Washington telegraph., 1856-01-23

mad become distinct and clear to the perception of
tee public mind, which appreciated the evils of
sectional controversy upon the question of the ad-
mission of new States In that crisis intense
sohcitude pervaded the nation But the patriotic
Impulses of the peculiar heart. guided by the adj
monItory advice of the Father OF mis- Country r,sa
superior to all the difficulties of the incor,oration
OF new empire into the Union In the couns-Is
of Congress there was ma infested e zireme au,a.
onism of opinion and action between some Ieuy,.-
sentatives. who sought by the abusive and uncon
st,sutional employment of the legislative powers
OF the Government to interfere in the condition
OF the inchoate States. and to impose their own
social theories upon the latter; and other repre-
sentatlves who repeiled the interposition OF tbe
General Government in this respect and main
taned the self-consti:uting rights of States
In truth tine thing attempted was. in form alone
action of the general government. which in real
lty 1t was the endeavor, by abuse of legislative
power to force the ideas of internal policy enter
tanned in particular States, upon allied independ
ent States Once more the constitution and Union
triumphed signally. The new Territories were
organized without restrictions on the disputed
point and were thus left to Judge in that particu
lar for themselves; and the sense of the conStitu-
tIonal faith proved vigorous enough in Congress
not only 20 accomplish this primary object. but
also the incidental and hardly less im portan. one
OF so amending the provisions of the statute TO,
the extradltIon of iugtves from service as to place
that public duty under the safe guard of the gen.
raised up by the legislation of some of the States
Vain declamations regarding the provisions of
law tor the extradItlon of flgitIves from service
with occasional episodes of frantic effort to oh
struct their execution by riot and murder contin-
ued for brief time. TO agitate certain localities
But the true principle, of leaving each State and
Territory to regulate its own laws of labor ac-
coTdIng to Its own sense of right and expediency
had acquired fast hold of the public Judgment 10
such degree that. by common consent it was
observed IN the organization of the Territory OF
Washington
When more recently. it became requisite to or
ganIze the Territories of Nebraska and Kansas il
was the natural and legitimate if not the inevita
bic consequence of previous events and legislation
that the same great and sound principle which
had already been applied to Utah and New Mex
ico'shOuld be applied to them,-that they should
stand exempt from the restrictions proposed in
the act relative to the State of Missouri
These restrictions We're, in the estimation of
many thoughtful men, null. from the beginning
unauthorized by the constitution. contrary TO the
treaty stIpulations for the cession of Louisiana
and inconsistent with the equality of the States
They had been stripped of all moral authority
by persistent efforts to procure their indirect re-
peal through contradictory enactments They
had been practically abrogated by the legislation
attending the organization of Utah. New Mexi-
co and W ashlnston Ii any vitality remained in
themlt would have been taken awayin effect by
the new terrltoi al acts, in the form originally
proposed TO tie Senate at the first session of the
last Congress 1t was manly and ingenious as
well as patriotic and just to do this directly and
plainly and thus relieve the statute book of an
act, which might be of possible future injury but
OF no possible future benefit; and the measure of
It's repeal was the final consummation and COM
plete recognition of the principle that no portion
of the United States shall undertake through as
sumption of the powers of the general govern
ment TO dictate the social institutions of any 9TH
portion.
The scope and effect of the language of repeaI
were not left in doubt 1T was declared. in terms
to be the true intent and meaning of this act not
to eg1slate slavery into any Territory or State
nor to exclude 1t therefron, but to leave the peo-
pie thereof perfectly free to form and regulate
their domestic institutions in their own way
subject only to the constitution of the United
S-ates''
The measure could not be withstood upon its
merits alone 1t was attacked with violence on
the false or deusIve pretext, that it constituted
breach OF faith. Never was objection more utter
ly destitute of substantial Justification When be-
fore was 1t imagined by sensible men, that reg
uiatIve or declaratiye statute, whether enacted
ten or forty years ago, is irrepealable-that an
act of Congress is above the constitutions
H. indeed there were In the facts any cause to
inpute bad faith, it would attach to those onlv
who have never ceased. from the time of the en-
actment OF tie restrictive provision to the pres
ent day TO denounce and to concemn it: " ho
have constantly refused to complete it by need
full supplementary legislation who have spared no
exeTtion to deprive it of moral force who have
themselves again and again attempted It's repeal
by the enactment cf incompatible provisions and
who, by the inevitable reactonary effect OF their
own violence on the subject. awakened the coun-
ry to PERCEPTION of the true constitutional prin-
cIpe, OF leaving the matter involved to the dis
cretion OF the people of the respective existing
inciPient States.
1t is not pretended that this principle, or any
other preclu1es the possibility of evils in practice
disturbed political action is liable to be by hu-
man passions No form of government is exempt
from lnconveniences: but in this case they are
the result of the abuse and not of the legitimate
exercise OF the powers reserved OF conferred In
the organization of Territory. TEey are not to
be charged to the great principle of popular
ereIgnty; on the contrary, they disappear before
the intelligence and patriotism of the people ex-
ertns through the balot-box their peaceful and
silent but irresistible power.
If the friends of the constitution are to have
another struggle its enemies could not present
mere acceptable Issue than that OF state whose
constitution clearly embraces "a republican form
OF government being excluded from the Union
because its domestic institutions may not IL all
respects comport with the ideas of What is wise
and expedient- entertained in some other State
Fresh from the grOundless Imputations of breach
OF faith agaIns7 Others, men will commence the
agitation OF this question with indubitable viola
ton of an express compact between the sovereign
powers of the United States and the republic of
Texas, well as of the older and equally solemn
compacts which assure the equality of all the
States.
Bet deplolable as would be such violation of
compact In itself and in all its direct consequent
ces, that is the very least of the evils involved
When sectional agitators shall havh succeeded in
forcing this issue, their pretensions fail to
be met by counter pretensionsl VIII not differ
ent States be compelled respectively to meet ex-
treues with extremese And if either extreme
carry its point hat is that SC lar forth but dIsso-
luton of the Union. If a new State formed
from the territory of the United States. be abso-
luteiy excluded from admission therein. that fact
of itself constitutes the disruption of union be-
tween it and the other States. But the process
of dissolution could not stop there. Would not
sectional decision producing such results by
lority of votes, either northern or southern. of
necessity drive out the oppressed and aggrieved
minority, and place in presence of each other
two iTreconcilable eonfederationsz
1t is necessary to speak thus plainly of projects
the ofsprings of that sectional agitation now pre-