New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-12-10
AN ARGUME NATIVE SHAREHOLDER

of tbht ~ Ubtltullou INTO hd0sdt Dy Tic re-
neal of the Missouri proviso and even into the
Free States themselves under cover of the Fugi-
tive Slave Act-bss become a topic of such para
mount interest as to occupy no incODsiderable
portion of the Message of every State Governor,
who 10 their various methods Of treating it throw
not little light on their own personal characters.
Instead of meeting the reclanations of the Legis.
lature of achusetts and other Northern States
with insult aid bravado, like Gov. Adams of South
Carolina, Gov. johnson of Virginia, with much
better Judgment and much better taste, undertakes
70 argue the matter-and what he has to say on
the subiect, spreading as ii does over no inconsid
ersble space our readers will find in another col
unp This method of Gov. JohDson's is the only
one by which the pending questions between the
North ard the South can be brought to any ra-
aebal and equitable arrangement; and considering
how n UGH our Southern brethren have been accus-
toned to carry everything by bluster. and how
slight an outlay Of intellect that method demands,
Gov johnson is Justly entitled to the thanks of all
the friends of Peace, Upion and Justice, for having
pointed out to his Southern compatriOts this more
excellent and only efeotual step towards dis
posing Of these great questions with due regard to
tho rights and interests of all concerned
Gov. johnson, it v i'll be observed, puts the re-
peal of the Missouri Compromise into which
Congress- according to him, never had any right to
enter, on the double ground, first OF the right Of
Southern cit zeps to equal privileges with those Of
the North, including the right to take with them
their slave] property to Whatever Territory they
choose to emjgrate- and secondly on the de-
NAL of any power in Congress to put any re.
strictions whatever upon the absolute sovereignty
of the States as to their internal affairs. 1.-THE
whole scope and tenor" say s Gov Johnson of the
resolutions Of the Northern States against the Kan
sas Nebrasks bill are based upon thedea that the
States Of this Union are not entitled to equal
"rphts and that the people Of one section are to be
allowed prisilt ges anc capacities which are to be
denied to he people Of another Nov we desire
to put it to the ca5dOr and honor of Governor
Johns to say whether instead oft being the North.
ern Legislatures, it is not himself and the South
ern Legislatures and politicians who are setting up
ibis assumption of exclusive privileges which, We
fully agree with him ia one that ought to be met
promptly What privileges or capacities" We
should like to know, do the Northera people claim
in the Territories, which they are not ready to
Weld to their Southern brethrenl On the other
hand, d. not the shareholders demand the spell,
privilege and capacity" of taking slaves into
the common territory, and Of establishing
the Institution of Slavery there-a thing which
cal not be done without an absolute sacrifice of the
entire interest of Northern citizens therein, who
will not aud csnnot settle in Slave State More
over, if slaves are property in the same unlimited
sense in which cstte are property-and that is the
assum ption-then it will follow that Viiginisns
have the right not merely to carry their slaves into
the Territories and to hold them there, but the
right also to take them into and hold them in the
Free States as well. To concede Governor John.
sons proposition would be at once to repeal, 30
far az least as emigrants from the South
eIn States are concerned, all the State Laws
abolishiDg Slavery and how will Governor
johnson reconcile that consequence with
bis own declaration that it is the true and only
sound principle for each State or nation to adapt
"its laws ard Constitution to the circumstances
which surround it, and in accordance with the
wishes of majority of it's people, and to abstain
"from interference with the affairs Of Others"
But however he may sickle for the absolute
and entire independence Of the States when the
object is to avoid any obstacles to the spread of
Slavery, when he comes upon the topic of catch.
ing runaway slaves, Gov. johnson undergoes
sudden and marvellous change.
Congress, be tells US, /" has no authority to pro
hibit any state from coming into the Union be-
cause Slavery exists or does not exist within lite
Limits Congress has no authority to pass laws
prohibiting Slavery in the Territories. Congress
"baS no right in 1920 to pass the Missouri Com
promise" nor, BY the anne logic, any right in