1.  In every government, absolute sovereignty exists somewhere.  In the United States it exists primarily with the people, and ultimate sovereignty always exists with them.  In each of the States, the legislature possesses a representative sovereignty, delegated by the people through the Constitution—­the people thus committing to the legislature a portion of their sovereignty, and specifying in their constitutions the amount of the grant and its conditions.  That the people in any state where slavery exists, have the power to abolish it, none will deny.  If the legislature have not the power, it is because the people have reserved it to themselves.  Had they lodged with the legislature “power to exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever,” they would have parted with their sovereignty over the legislation of the State, and so far forth, the legislature would have become the people, clothed with all their functions, and as such competent, during the continuance of the grant, to do whatever the people might have done before the surrender of their power:  consequently, they would have the power to abolish slavery.  The sovereignty of the District of Columbia exists somewhere—­where is it lodged?  The citizens of the District have no legislature of their own, no representation in Congress, and no political power whatever.  Maryland and Virginia have surrendered to the United States their “full and absolute right and entire sovereignty,” and the people of the United States have committed to Congress by the Constitution, the power to “exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever over such District.”

Thus, the sovereignty of the District of Columbia, is shown to reside solely in the Congress of the United States; and since the power of the people of a state to abolish slavery within their own limits, results from their entire sovereignty within that state, so the power of Congress to abolish slavery in the District, results from its entire sovereignty within the District.  If it be objected that Congress can have no more power over the District, than was held by the legislatures of Maryland and Virginia, we ask what clause of the constitution graduates the power of Congress by the standard of those legislatures?  Was the United States’ constitution worked into its present shape under the measuring line and square of Virginia and Maryland? and is its power to be bevelled down till it can run in the grooves of state legislation?  There is a deal of prating about constitutional power over the District, as though Congress were indebted for it to Maryland and Virginia.  The powers of those states, whether prodigies or nullities, have nothing to do with the question.  As well thrust in the powers of the Grand Lama to join issue upon, or twist papal bulls into constitutional tether, with which to curb congressional action.  THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES gives power to Congress, and