Mr. Sumner's Resolutions

The followmg are tlc infanious resolutions introuuced into tiic Seuate by Jlr. Sumner. We publish them maiuly for tho pu'.'posB of placing thera on record, ïhe cfi'oet of the passage of them by Cor.gress would bc, as uudüubtodly intendel, to prevent a reconsí ruction of the Unior. Once declared territorics, then ho would introduce a bilí to abulieh alavery in tho territories of the United States, and tliu, by iiiilirection, ho liopes to aecomplish that which tho constitution now prevents being done. - 'ree l'resi. Rüüolutions dee'aratory of the relations between the United States and the territory once osettpied by certaiü States, and now nsurpêd by pretended govermnents, without constitutioual or legal right. W'iiereas certain States rightfully bclonging to the Union of tho United State, have, through tiieir respective goveruments, wiekediy undertaken to al - jure all those duties by which their coi - nection with the Union was niaintained : to renounce all allegiacce to the constitution ; to levy war upon tbc national eoverntnent ; and, for the commutation i f this treftson, have uncoiistitutionally and unlawfully confedcrated togethcr, v.iih the declareri purpose of putting an end; by foreo, to the supreraaoy of the constitution wit'iin their respective limit ; and whereas tho extotisive territory tlius usurped by these pretended governicents, and organizad into a hostile conf'ederacy belongs to tho United States as an inseparable part thereof under the sanction of the coGftitution, to be held in trust for tho inhabitanta of the present and futuro genoration, and this territory is so thoroughlj linked witli the ooustitution that it is forever dependent thereupon ; and whereas the conatitution, which ia the supreme lavv of the land, cannot be displaced in its rightful operation within this territory, but must ever continue tho supreme law thereof, DOtwithstatiding the doings of any pretended guvernments acting singly or in confederaron, in order to put an end to its supremacy ; therefore, 1. Resolved, That any vote of seeession or other act by whioh any State may undertake to put an end to the supremacy of the con Bö tut i on within its territory is inoperativc and void a;;ainst the constitution, and when sustained by force it beeonies a practical abdicatiou by tho State of all rights uuder the constitution, while the treasou which it involves siill fnrther works au instant forfei'ure of all those functions and powers essentinl to tho continuod existonce of the State as a body politie, so thst from that time for■ward the territory falls under the exclusive jurisdu'tiou of Congress as other territory, and the State bsing, nccording t ) the laDgUQge of the feh de se, ceases to exist. 2. lïcsoked, That any combiiiation cf men assuiuing to act in the placa of such Síaío, and ittcsnpting to ensnare and coerce the itil: :i ui t uu ts therenf into a confederation hostile to the Uuion is reb.-llious, treasouable. and destitute of all moral au'liority, and that sucli combiuation, is a usurpütion, iucapable of any coustitutional esisteuce, and utterly lawlcss, so tliat everything dependent upon it ia without constitutioml or legal support. 8. Resolved, Tli at th-e terminal ion of a State under the constitution nec( s arily causes the termination of thos9 pcoiliar local institutiona which, having no origiii in the constitution, or in those natural riglits which exist independent of the eonstilutiöri, are upheld by the so'.e, exclusive authority of the State. 4. Resolved, That slavery b ing a peculiar local institution, derived from local laws, without any origin in tho constitution or in natu: al rights, is upheld by tho sule and exclusive auhn-ity of the 8t;it?, and must tharefore cease to exist legally or constitutiona'ly when tho State on which it depends no longer erists; for tho incident canuot survivo tho principa'. 5. liesohcd, That in the exerci.se of ita exclusive jurisdiction over the territory . once otx'upit'd by the States, it is tha duty of Uoiigress to see thal t'.e supremacy of the constitution is maintained in ns essential principal, so ihat everywhara ni this extensivo terntory slavcry siall ce so to cxi-it practically, as it bas already eeased to exist eoustituiionally o.' 1 irally 6. Lesohed, That any recognition of slavery in such territory, or any surrender of slaves uuder ilio pretended liws oí the extioot States by any officer of the Uuited St.ites, civil or military, is a recognition of the pretended governman s, t) tho exclusión of the jurisdioof Co .rr.es ander the ooostitutiun, aud is in tha nature of aid and oomfort to tho rcbéllion that has been organized. 7. Resolved, ïiiat ai.y sueh reoogoition of slavery or sUrrender of pretended goverpmónls, friving tbera a:d and com-' fort. is a denial of the rights of persous vh:, by the extinötion of the States, havo becüiue free, so that, uuder tha ooustitutiou, they oannot agaiu ba easlaved. 8. Resobtd, That tho alleeiancc frv.-n; the iubabitant and proteetion frotn the giivernnient, are epfresponding obligations, dependent upon eaeh othcr, so that while the allogiunue of every in habitan! of tb is territory, witiiout distinetion of color or elass, is due to the United States, and canriüt in any way bc defouted by the astion of any pretended government, or by any pretence of property or claim to servioe, the corr;sponding obligition of proteetion is at the same timo due by the United Slates to every such in! a'iitant, with u distinotion of color t clas; aud it f.dluws that inhabitants held as alavés, whose param u't alhgiance is due to the United States, niay justly look to the natioual governineut for protection. 9. That the duty directly cast upou Congress by the extinetion of the States is re-enforced by tho positivo prohibiticn or t!ie constitution, tiiat, "no State Kiiall enter rato any oonfederfltio," or ' without the consent of Congross koep troops or ships of-war in tiraea of peaoe, or 01 ter into any agreemcnt or compact with mother State," or " grant letters of mar.{uo and rcprlsal," or ' oöm inoncy," or "enit bilis of credit," or " without the oonsont of CongfOM lay any dutics on exports or import," all of wliich haü been done by these pretended governments. an.l also by the positive injanotion of the oocstitution, addrcFSsd to the nation, tLat "the United States shall guaran tee to every State i:i this Union republioan forra of government," sd that in pursüanoa of this duty cast upou Corgress, and further enjoiöfed by the constitution, Congress will assume complete jurisdiotion of such vaeated tcnitory where sueh unconstitutional and illegal things have been atteiupted, and will pro3eed to establish thenin republican f::-ms of goverument nader the constitutioh; and in tho expcution of this trust will provide earefully for the proteetion of all the inhabitants thereof, for the security of families, the organiaatfera of labor, the encourageniont of industry, and the welfare of sorictv, 'ind will iu every way fliaehntge the duties of a just, morciful Had paternal governinent. Jg"" A troublcil conseiencc. Tho toothache of the ruind.