Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1849-02-21


limits they exist has adopted any measure to sup
press them.
We commend this statement Of facts relating to
ms provision concerning fugitive slaves to the So
rIous consideration Of fellow citizens in every
portion OF the Unon 10 the forbeaance of our south
ern brethren, 10 the patriotism and respec, for the
constitution of those Of the North
IT Is impossible, in communication like this 10
AVOID noticing tho continued assaults upon the do
mestic institutions Of The South which are made in
so many various forms. Without. striking at any
express and specific provision of the constitutions
they aim directly at destroying this relations exist
ing between the two races at The south, by means
subVersve In their tendency of one Of The chief ends
/ ior Whlch the constitution was established. We
refer 20 the systematic ag'tators Of tho question By
400. !o'';sio, which commencing in 1885 aA- II,
connued-their avowed intention is TO bring about
stale OF things which would force emancipation
! on the South. To unite the North in fixed host-
Ivy to the South on the subject of slavery. is one
means employed TO accomplish it, For this pur-
pose societies are formed newspapers are establish
ca, oeoatlng clubs are opened, lecturers are en-
ploySd, pamphlets and other publications. pictures
ana petitions TO Congress are circulated, while the
continued agitation of the subject OF abolition in one
or other form in Congress, and the employment of
emssaries 10 distribute incendiary publications in
the South, are relied on TO excite discomfort among
the slaves.
No one doubts that slavery is a domestic ins,itu
ton which belongs exclusively to the State in
winch 1t exists, to establish 10 regulate or TO abol-
lSn. ANY attempt, therefore, on the part of the
federal government, of any State, or Of the poo
pie oil any State, by direct indirect means TO in
terere with this institution il exists in any State
to diminish Its value, or to force its abandonment
would be plain and palpable violation of tho SOW
ereign rights of such State. Such an interference
would not be tolerated between independent soyer-
eighties. 1t would be met by remonstrance, and
IL necessary by force Between States connected
I c nrn IN fvnfAr n,1 N,,,s
ordained and established ''to insure domestic tran
qulliy,; 1t is still more unjustifiabe and yet asso-
cations formed for this purpose, and openly avow-
ing their object, exist in States within whose linn
lis There is nothing upon which they can operate
whose sole occupation, therefore, is to disturb the
domestic tranquility Of other States and who are
nevertheless uncontrolled By the authorities of the
States In which they established. We will
not dwell on this subject. In the same friendly
sprttha dictates this address, we submit. the state
ment which truth compels us to make 10 the calm,
dlspassionate, patriotic consideration OF our country
men. We now return 10 the question of the aC-
mission OF Missouri into the Union, and shall pro-
coed to give brief sketch of tho occurrences CON
nected with it, and the CONSEQUENCES TO which it
has directly led. In The latter part Of 1919 the
then territory OF Missouri applied to Congress in
the usual form, for leave to form State cons,iu-
ton and government, in order to be admitted into
the Union. bill was reported for the purpose,
with the usual provisions in such cases.-Arnend-
mens were offered having for their object to make
IL condition OF her admission, that her constitution
should have provision 10 prohibit slavery. This
brought on the agi;ating debate which, with the eff
iectS that followed, has done so much TO ALLEVIATE
the south and North, and endanger our political
institutions. Those who objected to the amend
ment, rested their opposition on the high grounds
o, lhe right ct selfgovernment. They claimed
.hal territory, having reached the period when il
is proper for IL to form constitution and govern
meIt for itself, because fully vested with all the
rights OF selt-government and that even the condi-
ton imposed on it by the Federal constitution. re-
ates not to the formation of its constitution and gov
eminent, but lis admission into the Union FOL
mat purpose, 1t provides as a condition. that the
government must be republican
They claimed that Congress has no tight to add
to this condition, and that TO assume it would be
tanamount 10 the assumption Of the right 10 make
lis entire constitution and government as no limt
tauon could be imposed, as to The extent of the
right, 1t 1t be admitted that it exists al all Those
who supported the amendment denied these grounds
and claimed the right of Congress TO impose, a. dis
cretIon, what conditions it pleased. In this aota
ting debate, the two sections stood arIayed agans
each other; the South in favor OF the bill withou
amendment, and the North opposed to it unless i
was amended. The debate and agitation conlip
ued until the session was well advanced but il be
came apparent towards lis close, that the peope O
Missouri were fixed and resolved in their opposi
ton to the proposed condition and that thew woul,
certainly reject 1t, and adopt constitution withou
1T, should the bill pass with the condition. Sucl
being tire case 1t required great effort of mint
10 perceive, that Missouri in possession Of
constitution and government, not simply on paper
but with legislators elected and officers appointed
to carry them into effect, the grave questions woul
be presented, whether she was of right State Of
! Territory; and, if the former, whether Congress
had the right, the power 90 abrogate her constitu
ton, and dispense her legislature, and to reman,
her back 10 the territorial condition. These wer
great, and, under the circumstances fearful cues
tions-too fearful to he met by those who had rails
ed the agitation. From that time the only cues
ton was, how 10 escape from the difficulty. For
tunateIy, means was afforded. 4 compromis
Gas 1t was caed) was offered, based on the terms
that the North should cease 20 oppose the sdmis
sion of Missouri the grounds for which the Souil
contendeG and that the provisions OF the ordinance
OF 1857, for the government of the uorihwesteTnter
ritory, should be applied to all the territory acqur
} ed by the United States from France under thu
treaty Of Louisiana lying north Of 36 30 except ht
portion lying in the STATE Of Missouri The north
: eTn members embraced il; and, although rot oTi
ginaiing with them, adopted il as theT own. j
] was forced through Congress by the almost unteC
votes of the North, against minority consisting al
most entirely Of members from the southern States
j. Such was the termination Of tho first conflict be
l. tween the two sections in reference TO slavery il
Z: CONNECTION with the Territories. On this subjec
j. We propose 10 offer TO you few brief remarks.
o Waving the consideration Of the question whoth
y er Congress can constitutonay prohibit the intro
ducioD OF slaves into the territories acquired by The
If United States, and the other question: whether, in
e the actual condition OF these territories, slaves car
c be carried within their limits, and held as such
J. without the sanction Of act of Congress, we de
/ sire TO submit 70 you the considerations on whcf
IF the claim Of the South to participate in the tcneh
rsSutn from 'Tcrritpries gcIuircl by the / ntCC