Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1856-01-04

merated and therefore refused to 1t, was 1orpuuen 10
touch this matter in the Of attack or offence it
was placed under the general safeguard of the Unon
the sense of defence against either invasion or domesc
violence like all other local interests OF the severa
States Each State expressly stipulated as well for II
self for each and all of its citizens and every czen
of each State became solemny bound by his allegiance
to the constitution that any person, held to service OF
labor in State escaping into another, should ho III
consequence of law regulation thereof be dlscha
ged from such service labor but should be delivered
claim of the party to whom such service or laOor
might be due by the laws Of his State /
Thus, and thus only, by the reciprocal guaranty OF
all the rights of every State against interference on the
part of another the present form of government es
tabshed by fathers and transmitted to and by
other is possible for it to exist Ii one State
respect the rights of another and obtruslvey
Intermediates with its local inerests-lt portion OF the
States to impose their institutions on the other
refuse fulfil their obligations to them-we are no
longer united friendly States, but distracted, hostile
Ones with little capacity left common advantage but
| abundant means of reciprocal injury and mischief.
Practically it is immateral whether aggressive inter
ference between the States deliberate refusal the
part of any of them to comply with constitutional
obllgati arise from erroneous conviction or pima
prejudice whether it be perperated by direction or in
direction in either case it full of threat and of danger
to the durability ofthe Union
CONSTITUTIONAL RELATIONS SLAVERY.
Placed in the Office of Chief Magistrate rs the execu
tive agent of the whole country bound to take care that
the laws be faithfully executed and specially enoined
by the constitution to give information to Congress on
the state Of the Union, it would be papabe neglect of
duty my part to pass subject like this which,
dividual and public security.
1t has been matter of painful regret to States
spcuous for their services in founding this Republic,
and equally sharing its advantages disregard their con-
stitutiona obligations to it, Although conscious oftheir
inability to heal admitted and palpabe social evils of
their own and which completely within their juris
dction they engage in the offensive and hopeless under
taking OF reforming the domestic institutions Of other
States wholly beyond their control and authority In
the vain pursuit of ends by them entirely unattainable
and which they may not legally attempt to compass
If
the countless benefits which has conferred While the
people of the southern States confne their attention to
II their affairs not presuming oicously to ntermed
die with the social institutions of the northern States,
many of the inhabitants of the latter permanent
organized in associations to nct injury the for
mer by wrongful acts, which would be cause OF
between foreign powers and only fail to be such in four
SYSTEM because perpetrated under of the Union
e 1t is impossible to present this subject truth and
the occasion require without noticing the reiterated
Mt but groundless allegation that the South has perss
tenty asserted claims and obtained advantages in the
practical administration of the general government tC
the prejudice Of the North and in which the latter has
acquesced That is the States, which either promote
tolerate attacks the rights of persons and of prop
erty in other States to disguise their injustice pre-
D. tend imagine and constantly aver that they, whose
Oh constitutional rights thus systematically assaed
e. themselves the aggressors At the present time th
IL imputed aggression, resting as it does, only in the
OF que declamaory charges Of political agtatos resolves
Gil itself into misrepresentation msnterpretaon of the
ne principles and facts of the political organization of the
I'M new Territories of the United States.
It, What is the voice Of history? When the ordnance
N which provided for the government of the territory
nd northwest of the river Ohio and for its eventual subd
es vision into States, adopted in the Congress
Ill the confederation it is be supposed that the
question of future relative power between the States
OIL which retained and those which did not retain,
in merouS coored Dopulaon escaped notice. failed
be considered And yet the concession of that
territory the interests and opinions ofthe northern
ed States. territory the seat of five among the arg
)p members Of the Union was in great measure h
he Of the State of Virginia and of the South.
When Louisiana vas acquired by the United States
To- acquisition not less to the North than to the
South for while it was important to the country at thu
ID mouth of the river Mississippi to become the emporium
we of the country above it, also it impor
ant the whole Union to have that emporium
md although the province, by of its Mperfec
be settlement mainly regarded the Gulf of NIex
ve CO. yet in fact it extended to the opposite boundare
of the United States with far greater breadth abov
than below and was in territory, as in everything else
to equally at least accession to the northern States
W is deusion and prejudice, therefore, to speak
G Louisiana as acquisition in the special interest of tn
80 South.
ac The patriotic and Just men, who participated in tina
W act Influenced by motives far above all sectiona
ing eaousies 1t in truth the great event. which b
vas completing for the possession of the valley Of tn
po Mississippi with commercial to the Gulf of Mex
De- leo impaired unity and strength to the whole confede
emf aou and attached together by ndiSsouble ties thu
ION East and the West well the North and the South
ov- AS Florida that but the transfer by Spain
all the United States of the territory the east side
en- the river Mississippi in exchange for large territory
which the United States transferred to Spain tn
en west side OF that river the entire diplomatic histor
of the transaction to demonstrate Moreover,
rec acquisition demanded by the commercial inte
of eSts and the security of the whole Union.
of In the meantime the people of the United States ha
the grown up proper consciousness Of their strength
.be and in brief contest with France and in second Sc
ms rious with Great Britain, they had shaken off
ots which remained of undue reverence for Europe an
ions emerged from the atmosphere of those transatlantic
iti- huences when Surr0unueu te iIan' nePuoic' al
had begun their attention to the full and syst
the maIlc ue'e "PeneuS t t;e ~ 49, wv oil>
the most conspicuous the question of regulation
Congress of the social condition of the future States
' n1s be founded in the territory Of Louisiana.
hich L t of ,Lo U;uan OhiGo hod oonto;nad ~ -;
lea L:L oh tod tLo ,,eo &c seville lohor .hor; 80
III iect the condition of the extradition of fugv
from service due in any other part of the United State
70 Subsequently to the adoption of the constitution tt
oiS provision ceased to remain law for its operate
such absolutely superseded by the constitute
But the recollection oft fact excited the zeal of
cal nronagandism in some sections of the confeder
OF ton and when second State that of Missouri car
'er- be formed in the territory of Louisiana propoSt
the made to extend to the latter territory the rest
ttu ton originally applied to the country situated bet
sted the rivers Ohio and Mississippi.
cor Most questionable this proposition in all
alton constitutional relation. nevertheless it received
they sanction of Congress- with slight notifications
the line to the existing rights of the intended
in State. 1t reluctantly acquiesced in Ivy southe
ether States sacrifice to the of peace and of
Union not only of the rights stipulated by the treaty
nse Louisiana, but of the principle of equality among
States guaranteed by the constitution 1t was receiy
urty by the northern States with angry and resenul
gate denaton anu because II ana not concede
orig which they had exacungy demanded HAVING pass
through the forms Of legislation it took its place in
do statue book standing repeal, like oil