Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-02-05


bat Others less sanguine, took the opposite and more
gloomy view, regarding it the precursor Of train
Of event, which mi -ht rend the Union asunder, and
pros political system. One of these was the
experienced and sa5acious jefferson. Thus far time
would seem to favor his oreboiings May returning
sense OF justice, and protecting Providence avert
their final tufllnent
For many years the subject Of slavery in reference
t. the territories ceased - a5tae the country Ind
cations however connected with the question Of an
neNnS 1exas, showed clearly that it was ready to
break out again, with edoublel violence On some fu-
ture OCCASION The difference in the case OF Texas,
was adjusted by extending the Missouri compromise
line OF 80 81 from it. terminus, the western boun-
utry OF the LOUISIANA purchase to the boun-
Diary OF Texas. The agitation again ceased for short
period.
The war with Mexico soon followed, and that termi-
mated IN the acquisition of New Mexico and Upper Cal
iornia, embracing equal to about onehalf Of
the entire valley Of the Mississippi If to this We add
the portion OF Oregon acknowledged to be ours by the
recent treaty with England whole territory on the
Pacific and west Of the Rocky mountains will be found
t. be IN extent but little less than that Valley
The near prospect Of great addition rekndled the
excitement between the AOr,4 ati South IL refer
ence to slavery IN its connex0n With the territories
winch has become since those the Pacific were ac
CURED more universal and intense than ever.
The effects have been to widen the difference be-
tween the two sections and to give determined
and hostile character their conflict The North no
longer respects the Missouri compromise line,athough
adopted BY their almost unanimous vote Instead of
compromise, they avow that their determination is to
exclude slavery from all the territories of the United
States, acquired to he acquired and of course to
prevent the citizens Of the southern States from emf
grating with their property in slaves into any Of them
Their object they allege is to prevent the extension
OF slavery and ours extend it, thus making the is
sue between them and to be the naked question
shall slavery be extended not? VI e do deem it
necessary, looking to the object of this address, ex
anime the question fully discussed at the last
sion, whether Congress has the mt 70 exclude the
citizens OF the South from mm grating with their pro-
perty INTO territories belonging to the confederaed
States OF the Union. What propose in this
neXion Is, to make few remarks on what the North
alleges enormously, to be the issue between and
them
81 far from maintaining the doctrine which the is
sue implies hold that the federal government has
right to extend restrict slavery no more than
establish or abolish it has it any right whatever
to distinguish between the domestic institutions Of
one State section and another in order favor the
and discourage the other. As the federal repre-
sentaIes OF each and all the States it is bound
deal out, within the sphere Of its powers, equal and
exact justice and favor to all. 10 act otherwise to
undertake discriminate between the domestic insti-
tutions of one and another, would be to act in total
subverson of the end for which it establshed--to
be the common protector and guardian ofull. Enter
tanning these opinions, we ask not, the North allie
ges we do, for the extension Of slavery That would
make discrimination in favor as unjust and I'M
constitutional as the discrimination they ask against
us IN their favor. 1t is not for them for the fede-
raj government determine whether our domestic in
stuton Is good or bad whether it should be re-
pressed preserved 1t belongs to u.s. and us only.
to decide such questions What thea we do insist on
Is not to extend slavery but that shall be pro
hlbted from emigrating with property, into the
Territories Of the United States because we are slave
holders; or in other words that we shall not on tina:
acc ha IIStr, ,l,f,
all Others citizens and foreigners without discrmina
lion as to character, profession. color. AL wheth
savage barbarian, or civilized. may freely enter
and remain, only being excluded
We rest our claim, not only on the high
grounds above stated but also on the solid foundation
OF right, justice, and equality The territories mme
diately in controyersy-New Mexico and California
were acquired by the common sacrifice and efforts Of
all the States, towards which the South contributed
far more THAN her full share ofmen,* to say nothing
OF money andls, OF course every principle Of right
justice, fairness, and equality, entitled to participate
fully in the benefits be derived from their acqusi-
ton. Bat as lmpregnabe is this ground there is
another not less 50. Oars is federal government
government in which, individuals, but States as
distinct sovereign communities, the constituents.
To them, members of the federal Unon the terrific
RES belong and they hence declared to be terri
tories belonging to the United States The States
then are the Joint owners. Now it is conceded by all
writers on the subject, thar in all such governments
their members all equa-equal in rights and equal
IN dignity. They also Concede that this equality con
stltutes The basis of such government and that it can
not be destroyed without changing their nature and
character 10 deprive then, the southern States and
their citizens OF their full share territories declared
to belong to them, in with the other States
would be in dcrOgatOn Of the equality belonging to
them as members of the federal Jrion and sink them
from being equals into a subordinate and dependant
condition. Such the solid and impregnable
grounds on which rest our demand to an equal
participation in the territories
But as solid and impregnable as they are in the eve,
OF justice and reason, they oppose feeble resistance
to majority determined to engross the whole At
the last session Of Congress bill was passed estab
fishing territorial government for Oregon excluding
slavery theretrom The President gave his sanction
to the bill and sent special message to Congress as
signing his for doing These reasons pre-
supposed that the Missouri compromise was to beand
would be, extended west of the Rocky Mountains to
the Pacific ocean. And the President intimated his
intention IN his message to veto any future bill that
should restrict slavery south Of the line of that com
promise. Assuming it to have boon the purpose and
intention OF the North to extend the Missouri comrro-
mise line as above Indicated the passage of the Ore
gon bill could only be regarded as evncng the acqui
eeence OF the South in that line. But the develop
nens OF the present session of Congress have made
1t manifest all that such purpose or intention
now exists with the North to any considerable extent
OF the truth of this have ample evidence in what
has occurred already in the House Of Representatives
where the popular feelings soonest and most in
tenselv felt
Although Congress has been in session but little
more than one month, greater number of measures
OF an aggressive character have been introduced and
they more aggravated and dangerous than have been
tor years before. And what clearly discloses whence
.hey take their origin the fact that they all relate to
the aspect Of the subject Of slavery or some
other OF nature and character intimately connected
with it.