Eaton Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1843-1856, 1856-01-10


tuined . provision which Prohibited The use Of
serytie labor illsrelp, subject 10 the condition
OF tie exsradiiion Of fugiriyes from service due
IN any other part OF The Uniied Sisies. Sub
S%eQuenlly 10 tbe adopHoa OF tie constitution,
thiS provision ceased 10 remain as law; lof
itS operation as such was absolutely supeise-
ded by The constitution. Hul the recollection
Of Tie faci excited thezeal Of spcini prepaean.
dism IN some sections Of the considerations, and
when . second Slate, that Of Missouri, came
10 be formed IN the territory Of Louisiana,
proposition was made 10 extend 10 the latter
letritory the restriction originally applied 10 The
country situated between tie rivers Ohio and
Mississippi.
Nest questionable as was This proposition
in all lis constitutional relations. neSerrlhe.
less II received The sanction Of Congress, with
some slight notifications Of line, 10 save the
existing rights of tho intended new tate. 1t
" S reluctantly acGuieSced in by Southern
States as y sacrifice 10 Tie cause OF peace aud
OF HE Union, not only OF The rights stipulated
by tue treaty of Louis lana, but Of the prlnci-
pie of equally among the States guaranteed
by HE Constitution. Ii as received by The
ntrLeIn States with angry and resen,fal con-
demnaiion and complaint, because it did moi
conoede all which they had exceedingly de-
Haneed. Having passed through the forms OF
legislation, il took its place in the statute
book, standing open 10 repeal, like any o;ler
act Of ooubtlnl conStiluiionaliiy, subject 10 be
pronounced null and void by the eouIis of aw,
and possessing no possible efficacy 10 control
the rights of The States, which might tbereaf-
te! be oTgnnlzed ont of any part Of Tie origi.
nal Territory of Lou isiana.
In all This. If any aggression there were, any
innovation upon pre-exisling rights, to which
portion Of the Union are they justly chaIgea-
Gle2
This controversy passed away with The oc-
c%aSion, nothing surviving it save The dormant
let;eI Of statute.
But, long afterwards, when, by The propos.
ed accession Of The Republic OF Texas, the
United States were to take their next step in
greatness, o similar contingency &C.
CURED, and became the occasion for system
izeil attempts to intervene in the domestic az
fairs of one section Of the Union, in defiance
of their rights as States, and Of the Stipula-
lions Of the constitution.
These atlempts assumed a practical diIec-
ton, in tie shape Of pefseyeriUs endeavorS,
by some Of The representa- lives, in both houses
VI SullSlCSoI u u lhiNc u UNIT DAdlCn VI
the supposed beneft Of The provisions Of The
&C. authorizing the organization Of the State
Of Missouri.
Bu!, The good sense OF the people, and the
vital force OF the Constitution, tnumpheJ over
sect iona prriud ice, aud ibe political errors Of
Abe day, and The Slate OF Texas returned 10
lbe Union aS she was, with social Institutions
which her people bad chosen for themselves,
and with express agreement, by The reannex-
ing bct, that she should be susceptible Of sub
division iaio a plurality Of States.
Whatever advantage The interests Of the
Souihern States, as such, gained by This, were
lar inferior in results, as they I'M folded in the
progress Of lime, 10 those which sprang from
previous concessions made by the South.
To every thoughtful friend OF the Union,-
to The true lovers OF their countTy,-lO all who
ionged and laboEed for the full success Of This
great experiment. OF repubilean instituiion,-
1t was o cause Of graiulaiion lLal such an op.
porIunity had occurred 10 iIlNS,Iate our advan.
cling power on this continen NJ, aud 10 furnish
10 the world additional assurance Of the
strength aud stability Of the constitutional
Who would wish TO see Flurlja sin o EIro.
pean COLONY Who woald Teiorce 10 hail
Texas as o lone star, instead OF one IN the
galaxy Of States2 Who does not appreciate
The incalcu liable benefits Of the acquisition Of
l. ~uisiSna ? And Yet narrow yIewS aud sec
tional purposes would inevitably have exclu-
ded them from The 6Hien.
But another struggle, on the same point en-
sued when our victorious a;mies returned ffOHi
Mexico, snd il developed on Congress 10 pro,
vide for the territories acquired by tLe treaty
OF Guadalupe liidslso. The great relations
OF the subject had now become distinct and
clear TO The perception or the public mind,
Which appreciated the evils oi seciionai con
troversy upon the question oil The admission Of
new States. In that ctisis Intense sollcilu1e
peryaded The nation. But tue patriotic I'M
pulses of The popular heart, guided by The
adnlonitory advice Of The Father of his Conn
Try, rose SD perior 10 all Tie difficulties Of the
incorporation Of q new empire Into The Union.
In The council Of Congress there was mani
Tested extleme ontogonlsm of opinion and ac-
ton between some representatives, who
sought blythe abuse and unconstitutional EN-.
pIoyment OF the legislative powers Of the gov
ernment TO interfere in the condition of the
incboale States, and 20 impose their own So
ciallbeofies upon The la,tei; and other Yep.
resenlatives, who repelled the in.erpoSition
OF the General Government in this respect,
and main aimed the seii-constiluting rights oil
The STATES.
In lInlh, the thing attempted was, in form
alone, action Of the general government,
while in reality il was the endeavoL by abuse
OF legislative power, 10 force the ideas Of in.
tefnal policy. entertained in particular States
upon allied independent Sta les. uDce Tore
the constitution and The Uaion ttiumphed
~signaIly, The new Territories were organi-
zed without restrictions On the disputed point,
and were thus left to judge ia that particular
for themselves: and The sense OF constitutional
iSilh proved vigorous enough in Congress not
only 10 accomplish this primary object, but
also The incidental and hardly less important
ore, Of SO amending the provisions Of The
statute for the extradition OF f~ugilives from
service, as 10 place that public duty unGer
The safe guard OF the general government,
and thus relieve it from obstacles raised up by
the legislation OF some OF the States.
Vain defamation regarding the provisions
Of law for the extradilion of f~ugitiyts from
service, with occasional episodes Of frantic e.
fort 10 obstr9ct their execution by not and
murder, continued, for a brief time, TO agitate
certain loca lilies. But the true principle, Of
leaving each Stale and Territory 10 regulate IFS
own laws II labor accord ing 10 its own sense
right and expediency, had acquired fast hold
Of the public judgement, 10 snch q degree,
that, by compon consent, ii was observed in
the organization OF the Territory OF Washing,
ton. -
When more recently, il became requisite
10 organize the Territories OF Nebraska and
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