Delaware Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1843-1874, 1866-01-15

> tional provision. but such Il right coniers
e power on the representatives of one portion
e the States to exclude the remaining Stat
v from their just right to be represented in Il
h national councils. Such power would |
f dangerous to liberty ITSELF and the attempt O
1 the part of Congress to exercise it is justl
alarming and in violation of the fundamenta Ia
priuciples OF representative government. Tb
assumption that either house of Congress ca
, exclude the Southern States from representa-
tlon therelni or prescribe the terms and condi
tons upon which they may be represented, i
based upon the theory that the States of thi
J Union may have no rights of which they ma,
not be legitimotely deprived by the Fedora
Government. In other words, that all Stat,
rights may be subordinated to the will o
congress. Such a theory, ii adopted in prac,
tlce will clothe Congress with all the omnip
otence claimed for the British Parliament, an(
strip the States Of all the rights which by til,
Constitution are reserved TO the States or ths
people. The powers secured by the Constitu.
ton 10 Congress were believed by the framers
| OF that instrument TO be all that were essen.
tial to a complete exercise of its proper func-
tions and all with which it could be s-fely en-.
trusted without endangering the proper ad-
Justment of powers between the different de-
parinents OF the General Government, and
without AN infringement OF the rights deemed
| essential 10 the existence of proper State gov
ernments. How wisely they judged, the pres
| perity OF the country and the happiness OF the
people through the greater part Of our history
can testify. The exercise OF the powers grant.
| cd IN The Constitution to the different depart
mehts oil the Government has, until recently
been considered by all sufficient for every ext
| gency, both In time OF peace aud of war. The
iAto eiVi' war however, furnished both the oc-
casioh and the excuse for the assumption of
| powers by the executive and legislative de-
partments OF the government, not only unwar-
rauted by the Federal Constitution, but in fla
grant violation of its plainest provisions. The
most sacred rights OF the citizen were violated
Win lnpunity, and his appeal to the guaran-
tees OF the Constitution was unheard, or dis
regarded. The rights OF the States, their laws
ana institutions, were set at defiance even by
the subordinate agents OF the Federal Govern
ment, who found shelter from the lust penalty
OF their crimes under The protection OF usurped
federa power. Submission to the exercise of
uhwarranted powers ny the General Govern
ment may INDUCE TO retention OF authority
which wac unjustitiably assumed and can only
be retained by the Il tier disregard OF the es-
sential principles of American Nberty, Gem
traiization OF power was sought to be guarded
against IN the formation OF the government,
ana cannot be too strongly opposed by the
people oi this country il they would retain any
vestiEe OF the rights essential to the freedom
Oh the cit'zen, and necessary TO the existence
oi proper State Government. 1t was expected
tnat when The wHr had ceased the infringement
oi rights clearly reserved TO the States and the
people would also cease, and, perhaps, so far
as tue action OF the executive department OF
government ia concerned, that expectation may
at no distant day be realized. But no one ia
mliar with the various propositions submitted
To oongre9s at its present session can have
Jailed to discover the claim OF power for Con.
gress by leading members of both houses,
ues'rnetlVe 20 many oi the rights heretofore
exercised by the States, and of which they
cannot De leEitimately deprived, ana ought not
voluntarily to surrender
The official announcement OF the adoption
oil an amendment to the Constitution abolish
ing eiave-y throughout the United States, has
been made by the Secretary of State, and the
Institution Of slavery therefore no Longer tx-
ISIS. Of the wisdom or folly, policy or impolicy
OF such an amcadmenti it ToGld be nseless now
to inquire; nor would it avail to discuss the
injustice 10 those who have beaa deprived of
the labor and services OF the slaves thus made
tree. The effect upoG The class of persons who
hsye been thus deprived of the protection aud
care OF these upon whom they have been ac-
customed TO depend, il is apprehended will, in
ssme OF the States, he far from beneficial In
this state, however, where there were but few
slaves no very serious disadvantage can result |
either TO the agricultural labor in which thew |
were chiefly employed or to the slaves them |
selves; who can readily find employment in the
occupations to which they are accustomed, /
The incorporate discussions Of the slavery.
question Tor years occupied too much the at
tention OF the people OF the conntry, and pro-
duced at last Its legitimate fruit of war bet ween
the two sections The result has been that
slavery has ceased to exist, and in that result
msnypefhnps acquiesoe in the expectation that
this element of discord, having been removed.
no other will be found TO disturb the nations
peace. In snch anticipations, | fear, it would
be folly to indulge. The meu who have been
chiefly responsible for the agtations which
have eliminated In the sad scenes through
which we have passed in the last four wears.
have renewed in other forms their attack upon
the pubic peace. Stimula ted by their sue
cess IN procuring the abolition of slavery they
now demand for TIE negro the right of suffrage
and seek 10 place him, politically at least upon
an equality with the white man. That men
osaring the impress OF superiority plainly
marked by the hand of the Creator, should |
seek to reverse His DEGREES, and place them
selves upon an equality, In any respect, with
an Inferior race, Is most strange, and almost |
Incredible, yet such is the fact, strange and |
AS II may seem If how |
ever, tho people oil Massaoh u Its a nd Vermont
or OF any other State, desire to bestow the |
elective franchise upon the few negroes in
their own midst, they have the right so TO do. |
and perhaps tho people of Delaware or Mary-
land, who do not choose 10 to act, would have
no right to complain, however impolitic they
might deem snch policy to he. But when
they seek to impose their views upon the
States where there are large negro populations
their Interference becomes Justly offensive and
intOlerable. That those who advocate the ex
tcnsion CT suffrage 10 the negroes in tie
Southern States are Rctuated by desire to
eLgenger strife and bloodshed between the
races, IL might perhaps be nncharitable to sun
pose, hut snch madness can only be accounted
for without the imputation OF improper mo-
tves, upon the principle that men are some
times given over TO blindness of mind that they
may persist in error as punishment OF their
crimes. While tho negrors in this country, as
an inferior and dependent race, are Justly en-
titled to the sympathy and commiseraton due
10 interiors, they have no claim of right to the
privilege OF voting, and the interests of both
the negro ind white man imperatiyely require
that the distinction between the political sta
tus of the races should be as mark ed and dis
tinct as the color inefacibly impressed upon
hem by the Creator.
COVE SAULSBUYS
SHARP youths are some OF our dry goods
clerks, yeryl A lady entered a retail store. in
Hanover street, short tins since, and. among
other things, asked tor some cambria of a hay
color