The daily union., 1854-10-28
THE Observation-Disclosures LINE.

its violation in the passage of the Missouri Compromise
act As original question, do not suppose that there
could be any very serious controversy to the uncons
nationality of that of Congress. At the time of its
passage it acqueseed in by its opponents upon
the ground of its being regarded adjustment of
threatening question than valid constitutional enact
In that light It has been suffered stand on the
stautebook until its repeal the late session of Con-
gress. Now that abolitonsm has made all the capital
out of the repeal of which susceptible propose
to refer TO of the evils which may be legitimatey
traced to the existence Of geographical line dividing the
free from the slave States.
The existence of the Missouri restriction has exerted
influence whatever the institution Of slavery Neither
the extent of slave territory the number Of slaves has
been increased diminished by its influence On sub
ect has there been than that of legis
atng either for the extension the curtament of slave
territory The laws of Nature have all the time produced
those changes in country to slavery which mis-
guided and deuded philanhropsts and politicians have
attributed to legislation If the Missouri restriction had
not been adopted slavery would have made per-
manent odgment in any Territory north Of that lne and
for the obvious that there is country north of
that line in which slave labor could be made profitable If
the conscientious opponents of slavery could appreciate the
dictates of sound reasoning this subject they would
that the question Of profit loss has furnished far
eectual barrier to the encroachmen,s of slavery upon
northern soil than would be furnished by Chinese wall
built by Congress the latitude of a6 deg 30 min In the
adoption of that line nothing lost by slavery, and
nothing gained by freedom.
If we right in these opinions we may be asked why
have abored zealouay for the repeal and obteraon
of line to which attach practical Importance so
far it affects slavery The question would be fair one
and we will answer it frankly and fully
The Missouri restriction its origin less philan-
thropic than political motives and considerations To the
truly and exclusively phanhropic the diffusion of
slavery without increasing its numbers is unobectonabe
Hence we haye gh f. as;ne that as the toleration of
slavery the north side of the pe gould not ncase its
amount bst would only dfuse it larger area, the
Missouri restriction resored 10 of pre-
venting increase Of slaves but of preventing enlarge
men of slave territory and consequently increase of
slave States had its origin mainly in the idea that there
was existing 4a e pacel hostility or at least of set
tied antagonsm between the two SECTIONS OF the conederacy
in which alaYery was tolerated and prohibited Adopting
the policy which prevailed in tho Old World of regulating
the affairs of hostile governments by maintaining ia bal
Of power between them the Missouri rcstrctonists
resorted to geographical line of maintaining
the political equilibrium between the North and the South
John Taylor Of Caroline gave the solution of this
question when le pennsd Aa following sentence repete
with wisdom, patriotism, and prophecy
The idea Of balance Of power between combinations
of States and not the exstonoe Of slavery rise to this
unfortunate and, shall endeavor to prove, absurd
troversy What is the political attitude of nations towards
each other supposed by a balance of power? Hostility.
Whctis TIE effect of hostility? War. balance of power
b therefore, the most complete invention imaginable for in
voving combination Of STATES in wR another II
sin It's nature and will be in its consequences equivalent to
the balance o between England ind Frances and after
series Of bargains and contrrance 10 stunt per each
other the party worsted In tho warfare disguised by these
bargains and contrvance will be driven by interest
sentiment to more destructive arms.
Whether the advocates of dividing line between the
slave and freq ales ys on GRE side or the other of that
line they were alike actnaed BY political considerations
and not disposed TO deny to them pufe and pat
o,ic motives They acted upon the conviction that if
either section Of the conederacy obtained the preponder
ance the stronger would yannize and oppress the
weaker section As preventive of such consequence
they fell into the European idea of the efficacy of 'ba
anee Of roWer and sought eectuate that policy by
tabsbiag geQgrephcs llne between the anagonistic
sections
AZ a nation we have now arrived at q standpoint. from
which We Judge this policy by the lights of experience
and determine whether John Taylor has proved be
true or false prophet The adoption of the Missouri line
was an abandonment Of The principles ngatted into the
constitution for maintaining the balance of power between
the States aud the substitution in their stead of srbi-
trary rule FOR preservation of the federal Union alike
known to- and at war with that fundamental compact
That compact provided for a Union Of States sovereign
in al respects except Car their sovereignty was cur
tailed by that compact The first ad greatest principle
conservative of the Union is found in the deravc char
acter of the conederacy This principle secured TO each
member Of the Union all its reserved powers and rights and
of necessity bound every member to abstain from nteer
ing with the reserved powers and rights of the others
Foresecag he aege nat might arse the subject of
slavery that institution distinctly recognised law
full and valid according TO The supreme willard pleasure of
any State in which it might exist 1t assumed that
whilst there might and would be IA diversity OF feelings
and interests growing out OF this institution it also
assumed that this diversity not inconsistent with fra
terpa relations and properly indicative of hostile in
oress On the contrary the very diversity pi interests
furnished the strongest hope for the maintenance of those
amcabe relations from which the general prosperity would
be secured and permanent Union be maintained When
Missouri made application for admission into the Union
with constitution recognising slavery lawful those
who objected the ground that slavery recognised
discarded and repudated those cardinal principles on
the Union based. When this objection resulted
the adoption of the restriction slavery in the Ter
ores sorh Of &c deg 30 mn it the substitution of
principle of compact unknown the constitution and at