The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-03-10

opposite
ding power, higher and wiser than either. happily
saved both and saved the Union. Neither struck The
right path butihe conflict OF the opposing result.
ed in middle line OF action which, il not entirely and
exactly the right line, all but thar lins and led straight
toward the result
What was deficient in the compromise measures OF 1885,
and what ought 10 have been made unequvoca in them,
was the distinct abrogaton, in terms, of the Missouri
line OF 80 deg 80 min may be, is commonly said,
that this was then mpractcabe; though that is not SO
certain, II the oil that occasion Gas Calhoun, with
voice OF unbeeded Cassandra prophecy, advsed had
tured little further from shore into the deeper
OF great constitutional principle. The Compromise OF
1850 left the great duty OF the crisis all but finished In
deed, yet still mot quite and thus did il leave necessary
and inevitable lis own consummaiion by that further
step OF action which we are now taking in 1854 There
Is some useful instruction in this fact the subject OF
political compromises in general The settlement OF 1850,
Tor the Territories then 10 be provided for, utterly dis
caIded me pIeeeden, and principle Of 1870 walked
the policy which that line implied. alike to the right and
to the lett brought in all California north and south
oil the ne without slavery. la Utah and New Mexico,
both sides OF the line, il abandoned the old principle
Of division, and substituted the and Incompatible
OF nonnterveniion Even from portion OF the Lousi
ana purchase north of the line removed the prohibition
OF $780, and brought il within the application Of the
intervention principle OF 1880 titus established new
doctrine, new precedent new policy, inconsistent
with the Old, and founded reasons fatal to the
tinued maintenance OF the old 1t did all this but only
failed 10 declare in distinct terms the legal abrogaton OF
that which in real substance and truth superseded II
repealed the Missouri restriction in the mind OF the peo
pie, II not actually the page OF the statute books as
political fact If not legislative enactment II thus
lett open for subsequent settlement that very question Of
its real meaning and effect which has arisen, and
which had TO arise on the very first occasion OF The ap
plicston OF its principles TO new territorial question.
The question thus arising 10 one simply between the
spirit OF the settlement of 1850 and its letter; between
the actual enactment and its principle between the text
Of the law and it's policy The principles the spirit is
non-inse,vsniion The mere letter limits the application
Of that principle to Utah and New Mexico II the opa.
ions of all who accepted that settlement not yet uni
ted upon its present construction, is simply because the
fhnrnh nF fhan sid Avn dan tha
spirit the other on the restricted letter, of the legislation
OF 1850.
That difference will continue long will any very
serious agitation OF the North grow out OF it. Let north
fear TO commit his political personal fate TO the
result oil this issue the intervention principle,
whatever may be the first clamors raised against it, or
the first appearances OF danger disaster threatened by
its enemies. II the principle not the letter, of pub
lie that takes hold 81 the mind and heart OF the
people The North will not be slow to understand that
i the non,inervention principle was good thing Tor
Utah and New Mexico, it is just as good for Nebraska
and Kansas; and il that principle was in good faith ac-
copied for the il is than fair consistency to
apply TO the other. La point of fact, is question OF
practical Importance Friends and opponents of the
present measure, with but few exceptions, unite in &C.
knowledgins that Kansas and Nebraska can never be
slave States Situated mainly in attitudes too Tar north
for anything like prosperous negro slavery and consist
ing chiefly Of high prairie land unsuitable 70 the crops
which alone slavery thrives, these Territories can
never attract slave population against the superior at
fractions of the southern soils and climates towards
which the slaves OF Missouri itself already tending
1t 10 simply for the settlement OF the principle that has
its importance, and recognition OF the truth that
that principle, as adopted in 1850. meant permanent
polcy-was indeed principle and moi temporary
and local expedient OF the occasion.
That the old policy OF congressional Intervention in
this matter OF slavery In new Territories ought to and
must be abandoned, and candid man who is not
q disunon,st Jor the sake Of abohoxsm deny.
Establish that principle and there is clearly and at
an end Of the Union. The nonnterventon principle is
The only alternative Let there be legislation, either
to egallze to prohibit negro slavery. Mr. Badgers
amendment highly honorable to him a southern
tor and the other southern senators whose organ he
acted, clears away all doubtfrom the minds OF those who
entertained any TO the operation OF the bill in that re-
spectand most suspicious fact II is Tor the Union, that
while northern senator has moved the abrogaton Of an
existing congressional prohibition OF slavery Nebraska
southern has moved efeciual proviso to prevent
that repeal from operating to revive any supposed pre-
existing pfo-slavery law there.
This policy Of non-in,erventon once established. the
federal government to have anything further TO
do with this disastrous territorial slavery question The
northern portion OF II ceases 10 feel moral responsibility
for it, has for the existence OF slavery the
States If the constitution shall be eventually decided
by the Supreme Court TO authorize masters TO carry their
slaves, such into any such Territory We OF the North
shall not be legislaiyey or morally responsible for IT,
II such shall not be the result of the final adjudication OF
that question, and if ii shall be determined that positive
local proslavery law alone legaze slavery any
SOIL then il plain that every slave would be carried TO
any Territory only al great peril oil title; and that
none would be carried except to Territories so pecu
ary adapted slave labor. end repasve to white la
Dor, TO afford 10 the masters emgrang to them sale
assurance that they would fill up with pro-savery
population. we may De CeItdn tnat Tue slaves STA
very would make their way TO such attractions OF soil
and climate any hor. Nor is II desirable that they
should be prevented by any federal Interference, unless
indeed we prepared accept the alternative OF dis
solution of the Union in which the simple conse
quence would be- that the prosavery States would then
Be detached from our interference altogether and both
free and able carry their peculiar laws and property to
the southwark with the advancing tide OF Their popula
ton and strength, they might then think proper And
that 10 all the ani-slavery party OF the North would
then have gained by the operation, at the sacrifice os
the Union, and Of all that magnificent destiny OF which
its continuance is the divine guarantee
shall W sie time the argument whether the
Missouri Compromise was not compact; or
whether il such originally Il continues binding now, al
ter all the subsequent abandonment OF its principle on
our side The popular iallacy, accepted as uninves'l-
gated history, that II was any such compact at ALL has
been thoroughly exploded the great debate which has
lust closed in the Senate But If II bad been such
a compact in its origin and had never been impaired by
subsequent eventseven II had not been substantially
superseded, as system of policy by the incompatible
principles OF the later settlement OF lS5Othe argument
would still stand good and conclusive Tor IT'S abrogaon
now On its merits al az new question:, The law
OF 1870, compact not, ought 10 be abogaed II It was
not done terns IN splfit, IN 1850, then
ought be done "a II ought To have been done
then and the il done the better II eT
ro in its origin, and has been the fruitful paren, OF sub
sequeni OF imitation Would that the line OF 80
deg 30 min had long ago been expunged alike from
maps and from memories Away with the ibea OF
any legal geogr aphcal line dividing North from South
Though may have been enacted in 1920. its connu.
ance OF positive, sustained interference in this
territorial slavery question every year tina, leaves unre
psaed That interference IL anti slavery federal action
on the one aide pro. slavery federal action by plain i'm