The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-02-09

Of the North. If the one is productive OF evil
consequences the other is also; and the evils OF
poverty and crime are augmented in proportion
to the increase OF the supply of labor above the
demand. Hence, to a very considerable extent,
the excess OF crime and desttution in the North
over the same evils in the South. Labor, &c a
necessity for subsistence, 10 any shape, Is an
evil; but where men and women willing to
labor perish for lack of employment, they
suffer from the worst of moral and social evils
These reflections have been suggested by the
enti-slayery excitement which has been raised
against the bill of Judge Douglas on the ground
that repeal OF the Missouri compromise is a
recognition Of The great moral and social evil,
so called, Of Southern slavery. But with this
sort Of philosophy Congress has nothing to do.
Nor have the people of the North or the South.
respectively, any business to intermcddle in the
social institutions OF each other. The cousti-
tuition has recognized the Institution Of South
ern slavery, the equality of the States and the
sovereignty of the people. The powers not
vested in Congress are reserved to the States
and the people. No power is vested in Con
gress over slavery in the States or the terrific
ries. 1t remains with the people.
II it is urged that by the repeal ofthe Missouri
line, the Louisiana territory above $3.50 falls
back to the pre- existing state OF slavery there,
we have only to say, that with the annexation
of that country, OF any other country, to this
Union, the local law, wherever it conflicts with
the federal constitution, is superseded by it
The Missouri Compromise. the result of sec
tional fanaticism and Presidential stock-jobbing
was an Interpolation upon the constitution, q
violation of its spirit and meaning, and should
therefore be repealed. with all other compro-
misses destructive of the perfect equality of the
States and the absolute sovereignty of the peo-
pie over their social institutions, whether in
the States or in the territories.
Not only Kanzas and Nebraska, Utah and
New Mexico, but the territories Of Washington
Oregon and Minnesota are, under the constitu-
ton open to the people Of all the States, with
or without their slaves. until the people of each
territory for themselves shall settle the qucs-
ton one way or the other. The repeal Of the
Missouri Compromise involves the repeal Of the
Wilmot Proviso, which is the same thing and
removes all Instructions to oil sorts of emf gra-
ton to all the territories of the Union 1t
makes clean sweep Of all sectional compacts,
dictated by trading aspiraats for the Presi-
dency, and reposes the issue of slavery or anti
slavery in all the territories, as in all the
States, directly in the sovereignty of the people
We discard, therefore, ali moralizing upon
Southern slavery as social and moral evil.
1t is outside of the question. We must stick
to the compact of the Union, the equality of
the States, and the sovereignty OF the popular
will. Let the Nebraska bill be passed, and let
us have this issue of slavery or free soil in all
the territories of the Union be put to rest at
once and forever.