if all these things are habtually and
VIGOROUSLY DONE and the great interests Of the States
and their citizens are Shamefully neglected-lt is
because the Territories have taken possession of Con-
greSS, and consume the time and absorb the facul.
ties Of the peoples representatives. II We stand
| now on the brink Of the precipce, and look down
into the vawning gulf Of dissolution and civil war,
it opened by the Territories, which have array
ed man against State against State, and section
asansts ction and where trained the bandits and
outlaws who are the willing and ready instruments
| Of murder and treason.
Under nursing care the Territories have de.
Stroyed the peace Of the family by their turbulent
conduct, and threatening its very existence.
| Shall we give them more Of the time Of Congress,
and multiply the salient points at which they may
aSsa the peace and quiet Of the country by taking
upon ourselves their petty criminal and police reg
ulatons? For myself | answer no. and | believe
the great body of the people-at least Of the old
thirteen States that liberties and establish.
ed our Union-will answer emphatcally, no!
| CONCLUDED IN OUR, NEXT.