The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1861-09-28
John Quincy Adams or slavery as
affected by War.

In 1912 (Aprl 14) John Quincy Adams
made in the House of Representatives a
speech on apprehended war with Great
Britain and with Mexico. whereof the follow.
ing extract will now be read with lively in
terest:
Il said, as far as could understand the res
olutions proposed by the gentleman from
Ohio. Mr. Giddings,) there were some OF
them for which / was ready to vote. and
some which l must vote against; and | will
nowQell this House, my constituents. the
world Of mankind, that the resolution against
which would have voted was that in which
he declares that what are called the Slave
states have the exclusive right of consul,a
ton on the subject Of slavery. For that
1stNSeSaEsonsff dces-ssss... -ss..a 6s7Yieve that Is
long as the Slave States are able TO sustain
their institution without going abroad or
calling upon other parts of the Union to aid
them or TO act on the subject. so long will l
never to interfere But if they come
to the Free States and say to them you
must help us to keep down our slaves, you
must aid US in an insurrection aud civil war.
then say that with that cali comes a full
and plenary power to this House and to the
Senate over the whole subject. 1t is a war
power. l say it is a var power; and when
your country is actually in war. whether it
be a war of invasion a of insurrec-
ton. Congress has power to carry on the
war. and must carry it on according to the
laws of war, and by the laws of war an in
vaded country has all its laws and munich
pal Institutions swept by the board and mar
tial law takes the place of them. This |
power in Congress has perhaps never been
called into exercise under the present Con-
sitution Of the United States Blu, when
the laws OF var are in force. what ask, is |
one of those laws? 1t is this: tha, when a
country is invaded. and two hostile armies
are set in martial array, the commanders of
bOtA armies haze Poacer to enancipate al tie
sldrss tS the aavdded Territories Nor is
this a mere theOretjc statement. Tie histo-
~ Of South America shows that the doc
rine has been carried into execution. within |
the las. thirty years. Slavery was abolish |
I'd in Columbia. first by the Spanish Gene.
raj Morillo, and secondly by the American
General Bolivar. 1t was abolished by vir |
.ue OF a military command given at the
head of the army. and its abolition contin-
les to be a law to this day. l, was abol-
shed by the laws OF war, and not by mu-
alcipal enactmen,s. The power was exer-
Used by military commanders. under in
'tructions. of course, from their respective
Congress is now about pas
ing grant 10 refund 10 Gen. jackson the
amount of certain fine imposed upon him
,y Judge under the laws of the State Of
Louisiana. You are going to refund him
he money with interest; and this you are
going to do because the imp osition o
( I IA e { ne uni uss- And
Why uuiussl Because Gen. Jackson was
.cting under the laws of war. and because
he moment you place military command
IT in a district which is the theater of war,
he laxs of war apply TO that district.
rave a correspondence between Gen Jack
on ard the Governor of Georgia. during
he Seminole campaign. in which Gen J.
.sserts the principle that be. as Governor
4 State within his Gen. Jackson's) mill
sry division. had no right to give military
rider while be Gen. JacksoH) was in the
ield. The Governor contested the power
II Gen. Jackson, and said ali be could for !
State rights; but Gen. Jackson had given
IN order. and that order was carried into 1
fleet y hile the order Of the Governor was
Gen. Jackson had the right of
ne question.
/ might furnish thousand proofs TO show I
hat the pretensions of gentl-men to the |
anc.ity Of their municipal institutions. un-
Ter . state Of active invasion and actual
var. whether servile. civil or foreign are |,
4holly unfounded, and that the laws of war
10. in all such cases. take the precedence |
lay this down n the law Of nations. / |
ay that the military authority takes for the
ime. the place OF n; municipal institutions.
Nareyy a1e.9 tie resi- Under that state ,
II things. 50 far from its being trne
hat the States where Slavery exists have j
b sxelssiss Management of she sabjecs,