Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1848-12-07

Il
| nals at ssE Diego, siouterey, and san Francisco
These mali steaners, connected by the isihmns
fanama WIN tue iiBe Vt mail steanie the AaBt
oe'wten New York and Chaz.es, wiz establish reg
Va Hiail commune att on with CaiEirnia.
10 : our solemn auly to pIogise with the least
hcahe delay, for New Mexico and California rexns
y organized territorial government, The
me "a lure 70 do this al the last Of Congress
well known, ans deeply 10 be regretted With Ii
opening prospects OF increased ptcspaiy and nation
greatness which The acquisition 81 these rich and
ebslve territorial possessions affords, how iriatOHai
woaid be 10 ofea0 o. TO reject these advantages, b
me ssifsuon OF a domestic question which is cessa
vita the exis'eace OF our government Itself, and
ddngef by Internal suIes geographical divsi3Bs IN
heated contests for politlca power, for any Ne
cause, the harmony OF he ofious Union OF our cen
derased States; that Union which binds zethe
as one people, and winch for siity years has beea
hieaa and protection against every danger In III
eyes OF the world and OF post mtg, how trivial and
stgnn ant vii be ali our internal divisions and Sun
ges compared @ita the mese rvaiign OF TINS linton 0
me states - ell its vigor ana with ali ts counties
bessngs' NO patriot would iomen. and excite osfa
phIca and sectional eivis oiTs.
| No lover of his country would deliberately cacu
tate the value OF the Union. Future generations
would look IA amaxemsni upon the folly Of such
course other ration at the present day would loot
upoa II win astonishDent; and such OF them as de
SIRE TO maintain and perpetuste thrones and mOnar
chia or arisucfaical principles will view IL with
hiiaiion and delight because in it they will see the
meht Of ftcinn, which they hope must ultimately
OserurH our system. Ours " The great example OF 4
pr0 Porous and free self governed republic, comm and.
aufbHdnJh diio imitation OF all
Of freedom throughout the world. How soieu, there
fore ia the duiy how impressive the call upon us and
upon all parts OF our couu'ry cultivate patriotic
spirit Of harmony, of gooa fellowship, of copfomse
and mutual concession, In the administrator of the
| Incompatible system OF government, formed by our
fathers la the midst OF almost ixsuperable difficulties
and transmitted 10 us, with the injunction that we
| should enjoy its blessings ar hand IL down min
| paired TO those who may come after u.s.
In view OF the high ard responsible duties which
we owe TO ourselves and 10 mankind, ira you may
/ I'll hp aG-
Jusment oil the only domestic question which serious
" threatens, or pfobab threaten disn be
the harmony aud successful operation OF system.
The immensely valuable posse ssions Ut New Mexico
and California are already inhabited by considerable
population. Attracted by their great ferIluy their
mineral wealth, their commercial advantages and the
salubrty of The climate, emgranls from the older
States, IN great numbers are already preparing
| new homes in these inviting regions.
Shall tue dlssmiiafiiy OF the domestic institutions In
the different ates prevent US from PROV ding TIT
suitable governments? These institutions exis ed at
the adoption OF the constitution, but The OBSTACLES
wbca they interposed were by that spirit of
compromise which Is now invoked. In conflict OF
opinions or of interests, real imagnery between
different sections of country neither can Justly
demand all which il might desire obtain. Eacn, in
the true spirit OF our Institutions, should concede
something 10 the other.
Our gallant forces in the Mexican war; by whose pa
tIiotism and unparalleled deeds of arms we Obtained
these possessions as an indemnify Just demands
against Mexico, were composed of citizens who be-
longed to no one State or section of Union They
Staes from the North ana the South, from the East
and the West. They were all companions in arms and
fei weitizens of the same country, Engaged
in the SAINT common cause.
When prosecute, that war, they were brethren and
friends and shared ake with each other tolls
dangers and suf 3nngs. Now, when their work end
ed, when peace is restored, and they return again
their homes, put off the habmeUts war, take their
places in society, and resume their pursuits in civil
life surely spirit of harmony and ssiun and OF
equal regard for the rights OF all and Of all sect Of
N dunn
for the acquired terri ofeshe fruits OF their common
service. he whole psople OF the United tates and
Of every State contributed TO deay the expenses
that war; and il would not be jt for any one section
10 exclude another from all partcp alton in the acquir-
ed territory. Inis would not be IN consonance with
tie just system q government which the trainers OF
the constitution adopted.
The question is bel eyed be rather abstract than
practical, whether slavery ever woult exist in
any por ion OF the acquired terri DRY, II it were
left 10 the option of the slavehodng States themselves
From tae nature OF the climae and productions, in
much The larger porien of 1t, ii is certain 1t could
exist, and in the remainder, the probabilities
Il weuid not But however This may be, the question:
hvoiyng, as does, principle of equality of rights OF
the separate and several States, equal CO partners
the confederacy, should not be disregirded.
In organizing governments over these Ter
ritories, no duty imposed on Congress by the
constitution requires that they should legis-
late on the subject of slavery, while their
power to do so is not only seriously
soundest exponnders of that instrument -
Whether Congress shall legislate or not, the
people of the acquired Territories, when as
sembed in conventions to form State Consli-
tutions, viii possess the sole and exclusive
power to determine for themselves, whether
slavery shall or shall not exist within their
limits. If Congress shall abstain from inter-
fering with the question, the people of these
Territories will be left free to adjust il as they
may think proper when they apply for adj
mission as States into the Union. No enact
ment of Congress could restrain the people of
any of the sovereign States of the Union, old
or new, north or south, ve-holding or non
slaveholding, from determining the character
of their own domestic institutions as they
may deem wise an proper. Any and all the
States possess this right, and Congress can
not deprive them of it. The people of Geor-
gia might, if they chose, SO alter their con-
stitution as TO abolish slavery within its limits;
and the people of Vermont might so alter
their constitution as to admit slavery within
its limits. Both States would possess the
right; though, as all know, it is not probable
that either would exert it,
1t is fortunate for the peace and harmony
Of the Union that this question is in its ma
ture temporary, and can only continue for the
brief period which will intervene before Cali
fornia and New Mexico may be admitted as
States into the Union. From tho tide of
population now flowing into them, it is highly
probable that this will soon occur.
Considering the several States and the citi.
zens of the several States as equals, and enti-
tied to equal rights and privileges under the
constitution, if this were AN original question,
it might be well insisted on that the principle
of non-interference is the true doctrine and
that Congress could not, in the absence of
any express grant of power, interfere with
their relative rights. Upon great emergency,
however, and under menacing dangers To the
Union, the Missouri compromise line in res
pect to slavery was adopted The same line
was extended further west in the acquisition
| of Texas. After an acquiescence of nearly
thirty years IN the principle of compromise
recognized and established by these acts, and
to avoid the danger to the Union which
might follow if it were now disregarded.
have heretofore expressed the opinion that
that line of compromise should be extended
on the parallel Of thrty-six degrees thirty
minutes from the western boundary ofTexas,
where it now terminates TO the Pacific ocean.
This is the middle ground of compromise.
upon which the different sections of the Union
may meet, as they have heretofore met III
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 differ,
would cheerfully and periodically acquiesce
| m 1t, and peace and harmony would again
| fill our borders.
The restriction north of the line was only
| yielded TO in the case of Missouri and Tex
as upon a principle of compromise, made ne
cessary for the sake of preserving the harmo-
ny, and possibly its existence of the Union,
IL was upon these considerations that at
the close Of your last session. gave my
sanction to the principle Of the Missouri COM
promise line, by approving and signing the
bill to establish "the Territorial government
of Oregon, From sincere desire 20 pre-
serve the harmony of the Union, and in de-
ference for the acts of nv predecessors. felt