Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-05-22

Once more With my Harry and RObby in heaFsi
To meet the dear boy that snlistsd to-day
AtSIOs, Nav YoEK e-a1a l.-tls -
-aH
John Quincy Adams On EIaanoibatIou Uadsr
ths War Power. r7ge q
On the ltth and 18th of April, 1912, John
Quincy Adams delivered speech IN the
United Ststes House Of Representatives In
which he elaborated the doctrine, previously
announced BY. him, that in tine of war
insurrectiOn or rebellion, the General Gov
eminent was possessed Of full power for the
emancipation Of the seryile population ofany
or all the States. From that speech We re-
produce tae sablOined extracts, believing the
doctrine viii at thIs time command more
attention than itdid when frst promulgated:
aWbat say d involuntary, because the
subject has been brought into ths House from
another quarter, as the gentleman himself
admits would leave that institution TO the
exclusive consideration and management Of
the states more peculiarly interested in it. just
as long as they can keep within their own
bounds. So far, admit that Congress has
no power to NEEDLE With It. Asloug &c they
do not step out Of their own hounds, and do
not put the question 70 The people Of the
/ United States, .Whoss peace, welfare and
happines are ell ct stake, 50 long i-Rilfagree
to leave them 10 themselves. But when q
member from free stste brings forward cer-
tain resolutions, for which, instssd Of reason
ing to disproYe his positions you vote 9 cen
sure upon him, and that without hearing, it
! is quite another affair. At the time this was
done, said that, as far as could understand
the resolutions proposed by the gentleman
from Ohio, Mr.. Giddings,) there were some
of them for which was ready 70 vote. and
ssme which mnst vote against and viii
nov tell this House, my constituents, and the
world OF mankind, that the resolution against
which would have voted was that in which
be declares that what are called the slave
states have the exclusive righ. Of consulta-
ton on thesnbject Of slavery. Pr that res
luton never would vote, because believe
that It is notiast, and does not contain con
stitutionaI doctrine. I.balieVe that 20 long
as the slave states are able to sustain their
Institutions without going abroad or calling
upon other parts Of the Union to aid them or
act on the subject, 90 long I viii consent
never 10 interfere. have said this and
repest it, but ifthey come to the free states, and
cay to them, you must help rs 70 keep down
our slaves, You must aid rs in an insurrection
and civil war, then say that with that call
comes full and plensry power to this House
and 10 the Senate over the whole subject
Il is q war power. say it is war power,
and when your country Is actually in war,
whether It be war Of invasion or 8 war Of
insurrection, Congress has power to carry on
the war, and nust carry It on secording to
the lava Of war; and BY the laws Of war, an
invaded country haa all its laws and munic-
ipal institutions swept BY the hoard, and
martial law takes the place Of thsm. This
power in Congress has, perhaps, never been
called into exercise under the present Con-
satution Of the United States. But when
the laws Of war are In foree, what, ask, Is
cne Of those laws Il is this; that when a
country is invaded, and two hostile armies |
are set In martial array, lss eoNsmdHdess Of
both armies haVe power 70 eaaReiPate az he
slaves IN the invaded territory Nor Is this 9
mere theoretic statement The history Of
South America shows that the doctrine has
been carried into practical execution within
the last thirty years. Slavery was abolished
id Columbia frst BY the Spanish General
Morillo and, secondly, BY the American
General Bolivar. Itwas abolished By virtue
Of military command given at the head Of
the army, and its abolition continues to be
lsE 70 this day. It was abolieaed by theiaWs
IF war, and not By municipal enactnentsi the
power was exercised BY military commanders
under instructiens, Of course from fheir |
respective Governments. u4aA WA
aAnd bere / recur again 70 the example Of
General jackson. What ara you about IA
Congress7 You are about passing grant to
refund to General Jackson the amount Of .
certain fne imposed upon him BY judge /
under the laws Of She State of Louisiana. -
You are going to refund him the money, with
interest; and this you are going 70 do be-
cause The impositian Of fhs ine was unjust
And Why was il uDi1sff Because General
jackson was acting under the laws Of war,
and because tbe moment you place amilits-
~ commander In district which Is the thea
ter of war, the laws Of war apply to that
district. aa