Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1848-12-23


Gus and free self.governsf sspsblic command.
ING the admiration and imisasisa e an lo,.,e
Of freedom throughout The Wosjd.
How aolem0, therefore, the dusy.-hoo ,,-
presslve the call upon 10. aud upon ail ns,,.
OF our coon'ry--,o cultivate patriotic soiris e
harmony, good fellowshipv conpsonise and
mutual concession. 10 the admiois,sa,ioo az
the incompatible system Of gosssumees fora,
ed BY our fathers 10 the mides Of The most n.
supefable dificul;iss. aod ,ssusmis,ed "a ua
with the injunction that we should snioy its
blessings, and hand il DOVE unimp,ifed To
those that may como after rs,
In view Of the high add sespoosible duties
we owe to ourselves and mankind, ifus. you
may be able TO approach The sdiselmeus OF the
only domestic question which seriously threat.
ems or probably ever can threaten, TO dls,u,b
the harmony and successful operation Of our
system.
The immensely valab!s possession Of New
Mexico and California, ore aitssdy Inhabited
by considerable population, attracted By thai,
great fer,iIity-their mineral wsal,h-.hsir
commercial advantages. and the salubsity Of
| the climate. Emigrants from the older States
in great numbess, are already preparing to
seek new homes in these inviting regions.
Shall the dissiMilari,y Of domestic ins,i,o.
tions in the different States preven. u from
providing for them suitable 2ovsrnmen .s!-
These inst i,utions existed at the adoption
Of The constitution; but the obs,sclss which
they in,erposed, were overcome By .ha, spiris
Of compromise which is invoked. Ia coatlics
Of opinions or Of interest, real OF imaginary.
between different sections Of oar county. mi.
Their can justly desnsdd Oh which il miehsd1.
sire to obtain; each. in The true spirit Of our
institutions. shssld conceds soms.hiue 10 she
| other.
Our gallant forces 10 the Mexican war, by
whose patriotism rand unparalleled deeds Of
arms, we obtained possessions ss On indemui-
| ~ for our just demands against Mexico, were
composed Of cit,zens' who belonged ~ S,s,s
or section Of our Union; they were men from
slaveholdl1g and non.slaveholdiog States from
the north and from the south, and from the
east and from the west. They were compan.
ions in arms, add fellow citizens Of the came
common country, engaged in the same common
| cause. When prosecuting thas war. they were
brethren and friends. and shared alike with
each other common tolls, dangers, and suffer.
icgs. Now, when their wog1te ended--when
peace is restored, and they MUM sesin 70.
their homes-pu. off the t,dellirhen,s Of war.
take their p laces in society and resume their
pursuits 10 civil life. surely 0plrit Of harmo.
ny and concession, and Of equal regard for the
! rights Of all, and Of all sections Of the Union.
ough, TO prevail in providing Governments for
| tie acquired Terrilories-ihe fruiis o. their
common service. The whole people Of The
! United States. and Of every State, contrib.
u,ed 10 pay the expenses Of that war; and il
would no, be just for any one section to ex.
cIuds another from participation 10 The &C.
! CURED territory. This would not be in accord.
ance with the just principles Of Government
which the trainers OF our Constitution adopted.
The question is believed 10 be rather alb.
stract than practical. whether slavery ever eau
or would ex,s, in any portion OF The acquired
| territory. even were il leis TO The option Of
the slave holding States themselves. From
the nature OF the climate and productions o:
the country. 10 much The larger portion Of i.,is
Is certain il could never exist; and, 10 the re-
mainder. would not.
But, however, this may be. the question 10.
volyIng as i. does. principle Of equality Of
rights Of the separate and several States. a.
equal copar,ners in ,hs coute deraoy, should
no. be dlsregarded.
| In organizing governments over their tor
ri,ories, no duties imposed on Congress BY the
constitution require tina, they should legisla's
on Inc subjec, Of slavery, while their power
TO do 80 is not only seriously Questioned. but
denied, BY many Of the soundess sxpoundefs
If that instrument. Whether Congress shall
legisIa,e or not, the people Of the acquired
| territories, when assembled 10 convention, will
possess the whole aud exclusive power 10 do.
| termine whether slavery shall, or shAll not eI~
| is, within their limits. II Congress shall ABB
stain from interfering in the question, the peo'
pie Of these territories will be ief. free to adjust
| it ashley think proper. when they apply tor ad'
mission as States into tho Union. No enact
men, of Congress could restrain the people OF
any Of the sovereign States Of the Union. ola
| or new, slaveholding or Observation-Disclosures
determining the apprehension Of which were
entertained by some Of our statesmen in tho
earlier period Of our goveroment--sha1 ont
system was incapable Of operating with sum
Glen, energy and success over largely extend.
| ed territorial limi.s. Those who maintained
.ha. If this system was adopted, it would fall
| to pieces by its own weakness. have been dr.
appointed by our experience. BY the division
! Of power between the States and tsdsfal
Government, tho latter is found TO operate win
as much energy at the extremes as IN tho cen.
,fe. Il 10 az sufficient in the remotes. Of 'ne
| 80 States which now compose the Un'oo' %
| i. was in the Is States which formed our con-
federacy. Indeed, it may be doubted, wne'n'
", if our present population had been coohoeo
within the limits Of the original Is Sia'ss. mo
tendency to concentration would DOT have Oeea
such az to have encroached upon The esseo',s'
reserved right of the States, scd lhus makef