Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1860-01-05

property in slaves, the evil would be intel
cradle. In the latter event, there would
be struggle for majority Of the mem
bers of the legislature al each successive
election, and The sacred rights of property
held under the Federal Constitution would
depend for the time being on the result
The agitation would lhps be rendered inces-
SAINT whilst the territorial condition remain
ed, and its baneful influence would keep a.
live a dangerous excitement among the
people of the several States.
Thus has the status Of Territory, dur
ing the intermediate period from lis first
settlement, until il shall become State. been
irreyocabIy fixed by the final decision OF
the Supreme Court. Fortunate has this
been for The pros peri;y of tlia Territories,
as well as the TRANQUILITY of the States
Now, emigrants from the North and the
South, the East and the West, will meet in
the Territories on a common platform, hav-
ing brought with them that species of prop
erty best adapted in their own opinIcn, to
promote their welfare. From natural eau
ses The slavery question will in each case
soon virtually settle Itself; and before the
Territory is prepared tor admission as a
State into the Union, this decision, one wsy
or the other, will have been a foregone
conclusion. Meanwhile the settlement Of
the new Territory will proceed without Sc
. riyus interruption, and lis progress and
prosperity will not be endangered or retar-
ded by violent political struggles.
When in the progress of events tie IN
habitanls of any Territory shall have reach
ed the number required 10 form a State
they will then proceed, in regular man.
ner, and in the exercise Of the rights Of
,, popular sovereignty, 10 form constitution
preparatory 10 admission into tie upion.-
= After this has been done, 20 employ the
! language Of the Kansas and Nebraska act
they "shuli be received into the Union
with or withcu. slavery, as their couslitu
4 lion may prescribe at the time of their I'D
! mission" This sound principle has hap
:, PLY been recognized, in some form or other
y by an almost unanimous vote Of both houses
Of the last Congress.
All lawful means at my command havr
been employed, and shall continue 10 b
! employed 10 execute the laws against III
African slave-'rade. After a most careful
and rigorous examination Of our coast, an
thorough investigation of The subject, W
:. have not been able to discover thst an,
:. slaves have been imported into the Unite
\ States except the cargo by tie Wanderer
- numbering between three and four hundred
. Those engaged in this unlawful enterpris
have been vigorously prosecuted; but nc
. with as much success as their crimes hav
deserved. 4 number OF them are still
"a under prosecutions.
~ Our history proves that lie Fathers c
;. The Republic, in advance of all other nations
!, condemned The African slave trade.
:. was, notwithstanding, deemed expedisnt b
q the trainers OF The Constitution 10 depTiy
Congress Of The power 10 prohibit "the nj
grafton or importation Of such persons q
- any Of the States now existing shall thin
- praper 10 admit 'prior 10 The year on
:, thousand eight hundred and eight"
. II will be seen that tins restriction O
= the power OF Congress was confined {
j such States only as might think proper
70 admit the Importation Of slaves. Il di
not extend TO other States or 10 the trad
carried on abroad. Accordingly, we lin
, that so early as The 22l March. 1874, Con
"A gress passed an act imposing severe penal
,. TIES and punishments upon citizsns resi-
:, dents Of the United States who should On
- gage iii this trade between foreign nations
:, The provisions OF this act were extende
Il and enforced by the set of 10th May, 1865
Again: The states themselves had e!ea
- right 10 waive The constitutional priyileg
70 intended for their benefit, and 10 pronibit
BY their own laws, This trade at any tim
A. they thought proper previous 10 l809.-
of Several Of them exercised this right befor
that period, and among them some contain
q Ing the greatest number Of slaves. Thi
, gave to Congress the immediate power
j., act in regard 10 all such Sales, becaus
;, they themselves had removed the cOnstitu
70 tional barrier. Congress accordingly passe
" an act on 18th February, 1903, ITO prever
D. the importation Of certain persons into Gel
a tam States where, by The laws thereof, thei
IS admission is prohibited. In this manne
r. the importation Of African slaves into th
.. United States was, TO great extent, Pre-
h hIbiisd some years in advance Of 1903.
ar As the year 1903 approached, Congress
IN
a. even for single day after they had III
i. power TO abolish it, On The 81 Of March
= 1907, they passed an act 10 take efie'
., from and alter The lst day OF Januarl
"a 1905" prohibiting the importation of Afr
= can slaves into the United States. Thi
\, was followed by subsequent acts Of sim
!; lar character, to which need not speciall
" refer. Such were the principles and sue
\ the practice of our ancestors more than fit
+ years ago in regard 10 the African slsS
70 trade.
J. It did not occur 10 The revered patrio
,e who had been delegates 10 The convention
and afterwards became members of Coz
l. eress, that in passing these laws they hs
Re violated the Constitution which they ha
in framed with SO much care and deliberatiol
$ They supposed that 10 prohibit Congress
e. in express terms. from exercising spec
as fed power before al appointed day, nece
is sariiy involved the right 10 exercise th
10 power afte. that day had arrived.
" If this were not the case, the trainers