Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1854-06-30

ter time, acquiesced,an have ever since
left it uudisturbed and unquestioned.
Arkansas, a part of the Territory Ct
Louisiana which lay south Of S6, 80, in
compliance with an implication which was
contained in this compromise, was after
ward admitted as a siaveholding State,
and the free States acquiesced.
In 1919, Florida, slavehOlding pro.
vince of Spain, was adquired. This pro-
vince was afterwards admitted as slave
holding State. The free States again ac-
quiesced. In l845, Texas, an independ-
C MT slaveholding State, was annexed, with
a provision in the article Of annexation
for the subdivision of her territory into
five States. The free States, although they
regarded the annexation with the proba-
BE increase of the number of slave States
with very great disfavor, nevertheless ac-
quiesced again. New territories were ac-
quired by the treaty Of peace which closed
the war with Mexico. The people of Cal
ifornia formed a Constitution inhibiting
slavery and applied for admission into the
Union. Violent opposition was made by
the slave States in and out Of Congress,
threatening the dissolution Of the Union,
if California should be admitted. Pro-
ceeding on the ground Of these alarms,
Congress adopted another compromise, the
terms Of which were that SIC, ,OOO,O ,OcO Of
the peoples money should be given to
Texas to induce her to relinquish a very
doubtful claim, upon an incorsiderable
part Of New Mexico that New MEXICO
and Utah should be organized without an
inhibition Of slavery, and that they should
be afterwards admitted as slave or free
States, as the people when forming Con-
s,itutions, should determine; that the pub
lie slave trade in the district of Columbia
should be abolished, without affecting the
existence Of slavery in the District; and
that new and rigorous provisions for the
recapture Of fugitive slaves, of disputed
constitutionality, should be adopted; and
that on these conditions California should
be admitted as free State. Repugnant
as this compromise was to the people Of
the free States, acquiescence was nevcrthe-
less practically obtained by means Of SO.
lemn assurances made, on behalf Of the
slaveholding States, that the compromise
was and should be for ever regarded as a
final adjustment Of the slavery question,
and of all the issues which could possibly
arise out of it.
A new Congress convened in December,
1851. Representatives from the slave
States demand a renewed pledge Of fidelity
to this adjustment, and it was granted By
the House of Representatives in the fol-
lowing terms
Resolved, Tha. We recognise the bindi-
ing efficacy of the Compromises of the
Constitution, and believe it to be the in
tention of the people generally, a, we
hereby declare it to be ours individually,
to abide such compromises, and to sustain
the laws necessary to carry them out, the
provisions for the delivery Of fugitive
slaves, and the act Of the last Congress
for that purpose, Included and that we
deprecate all further agitation of questions
generally connected with the institutions
of slavery as unnecessary, useless and dan
gerous.
A few months subsequently the Demo-
cratic National Convention met at Balti-
more, and assuming to speak sentiments
of the Democratic party, set forth as its
platform
That the Democratic party will resist all
attempts a. renewing, in Congress or out
Of it, the agitation of the slavery question,
under whatever shape or color the attempt
may be made.
Soon afterwards, another National Con-
vention assembled in the same city, and
assuming the right to declare the senti-
ments of the Wing party, said:
We deprccatc all further agitation of
the question, thus settled, as dangerous to
our peace, and discounteuance all efforts
to renew such agitation, whenever, how
ever, or wherever made.
The present administration was elected
on the principle Of adhesion to this COM
promise, and the President, referring to it
in bis inaugural speech, declared that the
harmony which bad been secured by IL
should not be disturbed during his term
of Office. The President referring to the
same subject, renewed his pledge in his
message to Congress, at the beginning Of
the present session, in the following Ian
guage:
"But notwithstanding the differences Of
opinion and sentiment which then existed
in relation to the details and specific pro.
visions, the acquiescence Of distinguished
citizens whose devotion to the Union can
never be doubted, has given renewed vigor
to our institutions, and restored sense of
repose and security to the public mind
thoughcut the confederacy. That this re- |
pose is to suffer no shock during my ofh- |
cial term, if have the power to avert it,
those who placed me here may be assured"
Under these circumstances the PROPOSE