The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-12-11

minds OF many, otherwise good citizens, hayt
been so intlamed into the passionate condem
nation Of the domestic institutions of thu
J southern States, as Ot length to pass insen
sibly TO almost equally passionate hostility
towards their fellow citizens Of those States
and thus finally to fall in to temporary fellow
ship with the avowed and active enemies o
the Constitution. Ardently attached to lib
erty in the abstract they do not stop to con
slider practically how the objects they wouIt
attain can be accomplished, nor to reflec
that, even il the evil were as great as theI
deem it, they have no remedy to apply, ant
that it can be only aggravated by their vic
lence and unconstitutional action. A ques
tion, which is one of the most difficult OF al
the problems of social institutions, poltica
economy and craftsmanship, they treat will
unreasoning interference of thought anC
language. Extremes beget extremes. Vic
lent attack from the North finds its inevita
BILE consequence in the growth Of spirit o
angry defiance at the South. Thus in the
progress of events we had reached that con
summation, which the voice of the peoplt
has now so pointedly rfbuked of the attempt
Of portion Of the States, by q sectional or
I
; troll o! the government Of the United States
IccnfideHtly believe that the great body o.
those wGo inconsiderutely took this fata
step, are sine, rely attached to the Cunstitu
ton and the Unlon. They would, upon de.
liberation, shrink with unaffected horror
lrcm any concious act o! disunion, or civil
wHr. But they have entered into path
which leads nowhere, unless il be to civil
war or dsunion, and which has no other
possible urtlet. They have PROCEEDED thus
far in that direction in consequence OF the
| succeeding stages of their progress having
consisted Of a series Of secondary issues,
each Of which confessed to be coGfined with.
in constitutional und pcceiul limits, but
| which attempted indirectly what few men
were willing to do directly, that is, TO act
! aGsressiveI " against the constitutional rights
o: nearly one halt OF the thirly-one States.
In the long series OF acts of indirect ag
CresslUn, the first was the strenuous agita.
ton, by citizens Of the norlhtr States, in
Congress and cut Of it, of the question of
negro emancipation in the southern States.
The second step in this path of evil con.
sisted OF acts OF the people of the northern
crnmcnts, aimed to facilitate the escape OF
persons held to service in. the southern
States, and to preven-thrir extraditioa when
reclaimed according to law and in virtue OF
express provisions OF the Constitution. To
promote this object, legislative enactments
and other means were adopted to take awny
or defeat hts, which the Constitution sol.
emnly guaranteed. In order to uuIliv the
then existing act of Congress concerning
the cXlradltlon' of Iugitives from service,
laws were enacted in many States, forbid
ding their officers, under the severcst PEN
alties, 10 participate in the execution Of any
act oi Congress Whnteyer. IL this way that
system OF harmonious cooperation between
the authorities of the United States and the
several States, for the maintenance of their
common Institutions. which existed in the
carly years of the Republic, was destroyed; !;
conflicts OF jurisdiction came to be requent;
and Congress found itself compelled, tor the
support ol the Constitution, and the vindca
tlon oil its power, to authorize the appoint
ment OF new officers charged with the exc
rution OF its acts, as il they and the officers
OF The States were the ministers, respective
ly, OF Icrelgn governments in state of mu-
tuai hostility, rather than follow magistrates
ot common country, peacefully subsisting
under lie protection OF one well. constituted
UH!on Thus, here, also, aggression vas
followed by reaction; and the attacks upon
the Constitution at this point did but serve
to raisc up new barriers fer its defense and
security.
The third stage of this unhrppy sectional
controversy was in connection with the or.
ganlzailnn OF territorial governments, and
the admission OF new States into the Union.
When It was proposed to admit the State OF
Maine, by separation of territory from that
Of Massachusetts,, and the State OF Missouri,
formed OF portion Of the territory ceded by
France to the United States, Representatives
in Congress objected to the admission of the
latter, unless with conditions suited to par
ticular views of public policy. The imposi.
ton OF such condition was successfully re-
sisted. But, at the same period, the ques.
ton was presented Of imposing restrictions
upon the residue of the territory ceded by
France. That question was, for the time,
disposed OF by the adoption Of a geographi.
Cal line OF limitation.
In this connection it should not be forgot.
ten that France, of her own accord, resolv
ed, tor considerations of the most far. sighted
sagacity, to 'cede Louisiana to tho United
States, and that accession was accepted by
the United States, the latter expressly en-.
gagged that ",he inhabitants the ceded ter.
ritorv shall be Incorporated in the Union OF
the United States, and admitted as soon as
possible, according to the principles Of the
Federal Constitution, to the enjoyment OF
all the rights, advantages, and immuniles
of citizens OF the United States; and in the
meantime they shall be maintained and pro
tected in the free enjoyment Of their liberty.
property. aud the religion which they pro
fess"-,hat is to say, while it remains in
territorial condition. its Inhabitants are
maintained and protected nthe free enjoy.
ment of their liberty and property, with
right then 70 pass into the condition OF
States on footing of perfect equality with
the original States. rr.
The enactment, which established the re.
stfictive geographical line was acquiesecd in
rather than approved by the States of the
onion. 1t stood on the statute book, how
ever, Tor number OF year,; and the people
OF the respective States acquiesced in the re-
enactment OF the principle as applied to the
State of Texas; and it was proposed to ac.
quiesce in its further application to the terri
tory acquired by the United States from
Mexico. But this proposition was success
'uIly resisted by the representatives from
the ncfthern States, who, regardless of the
statute line, insisted upon app yipg restric.
t'on : to The new territory generally, whether
al - = !. '..at-a .