The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1845-07-30

will not in the least envy their condition; and
whenever they shall be reused 20 a truer sense
of their duty and their better interests, they
will receive our most earnest sympathy, and
most liberal and energetic aid. But however
unwise or unjust this institution may be in its
essential features, you are responsible neither
for its origin, nor for lis continued existence
within those limits TO which your constitution
al power does not extend. Morris it our place
to affirm or deny, that you are bound to exert
a moral influence upon rhis subject. tits on
ly in reference 10 your political duties, that
we are not at liberty to address YOU, and tho
no grounds of political or private expediency
can justify you in doing shat ~hich is moral
ly wrong, yet your actions as politicians are
hedged in by limits, which you cannot, ought
not to overstep. The federal constitution
makes the government o feach State supreme
in itself, and only provides that Its form shall
be republican. Each state then may limit
and prescribe the rights, both civil and poliI-
ical, of all IFS citizens, and though widely diff
ferent in degree, the exercise OF power, where
by ace limit and deny political rights to wo-
men, minors, and transient persons, is, poGt-
icdLy speaking, the same in kind, as that BY
which South Carolina excludes the African
race from all political franchises and all civil
rights. The Constitution gives YOU no more
power over Slavery in other States, than it
does over the rights belonging to any of the
domestic relations, and YOU are Just as iu-
competent to abolish, limit. or modify the
powers of the Southern master over his slave,
as you are to define the rights OF the South
ern parent over the person or services of his
child. So long as slavery confines itself.
within its legitimate territorial limits, il is not
a subject for the political or legislative action
of the free States. But when it overstels
those bounds. and claims 10 be considered Il
National Institution. aud you are required TO
consent to lis extension, and the enlargement
of the guarantees. hy which il is pretended
tina, the Federal Constitution sanctions its
existence, then at least its political bearings
come fairly within your jurisdiction. We
cannot here discuss the question Of cOnsritu-
tional guaranty, and must content ourselves
while we admit that the Constitution docs
recognize slavery as lawfully existing wiihii,
the limits Of such of The States as chose to
allow it, with simply denying, that it is adop-
ted as a National Institution. or that the gov
eminent or people Of the Union are in any
way pledged to its maintenance or support.
Nay, so far were the trainers Of the Con
stitution from supposing their work to ne a
perpetual buIwark ofslavery, that il is histor-
ically certain that the compact would never
nave been sanctioned, with all its extravagani
concessions to the South, had not the North
and the South entertained a common hope
and belief, that Slavery itself and all its az
tendaut evils, would be, at lurthercst, but Of
brief continuance.
What then is the political influence of sla-
yo-. -,I ,,b,., ora ,bo .oI.,.oI .o,c.,, hill
forbid us to consent to its extension, or to any
National measures proposed with a view To
its perpetnationl BY the compromises OF
the Constitution, the anomaly of a represen-
tation Of property is admitted in behalf of the
Southern States for the laws of those Stat. E
make slaves not persons hut MiRgs,) and COLI
sequentIy the South is allow ed a much great
CT weigh; in our National Councils than be
longs to their free population, their resources
or their physical force. and the same adyan
tase is conceded to all the additional slave
holding territory which has been incorpora-
ted into the UuiOn since the adoption of the
Constitution. Every extension therefore of
such territory increases tie inequality of the
distribution Of power between the free and
the slave States. But this mere inequality
would be Of little moment, were il not that
certain erroneous views Of political economy.
naturally connected with their peculiar insIi-
tutions, are extensively prevalent and inflnen-
tial throughout almost the entire South. The
prejudices Of birth. education and habit, lead
the SouthernOr to ascribe the superior ener-
gv. prosperity and intelligence Of the free Ia
horers of the North rather To external causes
than the force Of free institutions; and they
are UNIV Hing TO admit, that the comparative
II r. . = E
ed soil and climate, aud OF aimOStcvcry naiu-
raj advantage, is in any degree impuiable to
an erroneous system of ~i1terGal policy
Hence they seek tho cause Of IhiS uhfavora-
Bile contrast in The action OF the general gov
erameut; aud the protective pulley, which,
though not So obviously, is as certainly bsne-
fetal TO the South, as 10 the North, is made a
scapeCoat. chargeable " iIh all the evils that
Cypress the South, and the real root Of W hicl
is to be sought in the immediate and remote
effects Of their unfortunate nstitutions.-
Hence arises a morbid jealousy Of the people
and principles Of the North, and this has been
fermenred by political demagogues, and excl
ted by the heated and incorporate zeal oil ul-
ira abolitionisis, until it has degeneraIed into
a feeling, that sometimes assumes the form
of open and avowed hostility.
hSdHl, tue COuttHlpl LOT ldnOf WEIGH SIN
very engenders impels those not born to
wealth to seek a livelihood by some less de-
grading occupation, and a very large proper
ton ofthe young men of theS South pursue
the study OF politics, not as a preparation for
the due discharge Of the elective franchise,
but as a profession which is TO yield them a
maintenance at the public charge. The con-
sequence is that the South supplies a much
larger number of political aspirants aud office
seekers (and the Blne Book ~abundantly testi-
titles, that they seek not in vainl than the
North. The dexterity ofthese trained parti-
zans, and their unity ~ofaction on all sectional
questions, give them an influence which can
rarely re resisted, and its force has lately been
exempIifedi in the success ofthe annex
alton scheme. a measure VIGOROUSLY and al
most undiseuisedly advocated as a means Of
strengthening the political influence of the
South, and unsupported by a single argument
addressed to the local and national feelings of
the North.
These considerations furnish abundant rca
sons why every Northern patriot, " lille ration
ally abstaining from all Interference with the
or the proper jurisdiction of the South,
should vet sfrenuouslx resist every measure