Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1860-01-05

toned and affirmed these principles of cOnsti.
tut0nal law, so manifcStly just in themselves,
and so well calculated to promote peace aud
harmony among the States 1t is a striking
proof of the sense Of justice which is inherent
in our people, that the property in slaves has
never been disturbed to my knowledge, in
any OF the Territories Even throughout the
late troubles in Kansas there has not been
any attempt, as | am credibly Informed, to n-
| terfere, in single instance. with the right of
the master, Had any such attempt been made,
the judiciary would DOUBTLESS have afforded
an adequate remedy. Should they fail to DO
this hereafter, it will then he time enough to
strengthen their hands by further legislation
Had it been decided that either Congress or
the Territorial Legislature possess the power
to annul or impair the right to property in
slaves, the evil would be intolerable. In the
latter evert, there would be a struggle for a
majority of the members of the Legislature at
each successive election, and the sacred rights
of property kcld under the Federal ConStitu
ton would depend Tor the time being on the
result The agitation would thus be rendered
inceSSant while the territorial condition re-
manned, aud its baneful influence would keep
alive dangerous excitement among the peo-
pie OF the several States.
Thus has the status of a Territory d uring
the intermediate period from its first settle
ment until it shall become State, been ir-
rcvocahv fixed by the final decision of the
Supreme Court Fortunate has this been for
the prosperity Of the Territories, as we'll as
the tranquility Of the States Now, emigrants
from the North and South, the East and West
will meet in the Territories on common plat
FORM having brought with them that species
of property best adapted, in their own opinion
to promote their welfare From natural
causes, the Slavery question will, in each case
soon virtually settle itself and before the
Territory j. prepared for admission as a State
into the Union, this decision, one way or the
other, will have been foregOne conclusion -
Meanwhile, the settlement of the new Terri
tory will proceed without serious Interruption
aud It's progress and prosperity will not he en-
dangered or retarded by violent political
struggles
When, in the progress of events. the iahab-
itaurS OF any Territory shall have reached the
number required to FORM State, they will
then proceed, III a regular manner, and in the
EXERCISE of the rights of Popular Sovereignty,
10 form Constitution preparatory to admlS
Sjou into the Union After this has been done,
10 employ the language OF the Kansas and
Nebraska act, " they shall be received into The
. UHiOu wlth or wIIhunt Slavery, their Con
tuition may prescribe at the time Of their
admission" This sound principle has happily
Teen rrcaru zrd, Ia some form Or other, 10y an
Almost unanimous vote Of both Houses Of the
last Congress.
Al. lawful means at my command have been
employed, aud shall continue to be employed,
To execute the laws against the African Slav,.
trade. After a most careful and rigo~Ou> cx-
animation of our coasts and Il thorough iuves-
tigation of the subject We have not been able
to discover that any slaves have been import
cd into the United States except the cargo by
the Waudcrcr, numbering between three aud
four hundred Those engaged in this unIaw-
Cul eln crprISe have been rigorous! pr0secui ed
but not with as much success as their crimes
have deserved. \ number of them are still
uud67A,ro>ecutioa.
Oar history proves that the Fathers Of the
Republic, in advance of all other nations, CON
demnrd the African Slave trade 1t was, not
withstandmg, deemed expedient by the trainers
of the Constitution to deprive Congress of the
power o prohibit the migration or importa-
ton 0f such persons as any of the States now
cAIHsIitS >Hdtt ttitHh HblitI ~ dIltIt lfitOt
to the year one thousand eight hundr Cd aud
eight"
1t will be seen that this restriction on the
power Of Congress was confined to such States
only as might think proper to admit the i'm
portaliOn of slaves. 1t did not extend To
other States or to the trade carried on abroad
According we find that SO early as the 22d OF
l;arch. 1894, Congress passed act impr :.
mg severe penalties and puuiShmentS upon cit
iz'nS and residents of the United States who
should engage in this trade between foreign
nations. The provisions of this act were ex-
tended and enforced by the act OF 10th May,
1900
Again The States themselves had clear
right TO waive the constitutional privilege in-
tended for their benefit, and TO prohibit by
their own laws, this trade at any time they
thought proper preAiOuS to leoS. Several Of
them exercised this right before that period,
and among them some containing the greatest
number OF slaves. This gave TO Congress the
immediate power to act ia regard TO all such
States because they themselves had removed
the Constitutional barrier Congress according
" passed an act on the 2Sh February 1903,
" to prevent the Importation of certain per
sons into certain States where. by the laws
thereof, their admission is prohibited" In
This manner the Importation of African slaves
into the United States was, TO a great extent,
prohibited some years in advance OF 1908.
As the year 1908 approached, Congress de-
termined not to suffer this trade to exist even
for single day after they had the power TO
abolish il. Gu the Cd of March. 1901 they
passed an act TO take effect "fron and after
the lst day of January, lS0S," prohibiting
the Importation of African slaves into the
United States This was followed by subse
quent acts of a similar character, to which |
need not specially refer Such were the prin-