Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-05-23
sncech Of Henry CInY,

And now, hr. President, allow me 10 conri1ef
the several cases in which the authority Of Con
grcss i invoked by these abolition petitioners
upon the sub ect OF domestic slavery. The FIRST
relates 10 il as il exists in the District OF C0lum
bia. The following l. the provision OF the Con
stitutOn Of the United States Ia reference 70 that
matter:
TO exercise exclusive legislation in all
cases whatsoever over such District mot eX
ceedinc ten miles square, may by ceSsion Of
particular States. and the acceptance Of Con
eress. become the seat Of Government OF the L nj
tel States"
This provision preceded, in point Of time, the
actual cessions which were made by the States Of
Maryland and Virginia. The object Of the ces-
sion was to establish seat OF Government Of
the United States. and the grant in the Constitu
ton OF exclusive legislation must he understood,
and should always bc interpreted "a having rela-
ton 10 the object Of the cession. Ii was with a
full knowledge of this clause in the Constitution
that these two States coded 70 the General Gov
eminent the ten miles square. constituting the
District of Columbia. la making the cession.
they supposed that il was to be applied, and ap-
piled solely, Ia the purposes OF seat Of Gov
eminent, for which 10 was asked. When IL Was
made. slavery existed in both these Common
wealths. and ~ the ceiel territory. il con
tinues TO exist ia all OF them Neither Maryland
nor Virginia could have anticipated that whilst
the institution remained within their respectiv e
limits, its abolition would be attempted by
Congress without their consent. Neither OF
them would PROBABLY have made uncondlti0n
al cessiOn, ii they could have anticipated such a
result.
From the nature Of the provision in the Consti-
tut0n and the avowed object of the acquisition
% the territory. two duties arise OH the part OF
Congress The first l., to render the District
available. comfortable aud convenient a a scat
OF Government of the whole Union; the other -.
To govern the people IA the District a. best 10
promote their happiness and prosperity. These
objects totally distinct in their nature. AMI in
interpreting and exercising tie grant of the power
of exclusive legislation. that distinction should be
constantly borne in mind. Is il necessary, IN or
der IN render tins place comfortable seat OF the
General Government, To abolish slavery within IT.
limits? No one can advance such proposition.
The Government has remained here near forty
years, without the sliShtes; inconv enience from
the presence Of domestic slavery. Is 1t neces.
sary To the well beiag OF the people of the DIS
trict that slavery should he abolished IRON among
themY They hot only neither ask nor desire.
but are almost unanimously opposed to it. IL
exists here IN the mildest ami most mltlgated
form In Il population OF 80 S3I. there were, at
the last enumeration of the population OF the
United States but 6.ll9 slaves The number
has not probably much increased since They
are dispersed over the ten miles square, engaged
IN the quiet pursuits oil husbandry or IN men al
Offices in domestic life 1t it were necessary to
the efficiency OF this place as seat OF the Gen
eral Government TO abolish slavery. which Is ut
terly denied, the abolition should be confined 10
the necessity which prompts it.. that is. to
the limits OF the City OF Washington itsel'
Beyond those limits, persons concerned in the
Government of the United States have no more
to do with the inhabitants of the District. than
they have with the inhabitants Of the adj lcent
counties of Maryla and Virginia, which lie
beyond the District.
To abolish slavery within the District OF Co.
lumbia. whilst 1t remains in Virginia aud Mary
land, situated rs the District i, within the very
heart of those Sates, would expose them to
great practical neon, enience and annoyance.
The District would become place OF refuge and
escape for fugitive slaV es from the two States,
and place from which spirit OF discomfort, in
subOrdInatiOn and Instruction might be lOstered
and encouraged in the two States. Suppose rs
was Mt enc time under consideration, PennSylva
mia had granted ten miles square within It's limits
for the purpose OF seat OF the General Govern
ment, could Congress, without a violation of good
faith, have introduced and established slavery
within the bosom of that Commonwealth. in the
ceded territory. after she had abolished il so long
ago as the year 1882 Yet the Inconvenience tu
Pennsy lvana in the case supposed would have
been much less than that to Virginia and Mary
land in the case we are arguing.
1t upon this view of the subject that the
Senate. az its last session. soemny declared that
it tcoufd be a collation. Of implied faith. resulting
from the transaction of he ce>son, TO abolish
slavery within the District OF Columbia. And
would il not be? By Implied faith i meant that
when grant is made { one avOwed and declared
purpose known TO the parties, the grant should
not be peTrerted 10 another purpose undrOtsed ana
uRdeciared, and injurious TO The gTdHtoT The
grant, in the case we are, considering, OF the ter
IitOry of Columbia, was for u seat OF Government
Whatever power Is necessary to accomplish that
object Is carried along by the grant. But the ab-
clifton OF slavery i not necessary To the enjoy
ment OF this site rs n seat OF the General Gov
eminent. The grant in the Constitution OF ex-
elusive authority OF the General Government is 10
render this place a sale and secure seat of Gov
eminent and to promote the well being of the in
habitants of the District. The power granted
ought to be interpreted and exercised solely to
the end Tor which il was granted. The language
of the grant necessarily broad. cOmprehen-
Slve and exclusive; because all the eXigencies
which might arise 10 render this a secure seat OF
the General Government could not have been
ioreseen and provided for.
The language may possibly be sufficiently
comprehensive to include n power OF abolition
but it would not at all thence follow that the
power could be rightlully exercised The east
may be TeSembled To that of plenpOteutarN
invested with plenary power. but who at tn,
same time has positive instructions from his GOV
erumeut As 10 the kind OF treaty which he is &
negotiate and conclude. Ii he violates those i'm
structions. aud concludes different treaty hi:
Government is not bound by it. And if the for
eign Government : aware Of the violation II act
in had faith. Or it may be illustrated by an ex
ample drawn from private life am an indorse
for my friend on a note discounted in bank. HI
applies 10 me To indOrse another to renew il
which do in blank Now this gives him powe
10 mike any other use OF nv note which h'
p!eaSes. But it. instead of applying it to the in
tended purpose. he goes to broker and sells it
thereby doubling my responsibility for him. Ia
commits a breach oi trust and violation of th,
good faith implied in the whole transaction
Mr. President, at the period of the formation
of our Constitution. and afterwards, our patriot,
ancestors unprecedented danger to the Union fruu
Two causes. One was the Allegheny Mountains
dividing the waters which How into the Atlanta
Ocean from those which found their outlet in IN,
Gull OF Mexico. They seemed to present a nat
trail separation. That danger has vanished be
fore the noble achievements of the spirit Of in
terna impos enent and the immortal genius o
Fulton And now nowhere i found more iowa
attachment To the Union. than among these YER
Western people, Who il VAS appreheuded woul,
be the hrst 10 burst H. ties