The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1820-02-29
MISCELLANY.
From the Baltimore Morning Chron,

sultng from the decided stand made on the floor
of Congress, on the Missouri question. The ex-
ample of the Legislature of Virginia, has been
cited to prove that il is little short of downright
madness, to persist in an attempt to enforce re-
strictions. So long as the sun wheels his diurnal
splendor through the blue teerarching armament,
SO long win truth, honor and justice. maintain
amongst mortals the prc:emnence of their hesv-
emily birth. So long did we say We beg pardon
for our narrow and short sighted comprehension.
These eternal principles constitute part, and an
essential part ofthe Deity himself, and they shall
survive the dissolution of nature, the extinguish-
ment Of the sun, the death of this magnificent
universe. These are no poetic visions the attri.
butes of the Deity partake, and must partake of
his own Immortality, and We more con.
ceiye Of their dissolution than can of the ami.
hilation of God. This transitory syn, these tenn
porary stars, this vapor denominaied earth, may
and will be dissolved by the breath of its Crea-
tor, but truth, faith and justice ouly await that
hour to soar to their native heavens, guided by
the flames Of the world in confa grafton. --Agi-
tated by such ideas, We refuse to listen for mo-
ment to the miserable arg ument devised from the
fear Of what may result from rendering homage
to justice. There is no fear TO be put in conpe-
tition with the fear Of offending the Deity. The
miserable, mean, short sighted policy, which
through the dread of offending man. sets heaven
itself at defiance, belongs not 10 our creed. Is
this too strong statement Of this question p
Read over the drawing and interminable de-
bates in Congress on the Missouri question, which
to their disgrace, stll occupy their time-read,
and it will be found that the foes Of restriction
still acknowledge slavery as a curse, and contend
in the breath, for the still further extension
Of this curse in the western wilds. We are told
that il Is unconstitutional to circumscrbe this
curse; that we are bound by the constitution to
do injustice, and set the thunderbolt at defiance.
What, are we to be told that the constitution
compels freemen, when bound by the sanc,ity Of
an oath, to do injustice; that they are compelled
by an appeal to God, in the awful character Of
Regulators, TO violate his decrees-that they in
vske his vengeance If they do not act contrary to
his will, II our constitution holds ut such bias
phemous language a. this, il should be burnt, and
Of the Deity has been invoked in Congress by
the foes Of restriction-he has been implored to
extend the curse still wider-he has been repre-
sented the protecting and guardian Deity Of in
justice. Such blssphcmy is scattered to the
winds Of Heaven, di'persed through the columns
of our Gazettcs, borne by the gales and waited
by the waves, to every corner of the civilized
world; translated in all languages, and babbled
in every dialect Such is the spectacle which
America in the nineteenth century presents to the
universe.
These, we repeat the remark, are no poetic
visions, they all follow as necessary inference
from the fact, that our legislators demand curse
as constitutional right, as ifthat instrument was
framed to entail and enlarge maledictions, in
stead Of blessings on America. Utmost the
whole session Of Congress, has been occupied by
a discussion Of the question, whether the immu-
table principles ofjustice, to which 10th men and
angels are bound to submit are binding on them.
On such points We fear not the vaporings Of Mis-.
souri,, Of Virginia not the threats Of the one,
nor the frowns Of the other but We do fear, we
have serious apprehensions of national dissolu-
ton when Congress forget their own dignity,
their responsibility to the present and to the fu
ture ages, and regard the frowns of a state with
more dread than they do those of the Creator of
the universe. And shall Virginia be pusillani-
mously obeyed, because she contends that the
curse with which she ia inflicted is not already
extensive enough! NO; the advocates of alarm
will indeed carry their points, when they intimi-
date the government int base dereliction of
moral duty. We are then told that il i. uncon-
sttutional, that it 10 criminal to be just. Before
Congress submit to language Of this kind before
they declare by solemn legislative resolution,
that they dare not do their duty, we hope they
will embrace the pillars Of the constitution, and
ifthey must fall, bury themselves in the ruins Of
the republic-Talk Of a dissolution Of the union !;
the union is dissolved the very moment, that
Congress neglect TO do their duty.
The union !. in danger Of being dissolved,
whenever the hall Of Congress is converted into
an academy for defamation when transitory
admiration ofpetty, subordinate, groyellins am
bi,ion is sought, instead of the smiles from the
venerable vsase of our country-When govern
ment hear only to neglect the complaints OF a
suffering and ruined people, there are symptoms