The southern press., 1851-10-30
Hon the Cohesion Weekly Nescs.
s.nis.usmu prSuxSulss1,

| I'VE deny lne assumption Oh lHt DeH(OH lnal
the Delta is imbued with "dsunion principles" :"
Ours is an independent course, which few, we
are sorry to say, have the honesty or manliness
To pursue, and we contend that to adhere to a
strict construction of the federal compact, inde.
pendent of compromises, and abolition and other
| fanactieal encroachments, Is no diSunOn course,
but on the contrary, the only true policy by
which this mighty confederacy can be perpetuated
in its original purity, beauty, greatness and
strength. Ii to be lover of the federal Consti-
tuition be to be called disunionist, we pray God
to let US die diSunionist; and we would be
proud of no other epitaph over our humble grave
| than "Here lies q disunionisi"
ave are willing for the experience of years
| to determine who are the true Union men Of the
day; whether il be those who cry aloud their
devotion at the corner of every street, and pub
lish their patriotism in the highways or those
| who defend the provisions of the Constitution
as they are, in opposition to all amendments,
compromises and provisos."
We would take this occasion to say that we
think there is great iberaty and injustice Ia
this very common practice Of charging disunion
| principles upon every journal which contends
| for strict construction Of the Constitution, in
| opposition to those repeated compromises by
| which that instrument has been essentially
changed from its original construction as under
stood by all the eminent statesmen who assisted
| in framing, or have written commentaries upon
! it. At first, there restriction whatever
on slave property in any part of this Union, any
more than on any other property and it wa
and is even now admitted, that the Constitution
permitted no such restriction. ] 1t look at the
change that has been effected by various CON-
promises from time to time
The first step, we believe, was to exclude
frop fha h,,
of Congress. The next was to exclude it to the
north Of the latitude of 36a degrees, as far west
as the Missouri territory extended. But by
this act, the institution of slavery was also ex-
pressy established to the south Of the same par
| allel and to the same extert to the west Next
the Oregon bill excluded slavery to the north OF
| sle same line as far as the Pacific, while the
provision for establishing it to the south of that
| line Gas was done by the Missouri compromise)
was insultingly rejected. Wesay insutingly be-
cause the Northern members openly proclaimed,
| it as their reason for that rejection that it
was their unalterabe determination never to
cease their efforts till they had excluded slavery
from every foot of our territory, even to its
farthest Southern limits. Next comes that series
of compromises of the last session, included in
the same bill. by which the above threat was
carried into effect. and slavery excluded to our
extreme Southern boundary on the Pacific, not,
it is true, in 30 many words, but by making the
exclusion a prerequisite to the admission of
| California as State /; and its exclusion from all
| the balance of the Mexican conquest is Just as
certainly and etfectually secured by the same
means, as also from that portion Of Texas,
which, by the same bil fell under the jnrisdic-
ton Of Congress, or of the same majority. The
| same system of compromise also enoroached
upon all the previous constitutional rights of
shareholders in another respect, by depriving
them of the right to sell or make any transfer
of the slave property in the District of Colum-
bia and the next compromise will, doubtless,
exclude slavery altogether from that territory
and we certainly look for this further triumph
of free soil by the next or the following Con-
gress.
Such has been our legislation upon the subject
of slavery, and that, too while both Wings and
Democrats and men of all arties admit that
su Il legislation is in violation of the Consttu-
| ton of he country. Judging of the future by
the past of which we have taken this brief review
what other conclusion can we come to than that
the Constitution will ere long, be so compro-
missed away as to lose all its original features ?
1t seems that these compromises have now be-
come so fashionable that opposition TO them is
deemed conclusive evidence of disunion sent-
ments, or of treason to this government. We
| have always entertained the opinion that firm
| and unyielding adherence to the Constitution,
and consistent and fearless resistance of all
those compromises of its great and fundamental
principles, were essentially necessary to the pre-
servation of this Union. The perpetpity of
this Union, with all its privileges and manifold
| blessings, must depend upon the sacred invoa-
! biity of this Constitution With us this is
cardinal doctrine. II seems to u.s. therefore, a
contradiction in terms to say that resistance to
/ measures, admitted TO be unconstitutional, is
evidence of disunion sentiments for such evi-
dence proves exactly the reverse, if it proves
anything. On the other hand, the advocacy of
measures or compromises involving usurpations
of our constitutional rights must c4rtainly tend
TO the destruction of the Constitution itself
and, therefore, of the Union which rests upon it
as its only sure foundation. Still, we are noe
willing to charge the advocates and supporter
of such compromises with being the enemies
Of this Union They appear to entertain the
| idea that as long as they can preserve Union,
under whatever notifications or, however cor
rupted or perverted from its original 'rity or
design, il will still be de Union which our fathers
left u.s. They seem to forget the lesson that
all history teaches namely, that free governments
| have much more frequently lost their liberties
| by the gradual usurpations of those in power,
ihan by sudden REVOLUTIONS. SQcn usurpatlons
almost impereeptiby undermine the organic law,
and destroy the vital principles Of freedom,
leaving nothing but its forms and external OBJ
servabces by which the people are the more eff.
fectualy deceived until, when il Is too late, they
find they have been embracing the shadow, after
| the substance had departed. And is there not
reason 70 apprehend that we are also liable to
| similf- deception--tbat those who are row ad-
vocating compromises Of the Constitution for
the Ike of the Union, may, by and By, find that
instead Of The Union which they have so long
justly venerated, and which it was their patriotic
desire TO preserve, they may have nothing left
but Union of very different character---a con-
solidated central government of unlimited powersl
Gen. John A. QuItman's Opinion Of 4" Ficteh-
cr's Studies sn slavery"
MONMOUTH, Oct IL, 1851.
.Jockson Warner, Esq, Natchsz!