Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1862-02-20

Resolutions Of Senator Sumner, Reducing
the Seeded States to a Territorial Con-
dition. and Aho.ishing Slavery.
WHEREAS, certain States, rightfully be-
longing to the Union of the United States.
have, through their respective governments,
wickedly undertaken to abjure all those du-
ties by which their connection with the
Union was maintained; to renounce all ale
glance to the Constitution; to levy war up
on the National Government; and for the
consummation of this treason, have uncon-
stitutionally and unlawfully confederated to-
gether, with tue declared purpose Of putting
an end by force to the supremacy of the
Constitution within their respective limits;
and, whereas, this condition of insurrection,
organized hy pretended governments, open
ly exists in South Carolina, Georgia, Ala
bama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas. Ark
ansas, Tennessee and Virginia, except in
Eastern Tennessee aud Western Virginia.
and has been declared by the President of
the United States in proclamation, duly
made in conformity with an Act of Congress,
to exist throughout this territory, with tho
exceptions already named; and, whereas,
the extensive territory, thus usurped BY
these pretended governments and organized
into hostile Confederacy, belongs to the
United States as an inseparable part thereof,
under the sanctions of the Constitution, to
be held in trust for the inhabitants in tho
present and future generations, and is 80
completely intcrlinked with the Union that
it is forever dependent thereupon; aud
whereas, the Constitution, which is the su-
preme law Of the land, cannot be displaced
in its rightful operation within this territory,
but must ever continue the supreme law
thereof, Notwithstanding the doings Of any
pretended governments, acting singly or in
the confederation, in order to put an end to
its supremacy: therefore,
/. Resolved, That any vote of Secession
or other act by which any State may under
take to put an end to the supremacy Of the
Constitution within its territory is inopera-
tive and void against the Constitution, and
when sustained by force it becomes prac-
tical abdication by the State of all rights
under the Constitution, while the treason
which it involves still further works instant
forfeiture of all those functions and powers
essential to the continued existence of the
State as body polite, SO that from that
time forward the territory. and the State
being, according to the Languages Of thozIaw,
felo de 4, ceases to exist
g. g leyoxOsl5, nas kny c8hpifi tloo O.
men assuming TO act Ia the place Of such
State, and attempting to ensnarc and coerce
the inhabitants thereof into confederation
hostile of the Union. is rebelious, treason
able, and destitute of all moral authority; !;
and that such combination is usurpation.
incapable of any constitutional existence,
and utterly lawless, so that everything de-
pendent upon it is without constitutional or
legal support.
3. Resolved, That the termination of
State under the Constitution necessarily
causes the termination of those peculiarly
local institutions which. having no origin in
the Constitution or in those natural rights
which exist independent of the Constitution,
are upheld by the sole and exclusive autho.
rity of the State.
4. Resoloed, That slavery, being pecu-
liar local institution, derived from local laws,
without any origin in the Constitution or in
natural rights, is upheld by the sole and ex-
elusive authority of the State. and must
therefore cease to exist legally or copstitn-
tionally when the State on which it depends
no longer exists; for. the incident cannot
survive the principal.
5. ResclUed, That in the exercise Of ita
exclusive jurisdiction over the territory onco
occupied by the States, it is the duty Of
Congress to see that the supremacy of the
Constitution is maintained in its essential
principles, so that everywhere in this exten-
sive territory slavery shall cease to exist
practically, as it has already ceased to exist
constitutionally or legally.
6. Resolved, That any recognition OF
slavery in such territory, or any surrender
of slaves under the pretended laws of tho
extinct States by any officer of the United
States, civil or military, is recognition Of
the pretended governments, to the exclusion
of the jurisdiction of Congress under the
Constitution, and is in the nature of aid and
comfort to the rebellion that has been or
ganized.
I. Resolued. That any such recognition
Of slavery OF surrender of pretended slaves,
besides being recognition of the pretended
government, giving them aid and comfort,
is denial of the rights of persons who, by
the extinction of the States have become free.
so that, under the Constitution, they cannot
again be enslaved.
8. Resolved. That allegiance from the
inhahitant and protection from the Govern
nent are corresponding obligations, depen-
dent upon each other; SO. that, while the
allegiance Of every inhabitant Of this terri
tory, without distinction of color or class, ia
due to the United States, and cannot IN any
way be defeated by the action of any pre-
tended Government, or by any pretence Of
property or claim to service, the correspond
ing obligation Of protection is at the same
time due by the United States to every such
inhabitant, without distinction of color or
class; and 1t follows that the inhabitants
hela as slaves. whose paramount allegiance
is due to the United States, may Justly look
to the United States for protection.
8. Resolsca, That the duty directly cas.