Santa Fe gazette. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1859-1864, 1861-07-13

great object in constitutions Is to protect therghts
Of minorities.
10 the Constitution there are general grants Of
power to the Congress of the United States which
might be perverted to our injury contrary to the
spirit Of the instrument and still the letter Of tho
grant claimed to authorize the injurious legislation
Such are the power ITO regulate commerce between
the States" and the power Of exclusive legislation
over the District Of Columbia" and "over forts,
dock-yards, and arsenals in the several States'--
II would not now be claimed by Congress that |
these grants authorized an interference In the sale
Of slaves between the people Of different States
nor would it be claimed that they authorized the
abolition Of slavery in the District Of Columbia
while Maryland and Virginia remained slave
States, nor the like abolition in forts and other
places within slave States. But what will be
claimed in the future we cannot know So, also
in relation to the Territories belonging 10 the
United States. While we arc aware that All tho
Territories then unorganized were organized by
acts Of the last Congress which contain no prohi.
btion Of slavery, and while we know that this was
the action Of q Congress in which the free States
had the control at the time the acts were passed,
still these are but acts Of Congress subject to rc,
peal or alteration as public feeling may change
under temporary excitement.
II Is but just that the rights Of the slave States
now IN asmall minority Of the whole States, should
be guarded in the particulars mentioned by such
constitutional guarantees as shall render them SO.
cure against future legislation IN timos Of excite.
, ment. Our distinguished fellow citizen, the Hon.
John ]. Crittenden, for the purpose Of securing by
constitutional guarantees rights already possessed,
, presented to Congress certain propositions to
amend the Constitution which met with general
; approval, and were satisfactory to us and to our
people, and those propositions, rs originally offered
0 or any that ars equivalent would be now satsiac.
D tory and would quiet apprehensions that exist to
Q some extend in the minds Of real friends OF the
Union and which are inlustrousy excited BY
/, those who are enemies Of the Union and Of thu
Il people. Whether any such constitutional guaan
tees would have the effect Of teconcing any Of til,
a seeding States to the Government from which
a they have torn themselves away we cannot say
but we allow ourselves to hope that the masses il
~ those States will in time learn that the danger
< they were made to fear were greatly exaggerated
a and that they will then be disposed to listen Il
the calls OF interest and Of patriotism and retur
\, to the family from which they have gone out, On
"a effect Of giving such guarantees certainly will
as to prove to the world by the frank recognition
10 the rights Of the few slave States adhering to th
Union, that the States which have seeded hav
10 abandoned the best Government in the world will
o. out any good or sufficient cause.
We 1t may be urged that thore are not now sufft
go lent number Of States acting III the Union to rat
D. any such constitutional amendments as will furnis
as the guarantees we require, But II is to be remen
&C. bered that there is no time fixed by the Constit
'd' ton for such ratification and if they should
ng ratified by the free States then at the end Of Il
present civil war, terminate as it may either in Il
u.s. restoration Of the seeded States to the Union
Iet in the establishment Of their separate national
no stence there will DO the number Of States requirt
rn' for the ratification,
ing Fellow citizens Of the United States you q
about 10 be engaged in war in which the he
NY rorS that ordinarily attend that state are likely
Ied be aggravated by the fact that you are Of the sar
eht family, and have long lived together In ntima
OF intercourse and in friendly relations. The XII
tu- feelings tha. once existed have been changed
rec bitterness, soon TO degenerate, it may be, IN
hin deadly animesity, We desire to remind you Ii
osl, you are contending about question Of prnciI
'ol upon which we would fam believe that you .
:, on each side convinced that you are right 1t
INC no longer question Of pa''y politics, no longe
@ar wal question about the right T. hid slaves in terri
tne ries or to retake them when they escapes the Gu
ad- ton now to he settled Is, whether wa shall live
on- the same Union as formerly 2r whether our is
pp~- ers formed government upon such prncip
Aon that any one State may, at her own pleasure vi
uch out the consent Of the Others and without resp,
US rs sibility to any human power withdraw from
'Ae connection with the Government and claim to
poh sovereign as separate nation 1t will bo read
ua' seen that this, as question oil principle, Is
'lce affected by the number OF States that have vi
Y OF drawn. II would have been well if this qnast
ues' could have been solved in some other mode II
'ae by resort to war; butt, may be that nothing
usly Divine interposton now can determine II
'aeG % other means. A war upon such question ou
i.ea not to produce any higher evaporation or ex
l'.eo any greater degree Of anmosty than is incd
'ne to all wars In the meantime lot the spirit Of
y, 10 manity and OF the high civilization Of the
strip this war Of the howors that generally att
over. such civil strife.
qad Our States desire, and have indicated q purT
lain 10 take no part in this war and We believe tha
tion, this course we wultimatey best serve the II
pos ests Of our common country II is mposi
elves that We should be Indifferent spectators; we
slider that our interests would be irretrievably
1.-THE ed by taking part in the coufct on the side "
mt Of the strongest sympathies Of Our people are,
the that our sense Of honor and Of duty requires
vould we should not allow ourselves to be drawn or
sepa- yen into war in which other States without
Exists sulting u.s. have deliberately chosen to inv
tates, themselves Our safety aud our dignity as an
the most powerful ofthe slave States, deman
10 the US that we take this position.
the II the time shall come when our friendly m
edged ton may arrest the further progress Of the
lment our most earnest and strenuous efforts shall
lch an be wanting TO bring about peace, and II is by
qules- efforts that we hope 10 serve the interests o
that country
resen- And now, in conclusion, wo make our SC
neces- appeal 10 the people Of the United States.
Is our government--its preservation is your
ought servation-itS overthrow is your ruin, and yC
rehen- the rightful arbitars Of its fate.
adhere We hope you will take the subject Of thl
. dress into your own consideration. Act witt
itonal energy and decision Of free people. In yo
roach YOU alone we have confidence. You have d
amend telgsnee and the power to rule this fearfu
he last ais. Make known your will in some eml
here Is form that shall give II authority with your
/. But sentatives everywhere
lnce Of May we not earnestly hope that you, the
These. pie, The whole people, without regard to PAR