The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-01-26

sderation; the rise and growth Of the abolition ag
tation, the formation OF geographical parties and
the alienation ard hostile feelings between the two
great sections of the Union. These are consequences
which will continue, with increased and increasing
aggregation, until the end comes.
"Ihe only thing that Is certain is, that it cannot
last. But whether ii will end in monarchy or dis.
union is uncertain. In the the other 1t will,
In all probability terminate, If not prevented; but in
which, time alone can decide. There are powerful
influences in operation part impelling 1t towards
and part towards disunioD. Among
those impelling it towards monarchy the two most
prominent are the national tendency of the numeri-
cal majority to terminate in that form of govern
ment, and the structure Of the Executive Depart.
ment Of the United States The former will add
great force to the impulse of the latter in the same
"Those impelling the government towards disunion
are so very powerful. They consist chiefly Of two.
the arising from the great extent Of the coun-
try; the other from its division into separate States
having local institutions and interests The former,
under the operation Of the numerical majority, has
necessarily given to the two great parties in their
contest for the honors and emouments Of the govern
ment, geographical character, for reasons which
have been fully stated. This contest must finally
settle down in struggle the part OF the stronger
section to obtain the permanent control, and the
part OF the weaker to preserve its independence and
equality as members of the Union. The conflict
will thus thus become one between the States oCcu-
plying the different sections-that is, between or
gapzed bodies on both sides; EACH in the event Of
separation, having the means of avoiding the confu-
sion and anarchy to which the parts would be sui
ject without such organization. This would contri-
butte much to increase the power of resistance on
the part of the weaker section against the stronger
in possession Of the government. With these great
advantages and resources II is hardly possible that
tie parties occupying the weaker section would con-
sent quietly under any circumstances, to sink down
from independent and equal sovereignties into de
pendent and colonial condition; and still less so
under circumstances that would revolu.ionize them
internally and put their very existence as people
at stake. Never was there an issue between indie
pendent States that involved greater calamity to the
conquered than is involved in that between the States
which compose the two sections Of this Union. The
condition OF the weaker, should it sink from state
of independence and equality to one Of dependence
and subsection, would be more calamitous than ever
before be;el civilized people. II is in vain to think
that with such consequences before them they will
not resist, especially when such resistance msy save
them, and cannot render their condition worse.
That this will take place unless the stronger section
desists from its course, may be assumed as certain,
and that, ii forced TO resist, the weaker section
would prove successful, and the system end in dis.
union is to say the least highly probable But if it
should fail, the great increase Of power and patron
age which must in consequence accrue to the
government of the United States would but render
certain and hasty the termination in the other
alternative. So that, at all events to thu the
other monarchy or disunion--it must come, If
not prevented by timely and strenuous efforts How
can these sad alternatives be avertea?
'Had the federal (not nationally character of this
government been rigi1ly maintained in practice
from the first, it would have been all sufficient in
itself to have secured the country against the dan
gerous condition in which it is now placed in
quence of departure from it. But the means which
may be sufficient to prevent disc ,ses are not usually
sufficient to remedy them In s yht cases, of recent
date, they may be; but additional means are neces
sary to restore health when the system has been
long and deeply disordered Such at present is
the condition of our political system. The very
causes which have Occasioned its disorder have, at
the same time led to consequences not to be removed
by the means which would have prevented them
They have destroyed the equilibrium between the
two great sections and aienated the mutual attach
ment between them which led to the formation Of
the Union and the establishment Of q common
government for the promotion of the welfare of all.
when the government of the United States was
established the two sections were nearly equal in
respect to the two elements OF which it is composed
"a fact which doubtless had much influence in de-
termning the convention to select them % the basis
OF its construction. Since then their equality in re-
ference to both has been destroyed, manly through
the action Of the government established for their
mutual benefit. The first step towards il occurred
under the old Congress OF the confederation. 1t
among its last acts Il took place while the conven
ton which formed the present constitution and gov
temporaneous with it. l refer to the ordinances Of
1857, which, among other things, contained Q pro
vision excluding slavery from the Northwestern ter
Iitory-that is, from the whole region lying between
was to restrict the Southern States in that quarter
the country lying south Of it, and to extend th
Northern over the whole OF that great and fertile
region 1t was literally to restrict the and
tend the other, for the whole territory belonged
virginia-the leading State Of the former section
She, with disin'erested patriotism rarely equaled
coded the whole gratuitously to the Union with the
exception Of very limited portion reserved for the
80 E..
oered in the war of the Revolution. The South re-
ceived no equivalent for this magnificent cesson
cept pledge inserted in the ordinance, similar to
that contained in the constitution Of the United
States, to deliver up fugitive slaves It is probable
that there was an understanding among the parties
that it should be inserted in both instruments,
as the old Congress and the convention were
then in session in the same pace, and that
it contributed much to induce the Southern members
of the former to agree to the ordnance BE this as
it may, both, in practice, have turned out equally
worthless. Neither have for many years been re
spected. Indeed, the act itself was unauthorized
The articles Of confederation conferred not shade
of authority on Congress to pass the ordinance as
admitted by Mr.. Madison; and yet this unauthorized
onesded act Gas il has turned out to be passed IL
the last moments OF the old confederacy, was relied
on as precedent for excluding the South from two
thirds of the territory acquired from France by the
Louisiana treaty and the whole Of the Oregon terri
tory, and is now relied on to justify her exclusion
from all the territory acquired by the Mexican war
and al that may be acquired In any manner, hereat
ter. The territory fom which she has already beer
excluded has had the effect to destroy the equilibr
nm between the sections 1t originally stood and t.
concentrate, permanently, in the northern section
the two msjorities of which the government Of the
United States is composed. Should she be excluded
from the territory acquired from Mexico it will give
the Northern States an oyerwhe ming preponderanct
in the government In the meantime, the spirit o.
fanatcism which has been long lying dormant, L
aroused into action by the course OF the govern
Pent as has been explained. 1t aims openly and
directly at destroying the existing relations between
the races in the southern section, on which depends
its peace, prosperity, and safety. To effect tais ex
cusion from the territory is an important step and
hence the union between the abotonists aud the
advocates OF exclusion to effect objects 30 intimately
connected.
All this has brought about state Of things hos
tile TO the continuance Of the Union and the durl
ton of the government. Alienation is succeeding TO
attachment, and hostile feelings TO alienation; and
these In turn will be followed by revolution or dis
ruption OF the Union unless timely prevented. But
this cannot be done by restoring the government to
its federal character, however necessary that may be