, 1861-05-23
.JoHn QUINOE ADAMS
On Slavery and Emancipatfon as AZ.
EAdtAd hv Var.


In 1s42 (Aprn 14th), John Quincy Adams
made in the House of Representatives q
speech on the apprehended war with Great Bri-
tain and NTH Mexico, whereof the following
extract Win now be read with lively interest:
eaid thas, ss far - I could understand the
resolutions proposed BY the gentleman from
Ohio (ME. qlddingB1, there were some Of them
for which Vsa ready to vote, and come which
Hoass, ~: <e..e ~ ssaa ND 10 IL" reaid asa tns u
mankind, that tho resolution against which
would hayo yuted mas that In which he de.
cIaree that What, are called the slaye States
hare tho exclunve hight Of consultation on
the subject Of aiaVeqJ. For that resolution I:
not Just, md does not contain constitutional
doctrine be1iasc that st long a. the Slave
States are ablo 10 suttafn their institutions
without going abroad, or calling upon other
parts Of the Union to aid them orto act on the
subject, 10 1o1g lWm consent never to inter
But il they coma to the Free States and s.y
to them ron must help Us to keep down our
Slaves, ,you ht1t aid rs In IN insuTrection aud
civil WaT, then 94y that with that call comes
full and p1en4y power to this House and to
the State oysr The whole subject. It u war
power. 1ssy It il war power; and when
! war Of invasion. Of war Of insurrection,
Congress haa power; to carry on the war, and
must cazfy It on according to the Laws Of war,
and by tho laws Of W.T. m Invaded country hi
all ftA lava and municipal Institutions kHept
by !he board, and martial law takes the place
ofthen. This power In Congress has perhaps
present Constitution Of the United States.
But when tho laws Of the land arc In force,
what, nj, I'd enc Of those Laws? It Is this
that when Z country Is Invaded, and tHo
hostile armies are set In martial ar.
ray, 1e commanders e| both a7zntes haue
roscer to e7dnefpdts al ks &ares in Tie invaded
territory: The history, OF South America
practical execution within the Last thirty ye.rs.
alase1y was abolished In Columbia, frst By.
tie Spanish General Mori1o, and secondly By
the American General Bolivar. It WIS abof-
shed BY virtue Of military command given
at the head Of tho army, snd It's abolition con
tin9ss 70 be lew to this Day: It was abolished
By the laws q vn, and not by municipal en-.
tary commanders, under instructions, Of
course, from thalr respective Governments.
Congress "a now about passing grant to re-
fund to Gen. jackson tie amount Of certain
fine impoaA upon him By Judge under the
laws Of tho e.ats OF L'ouislana Yon are
teresE; aud this you are going to do
becanse the impoattHon nf the fine wis unjust
And whv un}ustY Reransa Gen 1arIscn
was actinT nniier the 1aT n ~ ana 1'acanae
HE moment nan n1sra n r,,;1,ts1-1 co,,ws1dsr
in q dfstrict xhfrH h the fTe.t1a nfVa@ tha
laws Of var snnI1 r. that dfstr;ct Hsva ~
corTesnnndenc. Hat~nsn rer Tsckeoa LAY 10
the Govefnor m Grnrgis. finrjnr the Seno1no1e
cauInfen. In V9,fcf, i4sa,' J.clSsnn asse-ts ~
princjpfa }hst Ne. - \ Goyernor of = stsIe
TIthin lis {Gen. Jscksnn1s1 military iivision
had no riofst to rfva miIitayv nr;3e! wft;Is ~
1Gen. Jac{ann ~ In the fiaId The GnVernnr ~
hnfinfektex1 f3e rnWsr ~ ~, Jacsann and s.id
a j he could Ia Rtsfa Gohts: Int ;enE :Iacksnn
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- s uGsesopnene, q o1oe[ tna1 any gennemsn.