Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1849-02-14

act IN ltS nature inconsistent with that which is
enJoined TO be done. OF this form of violation
there is striking instance connected with the pro-
vision under consideration. We allude to secret
combinations which are believed to exist in many
OF the Northern States, whose object is To entice,
decoy, entrap, inveigle. and seduce slaves to es-
cape from their owners, and TO pass them secret
~, by means organized for the purpose, into Cana
da, where they will be beyond the reach of the
provision. That To entlCe u slave, by whatever
artilice, to abscono from his owner into a non
slaveholding State, with the intention to place
hun beyond the reach of the provision or prevent
his recovery, by cinrcealment or otherwise, is as
completely repugnant To it as its open violation
would be, is too clear TO admit of doubt
or to require illustration. And yet, as repugnant
as these combinations To the true intent of the
provision il is believed that, with the above ex-
ception, not one of the States within whose limits
they exist have adopted any measure. TO suppress
them, or TO punish those by whose agency the OBJ
Ject for which they were formed is carried into ex-
ecuiion On the contrary, they have looked on
and witnessed with Indifference. if not with secret
appreciation, great number ofslaves eniiced from
their owners and placed beyond the possibility of
recovery, 10 the great annoyance and heavy pscu-
mary loss OF the bordering southern States.
When we take into consideration the great i'm
portancc OF this provision, the abseGce of all I'M
certainty as TO its true meaning and INTENT the ma
NY guards by which L is surrounded to protect
and enforce ii, and then reflect how completely
the object Tor which II inserted in the consIi-
tuition is defeated by these two fold iniractons, we
doubt. taking all together, whether a more fla
grant breach of faith is to be found on record. We
know the language we have used is strong, bu. it
is not less true than strong.
There remains To be noticed another class of au-
gressive acts of kindred character but which in.
stead OF striking al an express and specific provi
sion OF the constitution, aims directly at destroy
ing the relation between the two races ofthe south,
by means subversive in their tendency of one of
the ends TOR which the constitution establish
ed. We refer 10 the systematic agitation of the
question by the aboli,onisis; which, commencing
about 1888, is still continued in all possible forms.
Their avowed intention is To bring about a state of
things that will force emancipation the South.
To unite the North in fixed hostility TO slavery
in the South, and TO excite discomfort among the
slaves with their condition, are among the means
employed to effect il. With a view TO bring a
bout the former, every means are resorted to in
order to render the South, and the relation be-
tween the two races there, odiOus and hateful to
the North.
For this purpose societies and newspapers are
every where established, debating clubs opened,
lecturers employed, pamphlets and other pnblica
lions, pictures and petitions 10 Congress resoried
TO, and directed 10 that point, regardless of truth
or decency; while the circulation of incendiary
publications IN The South the agitation of The sub
ject OF abolition in Congress, and the employment
OF emlssares are relied ON to excite discomfort a
mong the slaves. This agitation and The use of
these means, have been continued, with more OF
less activity, ior series OF years, not without do
ing much towards eifecting the object intended.
We regard both object and means to be aggressive
and dangerous to The rights Of the South and sub.
Versive; as stated, of one of the ends for which
the constitution was established. Slavery is a
domestic institution. 1t belongs to the States, each
Tor iSeli, to decide whether shall be established
not and If IL bc S,ahlIShpu Iyhpihpr IL
he abolished or not. Such oeing the clear and I'M
questionable rlghi of the States, it follows neces-
sarIiy that 1t would be fragrant act of aggression
on State, destructive OF It's rights, and subver-
sive OF lis independence, for the federal govern
ment, or one or more States, their people, to un-
deriake To force on ii the emancipation of lis
slaves. But it is sound maxim in politics, as
well as law and morals, that no one has right to
do that indirectly which he cannot do directly
and II may be added with equal truth to aid, or
abet, or counienancc another in doing it.
And yet the abolilionsts of the North, openly a
yowlng their intention, and resOring to the most
efficient means for the purpose, have been at
tempting to bring about a state of things to force
the Southern States to elnancipale their slaves,
without any act on the part of any Northern State
TO arrest or suppress the means by which they
hope to accomplish it. They have been permit
ted to pursue their object, and TO use WHATEVER
means they please if without aid or counenance,
v
gives deeper shade to the whole affair is the
faci that one OF the means to effect their object
That oil exciting discomfort among urSiayes tends
directly TO subvert what the preamble declares TO
! be one Of the ends for which the cnrst:u'ion was
ordained and eSta5Shed-''tu insure domestic
tranqulliiy''-and that in the only way in which
domestic tranquility is likely ever to be disturbed
in the South Certain ii is, that an agitation SO
notwithstanding such an object in view and
sought 10 be carried into execution by such means
would, between two independent nations con-
siue just cause OF remOnsirance by the party a.
gainst which the aggression was directed, and if
not needed, and appeal TO arms for redress. Such
being the case where aggression of the kind
iak place among independent nations, how much
more aggravated must II be between cUniederaed
I States, where the UuuD precludeS an appeal to
arms, while it affords 4 medium through which it
can operate with vastly increased force and effect
That 1t would be perverted TO such use, never
entered into the imagination OF the generation
which formed and adopted the constitution and ,
If ii had been supposed it would, il is certain that
the South never would have adopted it,
We now return to the question Of the admission
Of Missouri into the Union, and shall proceed to
give brief sketch of the occurrences connected
with it, and tie consequences TO which il has d.
rCcily led. In the latter part Of 1919, the then
territory of Missouri applied 10 Congress in the
usual form, for leave 10 form State Constitution
and government, in order 10 be admitted into the
Union. A bill was reported for the purpose, with
the usual provisions in such cas- $. Amendments
were offered, having for their object 10 make il
condition OF her admission, that her Constitution
should have provision To prohibit slavery. This
brought on The agang debate which, with the
effects that followed has done 50 much TO ALLEVIATE
the South and Moth, and endanger our political
institutions.
Those who objected TO the amendments, rested
their opposition on the high grounds of the right Of
enlightenment. They claimed that territory,
having reached the period when it is proper for it