The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1856-01-09

serious war with Great Britain, they had
shaken off all which remsined of undue
reverence for Europe, and emerged from
the atmosphere of those transatlantic in
huences which surrounded the infant Re-
public, and had begun to turn their atten-
ton to the full and systematic develop
ment of the internal resources of the
Union.
Among tho eyanescent controversies of
that period, the most conspicuous was the
question OF regulation by Congress of the
social condition of the future States to be
founded in the territory of Louisiana
The ordinance for the government Of.
the territory northwest OF the river Ohio,
had contained o provision which prohibit
Ell the use OF scrvile labor therein, subject
TO the condition of the extradition Of flu
gitivss from service due in any other part
Of the United States. Subsequently to
the adoption Of the constitution, this pro-
vision ceased to remain as q law; for its
| operation as such was absolutely superse-
ded by The constitution. But the recoi-
lection of the fact excited the yea! Of So
cial propsgandism in ZONE sections of the
confederation; and, when a second State,
that of Missouri, came to be formed in
the territory of Louisiana. proposition was
made to extend to the latter territory the
restriction originally applied TO the couu-
| tru eityotal t.ntESan tho riyar. Ohio cnl
Mississippi.
Most questionable as vas th:s PROPOSE
tios, in all its constitutional relations,
nevertheless it received the sanction Of
Congress, with some slight notifications
of l;ne, to save the existing rights Of in
tended new States, rs q sacraiice to the
caHse of peace and OF the Union, not only
OF the rights stipulated by the treaty OF
Louisiana, but Of the principle of equality
amongst the States guaranteed by The cou-
stitution. 1t was received 10y the North
ern States With condemnation and COM
plant, because it did not concede ell they
exceedingly demanded. Having passed
through sill the forms Of legislation, it TOOK
its place in the statute book, standing
open to repeal, like any other act of
doubtful constitutionality, subject to be
pronounced null and void by the course
of law, and possessing no possible efica-
cy to control the rights Of the States,
which might thereafter be organized out
of any part Of the origins! territory OF
Louisiana.
In oil ti;r iF INV q orra-uInp tNnra warn
or any innovation upon ~pre-eNisting rights,
to which portion OF the Union are they
justly chargeabisf
The controversy passed away with the
occasion, nothing surviving it to save the
dormant letter OF the statute.
But, long afterwards, when, by the pro-
posed accession Of the Republic of Tex
as, the Uuitcd States were to take their
uext step i'll territorial greatness, q similar
contingency occurred, and became the oc-
casion of systematized attempts to inter.
vene in the domestic affairs of one section
States, and Of the stipulations Of the 0
stitution. These attempts assumed q
practical direction, in the shape Of perse-
vering endeayors, by some of the repre-,
sentatives, in both houses OF Congress, to
deprive the Southern States of the sup.
posed benefit of the provisions of the &C,
authorizing the organization of the State
of Missouri.
But the good sense of the people, and
{ the vital force of the constitution, tri.
umphed over sectional prejudice, and the
political errors of the day, and the State
of Texas returned to the Union as she
was, with social institutions which he,
people had chosen for themselves, and
with express agreement, by the ~re-annex.
ing act, that she should be susceptible Of
subdivision into = plurality Of States.
Whatever advantage the interests of the
Southern States, as snch, gained by this,
were far inferior in results, as they unfold
ed in the progress Of time, to those which
sprang from previous concessions made
by the South.
To every thoughtful friend Of the Union
to the trss lovers Of their country,-to al
who longed aud labored for the full sue
cess OF this great experiment Of republi-
can institutions,-it was the cause of graf
~ulation that such an opportunity had oc.
Cured to illustrate our advancing power
on this continent, and to furnish the
world additional assurance Of the strength
and stability of the constitution. Who
would wish to ses Florida still q European
colony! Who would r%ejoics to hail Tex
as as Q lone star, instead Of one of the
), galaxy of States? Who does not spprs
ciatc the incalculable benefits Of the &C.
QUESTION of Louisiana? And yet narrow
views and sectional purposes would incv
itably have excluded them ell from thu
Union.
But another struggle onthe same point
ensued, when our victorious armies enter
S ed Mexico, and 1t devolved on Congress
to provide Cor the territories acquired by
3 the treaty of Guadaloupe Hidaigo. Thu
great relations of the subject had now be
|, come distinct and clear to the perception
of the public mind, which appreciated tn.
evils of sectional controversy upon thu