The Placer herald., 1856-04-12


10 quibble; for said they, "the compromise
Of 1920 applied only to the territory of Lou
isana; and that which is west of that terri
tory is not Observation-Disclosures no more
slave States
To satisfy the Just demands Of all con-
cerned, and place the decision both now and
for all time to come, in the hands OF the
people of these new States, Congress an
nounced, through the Kansas and Nebraska
bills, the rule to be that, the people of the
new States. of all ATTITUDES, should be per-
mitted, and it was their right, to decide upon
the character of the domestic institutions
under which they were to live.
II is not easy to see how the rule could be
established on more rational basis, consis-
tent with what is now understood as beng
the civil rights of men, and the conflicting
notions of men on this subject. No other
principle can preserve the Union. None
other will maintain and perpetuate civil llb-
ery If South Carolina can dictate her pol
! lev to California, there is an end to civil
liberty here. If Massachusetts can, by any
sort Of domination, force her doctrines upon
Texas, then there is an end to the right of
self-government in Texas And if Maine
can coerce the Union or any State or Terri
tory in it, to adopt her municipal code, we
will soon have some United States officer,
acting under law of black republican
Congress, spling all the whisky in Ohio and
the other strong drinking States.
These men should remember another fact.
The people of the United States are not in
clined to barbarism-they are progressive
folk, and above all they will certainly follow
what they may honestly consider for their
own interests
Permit this question to settle down upon
its own proper level of Importance, and inter
rest and the tendency of the times alike point
to the organization of free States. In 1882,
before pride and passion had become excited
by these busy bodys, the Virginia Legislature
came within five votes of reporting bill for
the emancipation of slavery there. But men
are not permitted to settle down and abide
bv the dictates of their sober judgment.
These crafty leaders, finding their zeal has
outstripped their reason, and finding that
they cannot obtain power under demands SO
extrayagant, have concluded to hoist a new
banner Their demand is not boldly to re-
peal the law as it now stands, but simply
abridge the rule in its application. They
now call themselves Republicans, and mod
crate their demand to the restoration of the
Missouri Compromise This horrible institu-
ton of black slavery they are willing shall
exist south Of the compromise line, although
in violation of the laws of God-or rather
thev desire it interdicted north of that line,
and they will fight it might and main south
of it,
All of sudden they declare themselves
the staunch pillars of the Union - the
enlightened supporters Of the Constitution.
They use the cant Of the hypocritc to draw
to themselves support-they cringe before
the public to obtain that which they cannot
reach by honesty and fair dealing.
Shall we have any less excitement when
they have obtained the restoration of the
Missouri linel Certainly not-such is not
their intention; their leaders would not suf-
fer it, for their bread and butter and their
Importance would depart, upon the restor-
alton Of peace.
These men who have laughed at the pros
pect of disunion, and prayed for its consum-
mation-these men who have scotled at the
sacred compact Of our fathers, and spat upon
our laws-who can trust them? certainly no
good citizen Of any political faith, who es-
teens the privileges secured to him by our
country, or who regards with proper pride
the mission Of the glorious American nation
Selah.
IS- The exhibition Of the school of Mrs
vandoran came off at Ophir on Saturday
evening last We had the pleasure of wit
Messing the efforts of the scholars, and were
much pleased with the histronic talent exhib-
tied by some Of the young people. Where
all acquitted themselves so well it would be
unjust to single out individuals for special
commentator, but truth compels lis to say
that the girls rather outshone the boys. AS
test Of scholarship an exhibition is not
quite SO satisfactory as an examination, but
certainly accomplishment like that we saw
must have substantial learning to rest upon
We were honored by being the orator of the
occasion, and received for our effort very
hattering vote Of thanks. All parties seemed