Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1864-02-20
SHOULD THE SOCIAL ED SEC ED.
EO STATES BE ALLOWED TO
RETURN TO THE FELLOW SHIP
OF STATES IN THE UNION VITA
SLAVERY

SLAVERY
Accepting as truo the assurance OF the
Republican press, that the rebellion is on
the eve Of being suppressed-that seces.
sion is played outs on its last legs-no
question Of more interest or importance
can present itself at the present time, than
the one involving in its settlement the
future status Of those States which now
form the Southern Confederacy. The
character Of the above interrogatory would
seem to imply an admission that some of
the States are actually out Of the Union,
but this we are unwilling to concede-
though for the more thorough investga.
ton Of the subject, we propose to treat it
IN whatever position the present. Admins
tration may find it convenient to present it.
And for this purpose We vii! first regard
these States as out Of the Union, and
when we do so We must be prepared to
accept the legitimate consequences Of so
doing-the most prominent Of which is
their change of character from rebel
States to heligerant nations; and when
they assume this character they are
entitled to recognition by other foreign
powers, to be governed 10 their warfare
with US by the Law of Nations, and have
that law made applicable towards them
Now if all this is true, and it entirely is if
we make the original concession-that
these States are out Of the Union-tor the
balance follows as certain as the night the
day. Then it is perfectly clear that we
cannot abolish slavery in these beligerant
S.ates-as the Law of Nations does no,
recognize the power of one belIigerant, BY
any act Of legislation, or BY proclamation,
during the war to change the institutions
and domestic relations Of the other bellg.
erent. What is not actually changed by
the war; remains on the conclusion Of the
war, as it was before.
Having briefly considered the right to
abolish slavery in the Confederate States,
when regarded as out OF the Union, we
come now to inquire by what right, or
with what propriety slavery can be aboI.
ished in these states while they are in the
Union?
1t is urged by those who support the
present Administration, that the General
Government may abolish Slavery under
the power to appropriate private property
to public use, and the power to provide for
the public welfare and common defence;
and asserting that this power is left to the
discre,io. of Congress, who are tie sole
aud exclusive judges as to the occasions
when it shall be exercised, and from whose
judgment there is no appeal.
This course Of reasoning upon the right
Of Congress to provide for the public vel
fare aud common defence, ignores the
history Of the formation of the States and
the Union, forgets that the United States
is Government Of limited powers. aud
the express provision in the amendments
to the Constitution that 1.-The powers not
delegated to the United States by the
Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the
States are reserved to the States respec.
lively or to..,he people" annihila,es the
powers Of the States at the pleasure Of
Congress-, and applies with equal force to
anything else.
Again, it is claimed by some politicians,
more ingenious than honest, THAT by
general confscation of the properly of
persons in the rebel States, the abolition
Of slavery may be consummated, that
the provision Of the Constitution limiting
the effects of the coufscation to the life
time Of the owner, has been entirely mis-.
represented, and that the only proper con.
s,ruction is to change the wording Of the
clause, so that it shall read unless instead
of ereept. and then the true meaning of it
will be, THAT the confscation must be
perfected during the lifetime Of the owner
Of The property, to vest fee in that party
claiming under the confscation. So
absurd an argument Is this will hardly
endure contradiction. and yet very dis.
honest or ignorant Judge in Virginia has
given this construction to that provision
Of the Constitution. For our part we
would prefer to rely upon tina. construction
which has received the universal endorse.
ment Of the people, and the sanction Of
our ablest jusist-thas an estate in the
eonfscated property during the life of the
owner Was al that could be acquired.
Finally, We are called upon TO reply to
that last and most popular argument Of
the republican party 1.-The war power Of
the President" @gs - as@@t. @@
The President derives bis Office, and bis
powers In the execution Of tina: office,
from the Constitution. 1t need not be
argued that the Executive power Of the
President II not mil mifpd Or Of ;tself