Mr. Gidding's Address To His Constituents

Mr. Giddings has pubhshed an exposé of the circumstances which led to his resignation. It is addressed to lis constituents, and contains his reasons for taking that step. He begins with an exposition of his views on the slave lrade - showing that all power to define and punish felonies on the high seas, was committed by the Constitution to the Federal Government; henee every vessel snils under a national flag - not under the flag of Virginia or New York. The only limitation is found in the clause permitting the several States to import slaves till 1808: yet they did it at their own peril, without any right to cali on the General Government to aid or protect them in the trafile. Slaves brought fron África, were held on the occan by physical power, not by municipal law; but after they were landoJ, the laws of the State requircd their subjectioh. [CTBut to this day, no law of Congress has ever been passed anthorizing one person to hold anoth. er as a slavc on the high seas, or to punish any person for defending his right to personal liberty while sailing on the high seas, against all attempts o hold him in slavery. Henee the slave dealer of the present day must depend only on chains ind fetters for his protection, and not upon any law. for no such law exists. Mr. G. next shows that the case of the slave vesscls wrecked on tho Bermuda, as well a thCreólo case, had been often discussed in the Sen te, by Southern Senators, while negoüationj vcre pending with the Briiish Government,. and obody had thought of censuring them for so dong. Mr. Calhoun said in the Senate 'He wi8h d the Senate to speak, and the House of Ren esentatives, a!so, that Great Britain might know 'hat vrere our opinions," &c. The crime of Ir. G. consisicd in expressing views opposite to hose of Mr. Calhoun and his friends; and had he nken ground that the narion ought to g0 to war or the defence of tho slave trade, the same perons whe voted to censure him, would have been eady to thank him. Mr. Adams was naturally looked to for hia iews on the subject. But he was Chairman o" he Committee of Foreign relations, and would aturally speak as their organ. It was deemed advisable by the friends of Northeru riht8 ,hat ome membershould present the Northern side of ie question; and as Mr. G. had bestowed mUch onsideration on tho subject, he was requested to o it. An oppoitunity for presenting resolutiona vould not probably occur again nwe than ones uring the present session. Mr. G. had no idea that their presentation vould excité such a maddened frenzy as was displayed. He had intended merely to present them and have them printed, and at some future day cali for an expression of opinión : of their morits After he was censured without being allowed to' defend him sel f, for him to remain in his scat would be construed into a tacit ndmission, on his part, that the House had a right to censure him. The Whig members of Ohio. who were consulted on the subject were unanimous in advising him to resign. Mr. Giddings fully establishes the fact that he wasdenied a hearing by the House, either at a future time which he proposed, or at that time- and that, ifhe would, hecouldnot have obtained it either as a right, or a favor.