The southern aegis, and Harford County intelligencer. (Bel Air, Md.) 1862-1864, 1862-04-26
From he Catholic Mirror.
EMANCIPATION IN THE DISTRICT
OF COLUMBIA.

baleful political progeny The passage OF
the bill emancipatipg the slaves in the
District of Columbia, inaugurates their
policy; and nothing now is wanted but
the Executive sanction to give to that pol
icy'the validity and permanence Of law
A grave responsibility rests with the Pres
ident Should be sanction the bill, the
triumph Of the abolitionists will be fairly
established, and they may proceed to gath
er the fruits Of policy they have SO long
cherished How far this triumph will aid
in accomplishing the publicly-ayowed OBJ
ject OF the war, remains to be seen. That
object, as set forth iD the Crittenden reso-
lutious, which passed the House in July
last with but. two dissenting voices, was
Ito defend and maintain the supremacy Of
the Constitution and preserve the Union,
with all the dignity, equality and rights
Of the several States uninpaired . The
act of emancipation, if not at variance
with the strict letter of the Constitution.
is in violation of the true spirit of that
much abused instrument. What that
spirit is, may be gathered from the opin-
ions Of the patriots and sages of the better
days of the Republic In December,
1881, John Quincy Adams presented
some petitions, praying "for the abolition
of slavery in the District of Columbia aud
of the slave trade therein" Mr.. Adams
remarked that $50 far as the latter desire
was concerned, he thought it proper
subject Of legislation for Congress; but as
regards the abolition Of slavery in the Dis
trict of Columbia, he deemed it his duty
to say that he would not support it." In
1886 the question was again brought be-
fore Congress and referred to committee,
who reported "that Congress ought not to
interfere in any way with slavery in the
District of Columbia /" And Henry Clay
declared that, in his view, Congress could
not s'interfere with slavery in the District
without violation of those obligations
which are not less sacred, or less binding,
than if they had been inserted in the con-
stitutional instrument itself"
Whatever may be the action Of the Ex-
ecutive in this particular connnexion, the
fact is now patent enough to the world,
that the object of the war, in SO far as the
Abolitionist can shape it, is to interfere
with the. rights of the Slave States, and SO
to wrest the Constitution as to leave to
these States none of the guarantees with
which that sacred instrument has invested
them. This fact, if it means any thing at
all, signifies -revolution 1t is not, indeed,
that kind of revolution, which, through
peaceful means, and by virtue Of law, seeks
to change the public policy of the country,
and shape it to the ends Of justice, human
ity, civilization and the well-being of the
governed. On the contrary, it is that rev.
olution which grasps at political power by
violating organic law; and uses force as
means of its attainment. The barriers of
the Constitution once broken down BIZ this
party, who can limit its encroachnients on
the rights of the States and the liberty of
citizens; or determine the sphere of its ir-
responsible action? Once fairly launched
in its career Of destruction, no obligation
Of law, morality, or religion, will impose
on it restraint. But one imperious exigen-
cy will be presented-the preservation of
political power All the multiplied pas
sions Of avarice, malice, political profigacy,
puritanical cant, will be let loose upon So
ciety to war upon its best interests, stife
its nobler instincts and Supply it with the
horrors IF civil strife, or madden it in an
exterminating war of races.
The Abolitionists, for four months, have
had unlimited sway in Congress; and what
, have they done to mitigate the terrible ex-