A. The framers of the Constitution understood this question better than we do.
II. Definition of terms.
A. “The frame of government under which we live” is the Constitution of the United States.
1. The original Constitution.
2. The amendments.
B. “The fathers” were the thirty-nine men who signed the original document.
C. The “question” which these fathers understood “just as well, and even better, than we do now,” is: “Does the proper division of local from Federal authority, or anything in the Constitution, forbid our Federal Government to control as to slavery in our Federal Territories?
III. The question is, therefore, “Did the framers of the constitution understand that the Federal Government is prohibited from controlling slavery in the territories?”
| The affirmative answers Yes, for: | The negative answers No, for: | ||
| 1. | their words and actions prove that the Federal Government is prohibited from controlling slavery in the territories. | 1. | their words and actions prove that the Federal Government is given power to control slavery in the territories. |
| 2. | The first Congress framed annulments which deny this power. | 2. | The first Congress which contained sixteen of the “thirty-nine” exercised this power. |
IV. The special issues resulting from this clash of opinion are: