Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-01-17


Its quite refreshing to read in secession jour
nails grave aud elaborate disquisitions on viola
tions Of the Constitution" alleged to have been
committed by the Federal Government in the pro
secution Of the pending war Whatever may be
the pertinency CT force of these representations it
has always seemed to US that they derive no great
strength from the source whence they emanate
That those who have conspired for the violent
overthrow of the Constitution should now assume
to deplore the usurpations" of the Lincoln Gov
ernment'' Gas they call iD trait of manners
better calculated to establish their reputation for
audacty than to conciiatefayor for their patronage
Of our "organic law"
An amusing instance of this short-sightsdness is
afforded by the Richmond Enquirer in some COM
ments it offers on the recent Emancipation Procla
nation Of President Lincoln, considered with spe-
cal reference to its bearing on the terms OF the
treaties by which the United States acquired pos
session Of Louisiana and Florida respectively, The
Enquirer says:
In lousiara Lincclu has surrounded the nnmanumit,
ted slaves with vast territory OF freedom over which he
has DO power whatever But if The folly Of the procama
atons Of exciting treaties may 10 the end prove how the
best laid schemes Of mice and men oft gang aglee.
'The treaty Of the United States with France for the
cesson of Louisiana stpuate, in article third that the
inhabitants OF the coded territory shall be maintained and
protected in the free enjoyment Of their liberty property
aud the religion which they profess The First Ccneu in
approving the treaty, uses these words:
" Let the Iousauians know that separate from them
with that sulate in their favor every thug that
they can desire, &c.
1.-THE guarantees of the trsaty with Spain for the
do ng nf
gion; and,
cart G. The inhabitants of the ter itorea which his Ca
thoc Majesty cedes to the United States by this treaty shall
be Incorporated into the Union of the United st ts
be consistent with the princpes OF the Federal Con-
sttnton, and admitted to the enjoyment Of all Tho privileges
rights 5mmnnities of the citizens ofthe United States
sThe property of these inhabitants in part slaves
and by the provisions of both treaties they to be
tected in the enjoyment Of their slave property. What
viii France an, Spain have to say when the United
States openly procams its violation of IFS treaty stpua
tions7 Are not France aud Spain bound to that he
stipulatons Of the treaties observed
ais Napoleon III the sovereign to stand qustly by and
the faith OF treaties violated aud their slip
ulaons wantony destroyed? These matters for
Minister at Paris to bring the Emprrors attention and
Louis Napoleon has already manifested disposition to
advance peace this set of spoaton upon people for
whose protection former sovereign had provided BY trea
ty may determine him to act Lincoln in utter ignorance
OF the past history Of his country has assaei the
pledged faith Of the United States with Farce and Spain
and the proclamation may yet be instrument in the hands
OF Providence to compel peace"
1t seems to us that before the Emperor Of France
the Queen Of Spain could consistently raise this
question under the terms Of the treaty cedng Lou
siana and Florida to the United States there is an
earlier question which the Eaquirer has over
looked It is whether, in pursuance Of the terms Of
these treaties, the French and the Spanish Gov
ersments might not feel themselves bound in honor
/ - ~, - g.
BILE, the undsputed possession of the territories re
spectively ceded to the Federal Government These
territories were ceded to the United States, lot to
the Confederate States, and the Enquirer, if dis
posed to sickle for the words of the convention,
would have some difficulty, we fancy, in proving
that the " Confederate Government has any right
or title whatever to the States formed out Of the
Louisiana and Florida purchase. The treaty with
Spain, as quoted by the Richmond journal, pro-
vdes that the Inhabitants of the territories which
his Catholic Majesty ceded to the United States
shall be Incorporated mt, The Union Of the Unitsd
States" and admitted to the enjoyment of al the
privileges rights and immunites Of the citizens Of
the United STATES" Secession nullifss these stip-
uations; and as these who ask equity must do
equity, those who demand respect for treaty en-
gagements should not be the men who have been
first to violate them.
The Enquirer, in arguing to roach desired con-
cluson, also TO overlook, in the latter part
the advocated article the assertion with which it
opens. For if, as that Journal premises, the late
proclamation is an act of "foy" because it as
sumes to declare freedom Gin vast territory over
which he president Lincoln has no power" 1t
necessarily results that the "inhabitants" Of this
territory will in fact lose Of their stipulated
" privileges, rights, and immunities" as regards
" slave property" and the very basis on which the
Eoquirer builds its absurd plea for French and
Spanish Intervention, arising under the terms Of
the treaties ceding Louisiana and Florida, is I'M
dermined by the assumption with which it pre-
faces its argument.
INTERVENTION