New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-03-11
THE TRUE ISSUE.

constitutional constructions. kehnements OF thls so''
NAV do very we'll in Congress which is full of lawyers
but the mass Of the people care nothing for them
They may serve to give seeming consistency to the
toruous course of politicians of the reptile genus, but
they never vet decided and they never will decide any
great practical question
vast deal of time is expended in Congress- and out
of IT, in discussing whether the national Government
BY the letter of the Constitution has power to do this
or 10 DO that For all practical purposes these discus
sons amount to little nothing because the Judgment
of the people is decided, and always will be decided
not by the letter but by the spirit. OF the letter. oil
the special provisions and limitations of the national
Constitution the great mass of the people have but
vsoue and indstinct Impression But the split OF t
the, understand perfectly we'll for they know that it
was framed TO torn more perfect union, TO esti0
hsh Justice insure domestic tranquility provide for
tie common defense, promote the general welfare,
and TO secure the blessings of liberty TO ourselves
and our posterity' If, then anything be proposed
70 be done or to be undOne by Congress or the national
Government the first question which the people ask IT,
Does the proposed measure fall under any one OF the
above stated heads Does it tend TO strengthen the
Union Does justice require it VIII it tend to
make us more secure at home or to guard us against
foreign attack VIII promote the general welfare
VIII il add new security to our liberties and to those
of our posterity If it will if it seems to the mass
of the people that it will then in their eyes 1t is con-
stitutional They conclude at once, without waiting
for any critical examination of the Constitution or
subtle argument upon it, that the necessary power Is
granted if not in express terms, at all events by Im
pication nor will all the unanimous reasoning oil all
the courts and all the lawyers ever persuade them to
the contrary.
When an opportunity occurred to acquire Louisiana
by purchase what weight did the people give to all
the scrures of Jefferson aud his fellow politicians
about the want of constitutional power Not the
weight of a pinch of snuff We will improve the OPP
portmi,y said the adroit and flexible Jefferson we
will 90 IT, in the FIRST place without any authority for
il except the general welfare and then will gee by
an amendment of the Constitution ratification OF
what We have done But the people found in the gene
ro welfare quite constitutional authority enough. No
amendment was ever aferward thought OF, or spoken
Of while the acquisition of territory mas since become
one Of the exercises of Federal authority most favored
tnd most insisted upon by those who claim to be the
s1ctest adberens to the literal construction of the
Constitution
Wien. partly through the ignorance and misman-
sgem ent of those at the head of affairs, and partly
through the pressure and exhaustion Of a war, the
efficiency of which had borne no proportion to its ex
peuses tfe finances of the country had been thrown
into a state OF confusion aud weakness, from which
there appeared at that time rescue except in the
esablitbment of National Bank what became of the
constitutional scruples of Madison and Of the whole
Democratic party on that subject They fell into
u. mill
change of circumstances the opinion began to prevail
that National Bank was neither necessary nor even
expedient
The Senatorial majority by which the KansssNe
braska bill has been passed. and especially the north
ern members who form part of that majority, need
rot hope to escape the full responsibility for what
they have done and for all the probable consequences
Of what they have done, behind any cloud of const
tutiOns subetes, any pretense of want of constitu
tional power any power Of squatter sovereignty
any attempt of any sort to shift off the responsibility
from their own shoulders TO those OF others The
simple questions which the people Of the North will
ak then selves in reference 10 that bill these:
Win the introduction of Slavery into the broad regions
Of Kansas and Nebraska tend to strengthen the Union
10 make il against explosion from within
or assaults from without Does justice require it I
viii il promote the general welfare viii it add
new security 10 our Liberties and to those of our de-
scendsntsl These are the questions which the north
ern people viii ask Neutrality-suspicious. which as
every ole will see, open at once the VIII lie antsayery
discussion in all its breadth and in all ts depth The
fret fruit therefore, Of that measure proposed as
final quetus for the anti slavery agitation will be to
give to that agitation an external impulse and direct
practical, INN ediate object such il has had
before. The anti slavery agtators have hitherto la
bored under the iHputaton of being mere abstraction
Its and much Of what they have said against the en-
croactments of the slave power has been regarded
little better than wild e1sggeratiOn Not one OF them,
however las ever been so extrayagant to suggest
the approaching repeal Of the Missouri prOviso, aud
that repeal Will az once remove the whole body Of
TIL from the ranks Of passionate disclaimers into the
petition Of reasonable men-too reasonable alas to
have foTeseen the full extent Of the blow which trea-
sen within and bad fifth from without have wickedly
cODspIed to strike al In the midst of all the re-
cent political trumphs Of Slavery antislavery ideas
have been making silent but rapid progress at the
North, however much former commitments and per-
sOnal and party sDtipsthes may hitherto have pre-
vented any efectual exhibition Of them The passage
Of the Kansss-Nebraska bill will throw as back into
position, which all Of all parties may occupy
in common without any sacrifice of feeling or disagree
able recantatons. With the enemy thus battering at
cur very gates internal Discussions or personal
ealousies will prevent from all manning the ramparts
together, 80 matter who stands beside us; nor from
sallyTg foyth with united forces To drive hack tha