The daily union., 1855-09-18
FIpeLITy TO SACKED CoMPAcTs.

men n the North as well the South who doubted
as 10 the unconstitutional character Of the restriction, and
who believe that its adoption had been prolific of evil con-
sequences the opinion that after allowing it
remain on the stauteboek undisturbed for thirty years
might ws be left unrepeaed rather than encounter the
renewal Of the agitation which to follow We
readily understand the consistency of such men when
we them ardeny opposed to The restoration
Of tie restriction than they TO its repeal in the latter
case they regarded merely question Of political ex-
pediency but in the former it became great question of
constitutional principle.
But the case wholly different with that class Of poi,i
clans who never discovered that there anything sa
credr in the Missouri restriction until Judge Douglas intro
ducea his BILL 1854 TO organize the Nebraska Territory
In that bill there was express repeal of the Missouri re-
srctou there recognition Of the right of the in
habitans TO adopt their domestic institutions, which
was wholly inconsistent with the continued operation Of
That restriction The warfare commenced by the abo-
lonsts in Congress upon the assumption that Judge
Douglass bill repealed the Missouri prohibition and there
FORE yoaeda sacred compact which all parties had ac
ouesced in compromise for more than thirty years
There no doubt of the fact that upon the assump
ton that there something sacred in the Missouri re-
srcton which enabled the aboltionists to excite and en-
list strong religious enthusiasm at the North against the
Nebraska bill II is nevertheless historically true that
the very champions who planned and got up the agitation
10th political and religious against the Nebraska BILL had
only been and consistent opponents of the
Missouri restriction but had allowed not only that specific
restriction but the Wmotproviso restriction ALSO to be
repealed without objection in the organization Of the Ter
rory of Washington in the year 1853. We alluded at
length this matter dass since and recur
it bring the point involved still fbrciby to
the minds of our readers.
1t will be recoected that Washington Territory const
tuted part of Oregon Territory until its separate organ
izaton in 1853. In August ls4s, Oregon organized
and although it situated entirely north of the Missouri
restriction line it deemed important by the abolition
leaders in Congress to apply to the bill for its organza-
tion the Wimot proviso President Polk hesated about
signing the bill, but finally yielded upon the ground that
the Territory north Of the Missouri line and might
be regarded already under the operation of the anti
slavery prohibition he might approve the bill without in
volvns himself in inconsistency. Oregon Territory was
therefore under double antislavey prohbitionthat of
the Missouri line ION the snpposition that Oregon
part OF the Louisiana puchase) and that of the Wilmo
provso, engraed upon the bill for its organization npon
its passage, in August, ls4s. We have remarked that
Washington Territory under the restrictions
asnuch it constituted part of the Oregon Territory
In 1853 law passed for the organization Of Wash
ngton into separate Territory and in that law it
provided that all acts Of Congress applicable to the Territory
Of Washington passed subsequent to the ia day Of September
lsis shall continue in force but the law does not continue
in force the acts oCongess passed prior to the lst Of Sep
tember ls4a and therefore, does not continue in force the
Wilmot provso, engafted upon the Oregon bill in Au-
gust 1913 does the law continue in force the Missouri
restriction Of 1920 When Congress enacted that all laws
passed after the st ofseptember 1s4s should in
force the inerepceis not only legitimate but irresistible that
all laws passed prior TO the list of September ls4s
pcled not deemed applicable Washington Territory
But to remove all for cayil doubt this subject
the same law for the organization of Washington Territory
proceeds 10 declare that The Legislative osrer of the Territory
shall erad to all righl subjects ef legislation not incon-
stsfeat srh Ae consultation and a,os Of The United States
The exercise Of such legislative powers by the Territory
Of Washington wholly rreconcilable with the exist
ence of either the Missouri restriction the Wimot pro-
hbiton. 1t nevertheless rue that the bill organizing
the Territory Of Washington voted for by the very
leaders Of the abolition party who insist that the
South were guilty of an outrage in uniting the repeal
Of the Missouri Observation-Disclosures who had uniformly de-
noanced all reputation of that restriction, until by taking
new tack and appealing 70 northern prejudice they
discovered that the antslavery agitation could be re-
inty nnu, however, mat In this effort
store the Missouri line they will encounter compact far
sacred" than that which they were so late in dis
cening to exist in the Missouri Compromsehat compact
'ehh stands in the poy Of The restoration Of the Missouri
sicioa and mhch repels erey truly Conscientious man.
The constitution Of the United States Thousands of consci-
entious who deemed 1t mpolitic hazard renewal
OF the slavery agitation, by disturbing the sacred COM
pact of the Missouri Compromise, will regard il as far
inexcusable to attempt to the alleged wrong
by perretrang the much greater wrong of violating and
trampg upon that most sacred of all political
the federal constitution In such issue the aboonists
viii End that national men of all sections and names will
repudiae the morality well the propriey of their
code of ethics which impels them to nvenge alleged
wrong by committing still greater themselves Let
il not be forgotten that there is power granted Con-
gross by which the people of Territory be deprived
of the right of selecting their domestic institutions
and The proposition to restore the Missouri restriction de-
mics to them such right and is necessarily violation of
the constitution On the necessity Of maintaining the
stitu,iou involate national everywhere will unite in
resisting the abolition doctrine which claims for Congress
The power interfere the slavery question they will
uphold and maintain the right Of the people to manage
their local concerns whether in States Territories
free from the usurpaon OF congressional Intervention
HON. GEORGE 8. HOUSTON.