Indiana Republican, Volume 4, Number 180, Madison, Jefferson County, 1 June 1820 — Page 1

ndiana MemiMictm. 1 BtbV 5 1 . i t "WHERE LIBERTY DWELLS, THERE IS MY COUNTRY. VOL. IV. MADISON, INDIANA, THURSDAY, JUNE i, 1S20. No. i3o.

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Vl FvLISIiri) BY EVERY TtU'P.SDAY.

CONDITIONS. The tklU: PUBLIC AN" will fce delivered at the otlcc for two .'ars ptT annum, pain 111 an- ; if pint nothm trft mor.Uh ubscnbinjr, it will ' e consi- .:-: l i-a advance ; two dollars ;i;.d r f;v cents if pud wii:uu twelve youths ; and three dollars if not r-?d 'lntil the year expirrs. No pDcr will be discontinued - f:'t all arre.in-esarc p.o 1. rn all ca-es a subscriber nvust - e notice punctually at the eni of 11 i . ... . . 1 . , VV" IT O" 'lis ui juii; U.. ...01 t... K. I ! -,.vw.,w", 5, for m".her ers suiter: eti n. 'vdvert:semeres not exc cdina it I . . 1 . 1. . . ! will Dc inserico. inr :: unit's 1 . ! 1 , . ... . . , : vn. aid i the nurr.' rr ot inr f .n tl ss.-v. i, are not 1. . ... Kl i , O. . ' y ill be continued at tne -1 ' i tWr jJvcrti-cr until or i r1 ' 'V Vd 1 u rs to e lt T- - POSt ." Lani-OOice, JcfTeronviHe, FERSONS wishing U? fr nstcr i of lands c r.Tcr this o lice arc requester! not l( mkc them on the back of the Rcgistrr certificate but on a repi' ite piece of paper. It trerj )'m:U' happen-;, that by transferiti and assigning on the hick of certiOcates, theybecome 5) mutilated and defaced as to destroy 1 he contents. Ihc following rrm may be used. For valje received I, A. B. of county, do tTAnsf.-r t C. I"). of count) all inv ri '!u title to the quarter section No. in touu:np M . (North of South as the ca-e may be) or rans' Ko. Ea-t ct the Jeffervmviile District. Witness mv hi i i and seal this day of 1S18. A. 15. (Soil ) Test," This as-iMment being; ackn.jwle h;cvl before any justice ot the p. acc, an I ccrtilLvl by the clerk of the county ot brine; such, will procure a patent. In all ca-e where the magistrate's or cierk's crrtili tate happens to be on a didertnt piece ot paper trom the aslignmcnt it will be proper for them to ?ct forth the particular tract s vid U will be well for nuistate?i and others who are in the habit ot writing assignmcnts, to preserve a copy ot the foregoing as their p;ukle. I huse who scud to the odlce tt i;et their tuiness done, will please to be particular in descrihtns in plain legible hanJ, the tract they .rih to enter, and to write their given names at lull la.;fh. SAMi. GWATHMEV. 1 LAXD OFFICE MOXL). J Hit cf b.:r.ks, the n;Us of vshich are receivable as cash fr ite sale cf put' li: hr.Js at Jcjftrf 1 r 9 ; , Bink of the United Stltes and brincc.;, Bink ot Virginia branches, Fanners bnk, ditto, Ihnk tf Penn. (Philadelphia,) Bmk of North America, ditto. Brdv of Philadelphia " AMners Mechanics do. MfcKanics bank ot City and County d. Cosnincrciil bank of Pen. do. ehuiikill bank ditto, lUnk of Northern Liberties do. vfliaUimuxe in Baltimore.

Bank of Maryland ditto, Union bank ot Baltimore Mechanic bank Merchants bank of Baltimore, Franklin bank of Coinmercial 5c Farmer3 do. Farmers Mechanics do. Bank cf Colum. Dist. of Col. Union bank of Georgetown do.

tanners Mechanics bank Patrioticdo. of Washington Bink of Washington Bmk of the Metropolis Union Bank cf Alexandria Buik of Alexandria, Bank of Potomack, Farmcri bank of New York bank - New York, Manhattan Company ditto Mechanics name Merchants Bank Union Bank of Bank of America Farmers and Mechanics bank Bmk of Ctiillicothe, State bank of la. Vinccnncs, Bank of Illinois at ShawneetO ATI, Bank of Missouri St. Louis, Bmk of Mississippi Natchez, Bank ol Orleans, Orlean3, Bank of Louisiana, Except notes of a less dene mination than five dollars. (corrected weekly.) Mr. 1 had rick Spuch CUCLU I'.Z J.) Mr. Chairman, there U little danger of encroachments on the novcrninems of the state. I he states have at all times centum at their posts and within this hall. Who are we, sir, bat the ccntinels ot th; state govern, incuts UZ us of the stites, scut bete tor the special purpose of representing them in the i.a. tioiul assembly. Writlioar constituent!, wc have a closer aiHnit y to the states, than to this ),;i)vei ninca.. Wc teel tfuir interests as primary ones. "Ihis b.en sufucientiy manifested in the proj'tcs of thii discussion. it 1 can eieiermmc my tbnsg trom my own tec!t:i;s, 1 knovvth'u to be the case. 1 he rights and advan(-es of the state, which I hive the honor to represent, arc those which make the strongest appeal to my heart. Sir, the overthrow ot rhis great republic, is more in danger ti ota encroachments of the state goveminent, than of this government. Some hih unconstitutional pretensions ot the state governments, arc more likely to sap the foundations of our liberties and destroy this government. Sir, tor examples I mie;ht refer you to the histories ot other nations and other times, but I need not leave tint of my own country. The arm of this government durinthe iate war, was paraiized by the pretentions otastatc&overiH2ient,(Massaehusetts)by a conflict forstatcrihts. But,' sir, to the general seops and plain meaning of the con. stitution. It is said that congress have but one constitutional negative over the admUioa of a state. Congress may require her constitution to be republican, and if it be not she mav reject it. Bat I apprehend, sir,' that in construing an instrument all its parts are to be taken together. Wc should never lose sight of the object of the convention, which framed the constitution. Wc should never lose sight of the end and objc;; of all good govcrctucuu.

These arc the happiness of the people governed. Governments ought still to be progressive, from bad, if they be so, to good, and from good to better. Perfection of human happiness is the tendency of all jood governments. Slavery is an evil. It is admitted to be so, by all the south; and its existence is a matter of much lamentation to them. It is then more natural to suppose, that the evil was intended to be stopped to be re moved from the body politic as soon as possible than that it should be extended with tru extending union. Sir, suppose slavery had no existence in the United States. A state wet of the Mississippi would pre sent you with a constitution, recognizing slavery, and dcmmd admission int the union. I think that no gentleman from any q urter, would receive such a constitution into the union. We should then search the con3tituiion with eagle's eye. The intelligence of the south would then be able to find enough, to justify the reject i.on ot such a constitution. Mr. Chairman I am not at liberty to enquire how the sine of the South teca.T.e slave-? I a n not liberty to enquire, what ruthless hand fir?t manacled the slave, and trampled on the natu.al rights ot mm? I may not travel out of the record, the constitution. Ia thit in::rument, although the tenr.i manacle and s'ave, are n k to be found, this species of property is

iecotfnizcd b) itro.K Loi.ui e and by definition tv)o plain to be mistaken. With pleasure do I heir, ttoiuthe remeient.uivcs of thesowth, tint this evil docs not lie at their d-;or, and with equal pleasure do I had in the history of my country, the pro d' of this tact. Slavery, personal slavery, waa introduced muo this country by that government, whor-e polic) it ui to rivet the fetters of pciitical bhvcry on the trecuveu of theco br.icj. It is a vestige of British pdicy, which the storms of the revolution could net do a -a ay, and which had too deep rojt in the government to bw eradicated by reform. It was an evil ot so much magnitude, that it became nccesiiry to provide or it in the constitution; but being an evil, the provisions of-the constitution never menu to foster and cherish it in the government. It was not intended to grow with its gio th an i strengthen with ks strength; to grow faster and beco ne stronger than this government, which it would do by planting it in the fertile regions bey or .1 the Mississippi. Sir, it is not fairer to ay that slavery has been adopted by this government, because its existence is found in the cons:iiu:ion, th?.n it would be to say, that crimes cf the deepest de are sanctioned by this government, because their existence is recognized and admitted by the 'amstifuiion. Sir, evil is Uaorc frequently the object of legislation taan good. For goo a and for good men, constitutions and governments arc net nectary. Ihcy arc mace for evil, for vicious and for bad men. The existence of every crime is admitted in a constitution, but it would be an inference from this, entirely inidniUsiblc, that murder was

Sir, I understand the constitution to recognise the 1avc of the South, as the property of his master. As such, he is pro. tected by the constitution, and his situation is unalterable by law; but like all other property, he is liable to the restraints of law. Sir, an hon. gentleman, endeavoring, as i understood him, to reconcile slavery with abstract principle, has said that any thing b right and proper to be done, which the safety of a people may require. Wi'il that honorable gentleman permit us to chanre a little the 'direction of that argument, and to brinr it to bear more immediately on the question? Suppose then the Mtety of this great Republic to require the restriction of slavei y. If the gentleman's argument be a good one, it fur nishes at once, cn the ground ot expediency, all that is necessary with which to support the amendment before the committee. Sir, from the existence of slavery in the constitution and

the gov, eminent, wc arc not thaigcald vvith cone, but when we sriopt j. :ie e-cn sti tu tion, or rect .ve -. nev constitution recognizing si very when we introdjeean tii in the government, then we become chargeable with that evil. Then it 13 we create the condition of sliverv, which before that time had no saucricn ot permanent iuv. Then if is that we are at liberty to enquire first principles, ami to coiop e the situatio.i of a '.ivc with the natural righrs of man. Sir, on this cp;cst;.o, I shoal 1 be willing to rot 00 the uisdoin ofthosevvho have gone before me. I should be wilfmg to say, thit the construction of thr constitution, trom the ctunmciKerne'nt of tJ e government to this period the precedents tunmhed, and the .system oi legislation, trom the much timed ordinance of 17S7, almost to the present day, are sulhcient lights for me on this occa.nn. I should say, that a systrm of legislation, continued tor thirty years a system which existed before the constitution, and under the constitution, producing the happiest political results, i ; one, which I would not readily believe, to be founded in usurpation, and tending to the destruction of the government. Such, sir, is the ordinance of 17S7, for the government of the North Western -Territory -the propositions offered by Congress to the people of Ohio, in the law authorising them to form for themselves a constitution and state government t lie provisions of the constitution of that stae inhibiting slavery. tuch were the propositions of Congress to the people of Indiana, in 1S1C in the law authorising th'emto form a constitution and State government. Such was the positive and absolute condition, requiring, that the con. stitution of Indiana when formed, should be Republican, and' not repugnant to the articles of the ordinance of 17B7, one of which prohibited slavery; and such were the provisions of the constitution of that state inhib iting slavery. Such, ahb were the propositions offered to Illinois, on a similar occasion. Sir, for further notice of some of the principles j this oitiiiuuc.

sanctionedbv the c r:tru-. Sc ought nor to be punished by taw. . and for additional jinks in this chain of legislation, I reter you to the acts of cession cf IMorrft Carolina and Georgia to the general goverm entto the acts ot" congress preparatory to the admission of Kentucky into the Union to the act relative to the territory of Orleans authorising the people of that territory to form for then. selves d constitution and state government. Permit me, sit , to turn t fie attention of the committee to some of the conditions and restrictions of that act. The proviso to the third section is in thee words: " Presided The constitution to be formed in virtue of the authority herein given, shall be republican and consistent with the constitution of the United States; thafi it shall contain the fundamental principles of civil and vcligioosl liberty; that it shall secure tcj the citizen the trial by jury id all criminal cases and thepriv iieges oi the writ of habeas cor pus, conformably to the provis ions of the constitution of the U. States and that after the acU minion of the said territory olf Orleans, as a state, into the Vh ion, the laws which suctl state may pass, shall be promul gated, and its records of twerjp description shall be preserved and its judicial and legislative! written proceedings conducted n the hnguage, in which th la a s nd the judicial and legisative written proceedings, of-1: theU. States are now published and conducted; and that thJ river Mississippi, and the navh . gable rivers atui waters lea injf into tire same, or into the (m i ot Mexico, hall be comn' ii highways and forever free ,i$ well to the inhabitants ot the Eii.l state, as to other cinir.eui of the U. States, without any duty, impost, or toll, thet efor, imposed by the said .r ate.1 Ot the 5me character 13 tue act prohibiting the taking oh" slaves t the territory of Orlea ns. All this, sir, I cannot beMev; ttf have been the otfsprinrg -,,f Inattention, in those who have le gisUted since thtcon aiu ne'ement of this government. I believe sir, that precedents and constructions of & constitution, arei as binding on legislatures as decisions arc binding oh courts o( law. And the reason which re quires a Wiitte.: constitution requires tYiat this should be so, hy, sir, is a written constitutio'a necessary? It h necessary that the lines and bolin. darie'j be cleariy delineated aiuj certainly known. It is necessary that the powers of the government be defined and rendered certain; and vherc doubts ambiguities and u nee r taint lei exist, precedents aifd conductions ckfme and make certain; And, sir, precedents have additional force and eilicavy, when formed under circumstances, calculated to impress a character of intelligence and stability upon them when formed in the cahn of tranquility and reason, remote trom party "excitement and political strife. Such, sir.

are the-precedents to which i have alluded. o?.w .s e..v.'c.re i6ld that tin? re. 5tnciH4cumot he carried tnti f, Ltt -that Miswuri is required i euact it, and that which hc may i.-t.t, hfu to ly aiuttnl or r peal, picaiuic. Sir them" U aomct1

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