Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-12-10
nsti,u ions Of The southern States. 40 $

nnally TO iall into temporary fellowship
with the avowed and active enemies OF
the Constitution. Ardently attached 10
liberty in the abstract, they do not stop
to consider practically how the objects
they would attain a be accomplished
nor to reflect that, even if the evil were
as great as they deem it, they have no
remedy to apply. and that it can be only
aggravated by their violence aud uncon
stitutional action. A question. which is
one of the most difficult Of ali the prob
lens of social institution, political econo
my and craftsmanship. they treat with
unr 'aSOnlng intemperance Of thought
and Ian guage. Extremes beget extremes.
Violent attack from the North finds lis
inevitable consequence in the growth Of
a spirit of angry defiance at the South.
Thus in the progress of events we had
reached the consummation, which the
voice of the people has now so poin'edly
rebuked. of the attempt Of a portion OF
the States, by a sectional organization
and movement. TO usurp the control of
the government of the United States.
| confidently believe that the great
BODY OF those, who. inconsiderarely took
This fatal step, are sincerely attached L.
the Constitution and the Union They
would. upon deliberation, shrink with
unaffected horror from any conscious ACT
of diSunion or civil war. But they have
entered into a path, which leads nowhere
unless it be 10 civil war and djSunien
and which has no other possible on lei
They have proceeded thus far in that
direction in consequence of The success
i've stages of THEN progress having con
sisted of a series of secondary issues.
each of which profeSsed 10 be confined
within o .titutional and peaceful limits.
but which attempted indirectly what few
men were willing tn do directly, that is,
TO act aggres>ively against the consti,u
tional rights of one-half of the thirty one
States.
In the long series OF acts of indirect
aggression. the first was the str
agitation. by citizens of the northern
States, in Congress and out OF it, of the
question of negro emancipation IN the
southern States.
The second step in this path of evil
consisted of acts of the people of the
northern States, and in several instances
of their governments, aimed TO facilitate
the escape of persons held 10 service in
the SOU bern States, and to prevent their
ex 'radltiOn when reclaimed according 10
law, and in virtue of the express provis-
ions Of the Constitution. To promote
this object, legislative enaciments and
other means were adopted to rake away
or defeat rights. which the Constitution
solemnly guaranteed. In order 10 nulify
the then existing act of Congress con-
corning the exlradinon of fusitives from
service, laws were enacted in many
States, forbidiing their officers. under
the severeSt penalties, to participate in
the execution of any act of Congress
whatever. In this way that system Of
harmonious cooperation between the
authorities of the United States, and of
the several States, for the maintenance
Of their common institutions. which ex-
listed in the early years of the Republic
was destroyed /; conflicts of Jurisdiction
came to be frequent: and Congress found
itself compelled for the support of the
Constitution, and the indication of is
power. to authorize the appointment Of
new officers charged with the execution
Of its acts. as If they and the officers Of
the States were the ministers. respect
lively. of foreign governments 10 a state
Of mutual hostility. rather Ihan fellow
magistrates of a common country, peace
fully suh>isting under the protection of
one well-cons,rucied Union. Thus here,
also aggression was followed b. reaction;
and the attacks upon the Constitution At
this point did but serve to raise up new
barriers for its defence and security.
The third stage Of this unhappy sec
lional controversy was in connection with
The organization Of Territorial Govern
ments and the admission of new States
into the Union. When it was proposed
to admit the State of Maine, by separa
tioa Of territory from that Of Massachu-
sets, and the State of Missouri, formed
of a portion Of the territory ceded by
France to the United Safes, representa-
tives in Congress objectel to the admis
sion of the latter, unless with conditions
suited to particular views of their public
policy. The imposition of such a con IL
ton was successfully resisted. But. at
the same period, the question was pre-
senied of imposing restrictions upon The
residue of the Territory ceded by France.
That question was, for the time, disposed
of by The adoption of geographical line
of limitation.
In this connrxion it should not be for
gotten that France. Of her own accord.
resolved, from considerations of the most
far-sighted policy, to cefe Louisiana to
the United States, AMI that accession
was accepted by the United Safes. the
latter expressly engaged that ''ihe inhab-
itan,s of The coded territory shall be in
corporated in the Union Of the United
States, and admitted as soon as possible,
according 10 the principles Of the Fede
raj Constitution, to the enjoyment of all
the rights, advantages, and immunities
of citizens of the United States, and in
the meantime they shall be maintained
and protected in the free enjoyment Of
their liberty. property, and the religion
which they profess"-that is to say while
it remains in a territorial condition It's
inhabitants are maintained and protected
in the free enjoyment Of their liberty
and property, with a right then to pass
into the condition of States, on a footing
of perfect equality with the original
States.
The enactment which established the
restrictive geographical line, was acqui-
esced in rather than approved by the
States of the Union. 1t stood on the
statute book. however, for a number of
yeas /; and the people of the respective
States acguiesced in the re-enactment OF
the principle as applied to the State of
Texas: and it was proposed TO ecquiesce