Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1848-12-12


many of the soundest expounders of that
instrument. Whether Congress shall le-
gislate or not, the people Of the acquired
territory, wren assembled in Convention
to form State Constitutions, win possess
'fhe sole and exclusive power 10 determine
for themselves whether slavery shall or
shall not exist within their limits. If
Congress shall abstain from. interfering
with that question, the people Of these ter
fiiories will be left free to adjust it as they
may think proper when they enter the
Union. see syfo a7"r
No enactment of Congress could re.
strain the people Of any of the sovereign
States in the Union, old or new, North or
South, slaye-holding o: non-slaYe-holding
from determining the character Of their
own domestic Institutions as they NAV
deem wise and proper. Any and all of
the States possess this right, and Congress
cannot deprive them fit. The people of
Georgia might if they choose, so alter
their Constitution as to abolish slavery
withinthe!r limits, and the people of Yer.
mont might so alter their constitution as
to admit slavery within their limits. Both
Estates would possess the right. though as
known, it is not probable they would exert
il.
IT rs fortunate for the peace and harmo-
ny Of the Union, that this question is, in
its nature, temporary, and can only con-
tnue for the brief period which will inter-
Vene befIre California and New Mexico
may be adm tied as States into the Union.
F:em the tide of population now flowing
into them, il is highly probable that this
will soon occur.
Considering the several States and the
citizens Of the several States as equals,
and entitled TO equal rights under the Con
stlnuoa, If this were an original question
Ttmlght we'll be insisted on that the prin-
cIPle of non-interterence is the true doc.
trlne, and that Congress should not in the
absence Of any express grant of power,
interfere with their relative rights.
Upon great emergency, however, and
unGef menaclRg dangers to the Union, the
Missouri Compromise in respect to slave.
ry was adopted. The same line was ex.
tended further west in the acquisition of
j exas. After an acquiescence of nearly
thirty years in the principle Of compro-
mise recC gnized and established by their
acts, and ~ avoid the danger to the Union
watch might follow if it were now dlsre-
garded, have heretofore expressed the
opinion that that line of compromise
should be extended On The parallel of SO
degrees 80 minutes from the Western
boundary of Texas, where it now termi-
mates to the Pacific Ocean.
This is the middle ground of COMPROMISE.
Hpy.Y h = \
may meet, as they have heretofore met. If
this be done, 1t is confidently believed large
majority OF the people of every section of the
country, however widely their abstract opin-
ions on the subject of slavery may difer,would
Oh 'erfully, periodically acquiesce in it, and
Pelce and harmony would again fill our Dor
der;
Inc restriction north of this line was only
yielded to, as in the case of Missouri and
Texas, upon principle of compromise made
necessary tortb sake of preserving the har-
mony, and, possibly, the existence Of the u
nion.
It was upon these considerations that at
the close of your last session, gave nv
notion to the principle OF the Missouri COM
promise line, by approving and signing the
bill to establish the '|Terrltorial Government
in Oregon" From sincere desire to pre-
serve the harmony of the Union, in Difference
tor the acts of my predecessors, felt con-
sta ned to yield my acQuiesence to the ex-
tent to which they had gole in compromising
tnls delicate AMI dangerous question. But if
Con ress shall now reverse the decision by
"n eh the MISSOURI compromise was effected
am slail propose To extend the restriction o.
yer the Whole territory, South as well as
North OF the parallels of SO degrees 81 min
utes, 1t will cease to be compromise, and
must be regarded as an original question.
1t Congress, instead Of observing the
course OF Northumberland, leaving the adop-
lion OF their domestic Institutions to the pco-
pie who may inhabit these territories, or if,
instead of extending the Missouri Comp.o-
mise line to the Pacific, shall prefer TO Sub
NIT the legal and constitutional questions
which may arise to the decision of the Judi
clal tribunals, as was proposed in a bill
which passed the Senate at your last ses-
sion, al adjustment may be effected in this
mode. rn -. J
1.-THE whole be referred to the iudicia-
ry all parts of the Tn on should cheerful
Iy acqulese in the final decision of the tri.
bunat erected by the constitution for the
settlement Of all questions which NAV
arse under the constitution, treaties and
laws of the United States. l-9-a
Congress is earnestly invoked, for the
sake ot1lhe Uni9n, its harmony, and our
continued prosperity as nation, to adjust
at its present session, this the only dan
gerous question which lies in our path
itnot in some Of the mydes suggested, in
some other way which may be satisfacto-
ry. a9)ftf .EeoE-E 1t.LE
to The anticipation Of the establishment
OF regular governments over The acquired
territories, joint commits sion of the off !
GERS Of the army and navy has been