East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1862-04-15
ssnstors and Representatives in Con.

ssnstors and Representatives in Con.
gress. What they have thus submitted
TO the decision Of the majority, and
nothing else can be decided by tue ma
jority What has not been submitted,
remains precisely as il MAS before, in
the power of the citizens f the Sc eral
states; and the citizens Of tho United
States have no more Ia do with 1t, than
they bave with the affairs. of Iceland.
The principle, in this case, is the same
rs that Which governs partnerships. II
twenty men put into common stock,
each thousapl dollars, oi, condition
that the whole. Tor certain purposes, shall
be controlled by majority of the pro
prietors. ar of such persons as they may
appoint. then the majority has acpnccded
right to control hat property for those
purposes But that Is all their power.
They have no control over another
dollar of the property of any proprie
tor, nor have they right to control it
for any other purposes than those for
which 1t Was contributed. Still less
have they right to control the political
opinions of proprietor, or to direct in
what manner he shall educate his chill
dren, or govern his family. The princi-
pie in both cases is the same, and it is a
very obvious one. 1t is simply this
No loan is bound Ivy any compact, any
further than no has bound himself. In
forming any society, there are, of ne.
cessity, certain individual rights. which
a man submits To the decision Of the
majority. But tie surrender of these,
involves the surrender of no other, and,
in everything else, he is as perfectly in
dependent of the power Of the majority
as he was before.
AS we have, therefore, as citizens, no
power over this subject, we have, as
citizens, no responsibility. Tho guilt, If
guilt exist, will not rest upon us as cili'
zcns of the United States. Who ever
supposcs himself guilty, because Con
gross did not pass lac abolishing
slavery in tho United States? But this
IL the only manner ia which, as citizens
of the United States, We have any power
to act in this, or in any other case. If
then, we are not responsible, we have
"a eit,zci,s no obligation to discharge ir
the premises. Whether slavery he bad
or good, we wash our hands of it, mas
much as it is matter which tho provi
dcncc Of God has never placed Within
our jurisdiction
irHBut this is not quite all. AS citizen;
of the United States, we have solelnnly
promised to lot IL dlono We have de
clared that we leare to the States &c
spectivcly, and to the people Of the
States, whatever powers they have no
conceded to us. This is, by universal
consent, acknowledged TO be one of tn,
powers thus left. We have, therefore
promised as citizens of the Unitet
States, TO let This alone. The concession
has been made by both parties, aud w
hold the other to it Should the major
ity in Congress undertake to cstabhS,
slavery, in. one Of the free States, W,
should plead this rery article. as a bar Il
their usurpation But, the slaveholdinl
States have precisely the same right Il
plead it against as, should we attcmp
any legislation in ihe case. Both partie
have pledged themselves to abstain. an
neither can interfere in the matter, with
out lhU violation Uf d cvlvrnn compact
| In this respect, therefore, the Prov
dence of God, and our own solemn obi
cations to each other, have preclude'
any action whatever.
But | go still further. ! hold that
compact is binding, in its spirit as well &
in les letter. The spirit of the compac,
suppose, imposes upon me the obliga
ton not to do any thing for the purpos
Of changing the relation of master an
slave, except with the consent of thu
master. i have no right to declare ;h
abolition of slavery in another State;
have conceded that this is to be left t
the free choice of the citizens of tina
State. | have no right to do anything
to interfere with that free choice. l have
therefore, no right, to excite such stat
, of feeling among the slaves, that tn
master shall be obliged, from physic;
necessity, to liberate his slaves, whethe
, he believes it to be right and wise, c
/, whether he believes the contrary, Til
|, is as much violation of the spirit of til
compact, as arbitrary act of Legislation
!, The compact comedies, that it is 10 b
!. left to the free ,e,H of the States, and
obligo them 10 act in accordance wit
my will, and not in accordance wit
, their own. This is violation of cles
and solemn obligation. j have no col
/, troll over the manner in which my neigl
! Dor shall educate his children; and [
Interfere by physical force, in order I
oblige him to educate them as pleas
would be infamous. But if stir IL
such feeling in his family, that he
|. obliged 10 follow my suggestions, in o
!. Ger TO save himself from being poisone,
/ ! / am equally infamous. The violatio
\ of right is as great in one case as in tt
9 other. If question has been left [
!, my decision, claim the privilege of d
, gliding it for myself, and | thank no on
f for deciding it for me; much less do
/ thank him for taking the decision out
/ my hands, and settling it by physic
! force And it matters nothing to m
I. whether this physical force be exerto