Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-16

A. this latter s the object think IL unconstitu-
tional. because We have by the spirit Of the com
pact bound ourselves TO leave il TO their own
free will. That free will we have no right,
either by ourselves or by others, to control; and
We have no right to use our power either of
one kind or another. for this purpose | think.
therefore. We have no right 70 exercise the power
which wepossess Tor the accomplishment of this
object.
III ask, in the next place, was the power over the
TDistrict OF Columbia ceied 20 Congress for this
purposey Did Maryland and Virginia anti
cipate that without their consent this use world
be made Of il? Did the Southern States gene
rally, when they became parties to this contract,
suppose that this power would be claimed and
used by Congress? I think that all thesr ques-
tons must be answered in the negative. II so.
the right has not in fact been Internationally
given. Ii is thing out of the contract, so far as
the aniu1us of both parties were concerned. If il
be so, although il may be granted BY the letter,
it is not granted by the spirit of the instrument
and the right can not. without the consent of the
other party, be Justly and honorably exercised.
Ii ] make a contract with my neghbor and by
the letter Of that contract obtain a power to do
some act, which power he never intended TO
convey, i can not, as an honest man, avail my
self of it. To do so is an act of knavery, and
every man Of sound principles would SO con-
slider it,
- Now. if it be so, it matters not what may be
! the purpose, for the sake OF which we propose to
take an unfair advantage have no more right
TO impose upon my neighbor, when / intend to
use the proceeds of my triekery for the purpose
of beneyolencc, than when / intend to use them
/ for the purpose Of usury. The real question is,
s it right for me to interpret the contract in this
mannerI If it be, may so interpret IL, let me
do what will with the gain. If it be not right.
! may not interpret it, let my intention be what
/ it may in regard to the proceeds
That il would not be right for thus 10 inter
pref the contract, think may be clearly shown
/ by the results of an extension of the principle
I contended for. lie must be granted that the pow
er to abolish and the power 70 establish, are the
same. Now. Congress possesses precisely the
same power over navy yards, Notifications, ar
senals, &c. belonging to the General Govern
ment, that it possesses over the District of Co
lumbia. Many of these have been coded to the
United States by the free States and are still
embosomed within them. Congress has precise
ly the same right to abolish as - establish slave
~ in all these it has To abolish establish it
| in the District. But would it be just, fit and
proper exercise Of this right, were Congress to
establish slavery in all these little portions of ter
ritOryg Were such thing attempted, | ask any
candid man. whether we should not at once ex
! claim that this power never conferred for
tniS purpose, ana tnat the contract cOuiu not De
thus interpreted, without overreaching and trick
cry? Now do not see that any principles involv-
ell in the one case, that is not involved in the
other. say, therefore, that although the power
is conferred by the letter of the contract, it is
not conferred 10y the spirit; and, therefore, We
cannot use it honorably; that is, we cannot use
| il att all.
y, But if the right to use this power he contin-
gent, it may be asked, when will the contingency
arise in which we can rightfully use tI / an
swer il may arise in several ways. First, when
ever the Southern States agree TO it, it will be
proper to use it. Secondly, whenever Maryland
or Virginia, or either of them shall abolish slave
ry. it will, | think be perfectly right to use it
The history of slavery in this country shows, that
the line of demarcaton between slave and free
labor has all irresistible tendency to move south
ward. Right has a natural power over wrong
and the advantages which it confers upon all par
ties tend. of themselves to extend its boundaries
Maryland, but for untoward reasons to which
will not here allude, would by this time believe
have nearly freed herself from the evils of slave
~. There can be no reason why Congress should
! oppose obstacle to the natural course OF
events in respect to this or any other change Of
opinion. Whenever the District would have be
come Free if il had remained a part of The
States by which it was originally ceded. then il
will not only be the right but the duty of Con
gress TO abolish slavery. Then we can abolish i
without any infringement of right and then, tn,
whole country, both North and South, must re
jOice in the act