Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1854-02-16
NebraslsaTBi

We are glad 10 find that the Richmond Wing
has taken ground II. favor of the Nebraska Bill.
There is bat one common ground for the entire
South and the Union men OF the North, and that
is to make the issue PLAIN and proper one and
act in concert on it. We know no party in the
question and would gladly see all parties unite
upon the Constitution, aud the principle at the
base Of the Constitution, which gives 10 all the
right Of self-guvernernt and does NOT exclude the
people of lie Terz1tories. We are opposed now
and at all times to the exercise OF powers by The
Federal Government not clearly authorized by the
Constitution, aud as there is implication, even,
thatslayery was intended by its trainers to be made
a subject to be controlled by The Federal Govern
mentiwe can find no shadow of authority for Fed
ernl legislation. The Federal Government has
been long becoming too powerful and agrees
siyein IFS action. The Executive arm, powerless
for baImn the puTer days of the Republic, is now
stretched forth into every village and hamlet, and
by lis means and through It's agencies every local
question, matter how small and Insignificant, is
made to "shade" towards The Washington source
and bznl and bow in accordance with It's detuHi.
Every other branch of the Federal Government is
tending, IN the same direction. Federal Judges
now vie with Jeffreys on the frrocity CT their
Iebukes and the waywardness of their assump-
lions, while theLegislative department to be
ignorant of the fact that there Is a Constitution.
Indeed. Congressional proceedings often remind
us of.the member of the Michigan Legislature rho
so graysly commenced reading the "old book called
The Constitution which was so TO the meme
bers that they insisted upon hearing the whole of
it and teen adjourned. Now it is time for the peo-
pie of the Union to say 10 Congress thai there
are some subjects with which it has no right TO
flats baRa led haH
stituton' hch must govern Them. and that in that
'od book there is no authority given Congress TO
interfere with slavery in the States or elsewhere.
The tendency of our Federal action IS to a danger
Gus centralism. The all absorbing me'stroom in
fuence of the Federal Government should be
promptly checked, and We hope that decisive uc-
ton o. the Nebraska bill will settle at least the
question that Congress has nothing, and should
have nothing TO do with slavery. We give the az
ticIe of the Wing:
1.-The Northern papers are raising mighty out
cry about the violation of the sacred Missouri Com
promise, as proposed by the Nebraska bill. These
same papers had none of this reverence Tor the
samctty of compromises when they disregarded the
spirit of the Missouri Comp IN the case OF
California, end they have manifested none oil II
in dealing with the Compromise OF 1S5U: In Iac.'
most of them repudiated and spat upon that Com
pGonise-and even 10 the present day, deny 1t all
binding force. They are, thersttre, condemned
out of their own mouths ,s
But the Compromis of 80 was ga .fnaL Settle
ment in principle and substance OF the whole
subject OF slavery by Congress. 1t was SO under
stood by The whole country. TWAS supported on
the one.side, in that conviction, and opposed on
The other. Ii it did mt in words, it did in sub
stance annnI any conflicting law on the statute
book. R,,e,TsS-ts,.gEE no ri l.,sl1
of The slavery question. We are sick and disgust
ed with it. But when question is presented, d.
rectIy Iny5Iying the equal rights OF Tie Southern
tales, under the Constitution, we have no hesiia-
ton as 10 Our course. We may dIstIust the mo-
tiyes of those who start the question, and despse
their professions of patriotism; but that will not
dispose us to submit to injustice. The Southern
States have an equal right with the North to all
the territories of the Union, and we would main
tainIis-e# eveiy proper occasion. There is MOTH
ing inthe soeiaor moral ors anization of the hire
ling States, which entities them 10 a superiority
over us..euwe don't want a war of words about il,
but the thing itself we will not surrender.