Newbern weekly progress., 1861-01-08
GOV. pACgER,s9 MESS I fII

-
1he annual message of GOV: PARKER, to the
Legislature OF Pennsylvania, was conmunica-
ted to that body Wednesday. We subio;n a
portion of his views on Federal Relations.
The Territories of the United States be,ono
to the General Government, and in tbns5e
Territories the people of the,several States Un,
ques!losaply nave equai rights. They were
acquired by means of the common exnond d;t,ro
of blood and Treasure. By the Federal Const;
tuition power is given to Congress TO make sIt
needfnl rules and regulations respecting the To-
ritory and other property belonging to the I'M
ted States" Whether under this or any otbar
power conferred by the Constitution, Congress-
can prohibit or protect slavery in the Territories
has been seriously questioned. But, if the power
to legislate upon this delicate and important
subject were clearly vested in Congress. in NV
judgement it ought not to be exercised. To
declare that slavery shall not exist in the Terri
tories, is calculated to exclude from their Or
cupancy the citizens of the Southern slayehold-
ing States; while, to make it legal institu-
ton in all the Territories of the United States
by congressional enactment, and to provide for
its continuance during their entire .territeriot
existence, would be equally injurious to the
people of the free States. The principle edon-
ted in the compromise measure of 1853. for dis
posing of the question of slavery in New Mexi-
co and Utah, and reiterated in the Kansas ond
Nebraska bills of 1854 of non-nteryentiop bv
Congress, with Slavery in the States and in
the Territories, is the true rule. It is the
duty of Congress, when a sufiient nun
Der of hardy and adventurous pineers find
their way into our distant Territories to
furnish them shield of protection and form
of government: but to the people themselves
belongs the rights to regulate their own do
mestic institutions in their own way. subject
only to the Constitution of the United States
While these views have been long entertained
! by me, and while am sincerely of the opinion
that their general adoption and faithful enforce
| ment would have preserved, and may vet res
| tore peace and harmony to all sections of our
/ country, am nevertheless not so welded to
them as to reject, unceremoniously, all ether
propositions for the settlement of the vexetI
| questions which now threaten to sunder the
bonds which, for three quarters of century.
have made us one people Forty years ago our
fathers settledan angry controversy growing out
of a similar question, by dividing the terrific
ries purchased from France, and providing
that slavery, OF inyoluntary servitude. should
not exist north of certain line, and the
whole country acquiesced in that compromise
In 1854 that restriction upon slavery was re-
moved, and the people of all the territories
were left free to decide the questions for them
selves. Now the sectional issue is again pre-
sentcdr by the dominant power in the North
claiming that slavery cannot legally go into the
| territories, even if sanctioned by Congress OF
the Territorial Legislature and that it is the
right and the duty of Congress to prohibit its
! existence.
| While the doctrine which obtains with ma
jority Of the people IN most of the Southern
! States is that under the ConstitUtien the ter
ritories are all open to slavery that neither
Congress nor the territorial legislature can law
fully prohibit its existenesr and that it is the
| duty Of Congress to provide EeE it all ncedful
protection. May we not wisely follow the cx-
| ample of our fathers by re-ef1acting the old
/ compromise line of 1920. and extending it to
the boundary of California Not bv the
| means OF legislation of doubtful constitutional
| ty, but an amendment TO the Constitution il
SELF and thus permanently fix the condition of
| the territories so that those who desire to Oc-
cupy them may find home, at their discrc-
| ton, either where slavery is tolerated or where
| it is prohibited If the adoption of such an
amendment would peaceabIy settle the difcuI-
ties which now surround US. | am satisfied
that it would be sanctioned By the people of
Pennsylvania. At all events, they should have
| an opportunity to accept Or reject it, if made
! peace offering. | would therefore, recon-
mend the General Assembly TO instruct and
request Senators and Representatives III
Congress to support a proposition for such an
amendment Of the Constitution, to br submit
of Delegates, elected direct; by the people Of
the State.
In the event of the failure Of Congress speed
lily to propose this OF a similar amendment TO
the Constitution, the citizens Of Pennsylvania
should have opportunity, by the application
of some peaceablc remedy to prevent the dis
membcrmcnt Of this Union This can only be
| done by calling convention of delegates, to be
! elected by the people, with view solely to the
h, tnl-,
to meet the present fearful eNigencies If Con-
/ grcss should propose no remedy, let it emanate
from the source Of all authority, the people
! themselves.
Every attempt upon the part of individuals
or Of organized societies, to lead the people
away from their allegiance TO the government,
to induce them to violate any Of the provisions
! of the Constitution, to incitc instructions
! in any of the States of this Union, ought to he
prohibited by law, crimes Of reasonable
nature. 1t is Of the first importance to the
permanency of this great Union, that the hearts
Of the people, and the action of their cOnstitu-
ted authorities, should he il unison in giving
faithful support to the Constitution of the Uni
ted States. The people of Pennsylvania are de
voted to the Union. They will follow its stars
and stripes through every peril But, before
| assuming the high responsibilities now dimly
foreshadowcd, it is their solemn duty to remove
| every just cause of complaint against themselves
so that they may stand before high Heaven and
the civilized world without reproaoh, ready Ia
devote their lives and their fortunes to the best
form of government that has ever been devised
| by the wisdom of man:
A ScnsatiQn' Letter.
The following letter from South Carolina ap-
pears in the Wilmington Herald of the 3rd-
| We don't know how far it can be credited
| II NAV he q 7e1z 71Z0t or II NAV be another