The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1860-10-31
THE IssUE---No. 8.

cedent, wisely established since the crea-
ton Of, the world, it is only necessary TO
show it in keeping with the constitution of
the United States, and rest the case with
the reader, feeling the assurance that as
many as are bound by oaths Of office to
Support the constitution of the United
States,' will fee la willingness to apply the
intention of that obligation to the case in
question. oI
And here it may be argued that so long
as a man is bound to obey and support
the constitution, it is clearly violation of
that obligation to transcend it. In other
words, for an officer to do any act that
is unconstitutional, is voluntary viola
ton Of his oath of office. Therefore if it
is unconstitutional for Congress to inter
fere with the domestic institutions of
Territory, to instruct or require a mem-
Der of Congress TO use his influence to
induce that body to interfere with slavery
in a Territory, is a gross attempt to in
duce him to violate the most solemn and
binding obligation he ever took. Let us
see:
That clause OF. the constitution which
gives to Congress the power to Make
all needful rules and regulations respect
ing the territory or other property belong
ing to the United States" notwithstand-
ing it has been and still is relied on as
evidence that Congress possesses the pow
to legislate on the subject of slavery in
the Territories, will be seen at glance
by any unbiased eye, to invest Congress
with no such power, inasmuch as it re-
fers not to any kind Of property belong
ing to any individual, or set Of men act
ing in an ordinary corporate capacity;
but to the territory belonging to the Uni
ted States, and to Improperly belonging
to the United States. If the United
States possess property in q Territory, no
matter in what that property consists, it
is the duty of Congress to legislate on
the rules and regulations necessary for
the safe keeping or judicious disposal of
such property. Also, if TIE United
States own property in any one Of the
sovereign States, that provision gives
Congress the power to make all needful
rules, &C., respecting it. But Congress
has no power, by virtue of that clause,
to touch the interests of any individual
in any Territory. And unless it can be
shown that the United States owns prop
erty in slaves, in the Territories, it can not
be proved that Congress has right to
make any rule or regulation respecting it
in the Territories, any moro than m the
sovereign States.
If this be so-and who can controvert
it?-then it is clear case that the doc
trine of non-intervention by Congress
with the institution of slavery in the Ter
ritories is constitutional principle, and
the democratic side of the issue on this
question is correct. And it establishes
the premise that member of Congress
who presumes to interfere with that sub
iect transcends the constitution and VIC
lates his oath of Office. And every of
Ger of any judicial department. in the
United States is bound by his oath to
support the constitution of his own State
and that of the United States, and re-
peats that obligation rs often as he is re-
elected TO the same office, or is inaugera-
ted into any other.
Every adopted citizen, also, before he
is admitted to the right of suffrage or ell
igibility to office, voluntarily takes upon
himself tho same solemn obligation which
is considered binding to the end of life.
And there are few, if any, adopted citi-
zens from any country, if they take this
view Of the subject, who will be so recre-
ant to their obligations and duty, or so
false TO their own honor and fidelity to
their adopted country, as to vote for a
party whose fundamental principle re-
quires Of their candidates, if elected, to
violate their oaths by disregarding the
most sacred of instruments, by which
States were ever bound together,
And if adopted citizens are thus faith
full to their obligations-and they will
be, unless deceived-should not an Amer
lean born citizen blush to be found guilty
of so fragrant a fault as violating his
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