The daily union., 1854-10-18
THE DANGER.

its dissolution with feelings of instructive dread similar to
those with which contemplate death 1t is our duty
however reject too unceremoniousiy the Idea 'ha
disunion is possible contingency. We know fuii wen
that there always been aarmists who could see ind
cations OF impending danger which enabled them 10 mum
ber the days of the republic Such predictions nave pee
so often alsifed that disposed now 10 regard ana
treat every suggestion OF threatened dangr to the Union
as the idle fears of tmid croaker It is not entirely
safe or wise all times to turn deaf ear to these warn
ings The better policy seems to us to be to summon eon
age or patience enough look the truth full In the ae
and either show that the suggestion is either unfounded or
If there be real danger TO acknowledge the fact ana seek
the best means of avering its consequences
Our observation for time past has impressed us
with the conviction that the apprehension OF an early dis
solution of the Union is much more extensively ie 'han
ia generally supposed Occasionally we see an earnest
ayowa of sense of danger in Journals whch are not III
the habit of indugng in false alarms but for the most
part it feeling of suppressed dread which men 90 not
care TO communicate except in whisper beheVihs 'ha
this fearful looking OF danger to the Union has some
more substantial basis than mere IMAGINATION we sha
undertake TO analyze and exhibit its real foundation
In the great experiment of segovcrnment there was
one problem connected with the subject Of slavery which
embarrassed our fathers than all others The ques
ton was whether it practicable to provide iunda
mental law for confederacy of States in some OF which
slavery would be prohibited and in Others egalized The
embarrassment was finally avoided by the adoption
of those features in the constitution which are usually
called Its compromises in respect to slavery Nowithsand-
inc the feelings of reverena confidence with which this
nobest of human wisdom has been received
venture the assertion that there never has been an hour
since the machinery first began to work
that there has not rested the minds OF patriots and
statesmen doubt fear that the time would come when
the compromises of the constitution would prove an insult
cen bond Of union between the free and the slave States
We venture this assertion upon the continuous historical
rnth that our ables have adopted and acted
upou il s sort of that the balance of federal pow
er must be maintained by preserving an equality OF free
and of slave States This sentiment must have had its
origin in doubt whether the provisions of the con-
,tituton would be adequate to the maintenance of the
Union II either section of the confederacy obtained dec-
ded veponderancy in both houses of Congress we are
correct in these remarks it follows that it cannot with
safety be vet assumed that the problem before advered to
was solved hy our fathers that the result OF the sue
ce l working OF he machinery down to this time shows
a satisfactory solution.
It REQUIRES no abored argument to show that the pa'1
assu policy of increasing the number of States cannot fur
nish permanent basis which to rest the perpetuy OF
the Union AS q temporary expedent it has worked well
but must be remembered that it is expedient outside
of the constitution, and only adopted snd adhered
to as compromise between the two sections OF the
Union In the of time it is easy to foresee that the
continuance OF the policy would be impraccabc from the
fact that the character of the Territories yet to be erected
into States forbids the continued application of the rule
But if there were indications of purpose to abandon
this policy for the future might be relied on for many
years to come There such indications however and
they are presented in shape SO imposing that we feel a-
thorzed to regard them furnishing the strong ground
OF the apprehension of threatened dissolution OF the
Union.
udsinp of the predominant sentiment at the North from
the tone of the public journals from the resolutions adopted
by political assemblies and from the results of all the recent
elections the conclusion is irresistible that the controlling
political organizations in most of tie free States are COM
mitted to three startling propositions:
THE REPEAL or THE FuGTIvE-sLAvELAw
Tur prpsA OF THE nePEALsG OF THE KANSAS AND
NEBRASKA
ir prs,sr. NEE Of THE ADHESION UNION OF ANY
MORE SLAVE STATES
We have characterized these startling proposlnons
The first is proposition nuiy clause in the constr
tuition which is we'll known be one of its compromises
and without which history informs us that the constitution
and the Union could have been formed Th prop
oston involves also reputation OF the Compromise "
1850 of which the fugve-save law was an essential IN
Gradient and without which the Compromise would GER
tainly have failed
The second proposition looks to the restoration OF an
arbitrary restriction which, when it was hrst proposed IN
1920 fell upon the of Mr. Jefferson with the startling
efec, of re-bell night Its original adoption is re-
gaded by large portion of the people in both sections as
having been effected the cost of clear violation OF the
constitution and it is known have been ever since re-
corded in one entire section of the confederacy as an
dious stigma upon the southern States Its restoration
now involves the same violation of the constitution anu
the imposition upon the southern States OF marx OF dis-
grace even more intolernble has its original adoption
Now can have no practical effect as 1t could thcn but
can be viewed by southern designed only to cast
odum upon an institution yi,h which they are identified
If these two propositions stood alone the fair presunp
ton might be that they the devices Of wicked pot
cal demagogues who sought agitation of pro-
motion and who looked TO distinct practical conse-
ouence except the qualification of their personal schemes
of aggrandzemen We need not remark that the fugitive
slave law cannot be repealed can the missouri line be
restored; at present they are impractcable issues
The third proposition is the which has filed the
soutest hearts with of danger Its enormy is con-
ssed by advocates the fact that they seek to paliae
their offence by alleging that the South has released the