Democratic banner., 1849-07-02

peal to arms for redress. Such being the. case
where an aggression Of the hind takes place a-
mong independent nations, how nuoh more az
must It be between confederated States;
where tie Union p~recludes an appeal to arms;
while it affords = medium through which it can
with vastly increased force and sfectf
That it would be perverted to such . use, never
entered into the Imagination Of the generation
which formed and adopted the constitution; and,
it had been supposed it would, il is certain
the South never would have adopted Il. SEE
We now return to the question Of the sd-
mission Of Missouri into the Union, and
shall proceed to give a brisf sketch Of The
occurrences connected with it, and the con-
sequences 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 a State constitution
and government, in order to be admitted in
to the Union. A bill was reported for the
purpose, with the usual provisions in such
cases. Amendments were offered, having
for their obiect to make it . condition efker<
admission, that her constitution should have
Ia provision to prohibit slavery. This
brought on the agitating debate which, with
the effects that followed, has done 50 much
to ALLEVIATE the South and North, AID en-
danger our political institutions. Those
who objected to the amendments, rested
their opposition on the high groundsestsbs
right Of self-government. They clsnH&t
that q territory having reached the period
when it is proper for it to form q consti:a-
ton and government for itself, becomes full
|ly vested. with all the rights Of self-govern-
ment; and that even the condition imposed
on il by the Federal constitution, relates
mot to the formation of its. constitution and
leovernment, but its admission into the Un.
ion. For that purpose, it provides, as Q
condition, that the government must be re-
publican.
They claimed that Congress has no right
to add to this condition, and that to assume
it would he tantamount to 1.-THE assumption Of
the right to make its entire constitution and
government, as no limitation could be i'm
posed, as to the extent of the right, If it be
admitted that it exists at all. Those who
supported the amendment denied these
grounds, and claimed the right for Congress
to impose, at discretion, what conditions il
pleased. In this agitating debate, the two
Sc ctions stood arrayed against each other;
1.-THE South in favor of the bill without a.
mendment, and the North opposed TO It
without it. The debate and sgitation con
ltinued until the session was well advanced;
but it became apparent towards its close
THAT the people of Missouri were fixed and
resolved in their opposition to the proposed
CONDITION, and that they would certainly re-
Iiect it, and adopt a constitution without It,
should the bill pass with the condition.
Such being the case, it required no great
effort of mind to perceive, that Missouri;
once in possession ola constitution and gov
ernment, not simply on paper, but with leg
I~islators elected, and officers appointed, to
carry them into effect, the grave questions
would be presented, whether she was Of
fright a State or Territory and, if the for
mer, whether congress had the right. and,
if the right, the power, to abrogate her com
stitution, dispense her legislature, and to re-
mand her back to the territorial condition:
These were great, and, under the circnm-
stances, fearful questions-too fearful to be
met by those who had raised the agitation:
From that time, the only question was, how
to escape from the difficulty. Fortunately,
a means was afforded: A compromise las
lit was caIled) was offered, based on the
terms, that the North should cease to OPP
pose the admission Of Missouri on the
Igrounds for which the South contended, and
that the provisions of the ordinance Of 1857,
for the government Of the northwestern
territory, should be applied to all the terri
tory acquired by the United States from
France under the treaty of Louisiana, lying
north of36 deg. 80 min, except the portion
lying in the State Of Missouri. The north
ern members embraced it: and although
not originating with them, adopted it as theit
own. 1t was forced through Congress BY
THE almost united votes ofthe North, against
a minority consisting almost entirely Of
members from the southern States.
Such was the termination ofthis, the first
conflict, under the constitution between the
two sections, 10 reference TO slavery in
connexion with the territories. Many hailed
ii as a permanent and final adjustment that
would prevent the recurrence Of similar
conflicts but others, less sanguine and more
thoughtful; took the opposite and more
gloomy view, regarding it.as the precursor
of a train Of events which might rend the
Union asunder, and PROSTATE our political
system. One Of these was the experienced