The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-03-21

Ii might be, with les than million inhab-
itants, and outvoting i've Of the old States,
with an aggregate population Of eleven
millions. The corrupt and tynnnical Kings |
Of England, when votes were needed in tho |
House Of Lords to sustain them against the
people, created peers as the emergency IT,
gu Ircd. Is there in this anything in more
fragrant contradiction to the principles oil
republican freedom, or more dangerous 10
the public liberties, than in the system Prae-
tised by the slaveholding interest, represent
ed il the general government i
But third opportunity was close Mt hand
and slavery made third struggle for the
extension of its domain and the enlargement
Of its power.
The annexation Of Texas involved Us in
war with Mexico The war WAS waged on
our part with yigor, skill and success. Ii
resulted in the cession 10 the United States
of New Mexico, California and Descret, vast
territories over which was extened by Mex
lean law prohibition Of Slavery. The
shareholders demanded aces TO them all
pesistei the admission Of California and New
Mexico, which the energy Of freemen, out.
stripping in its activity the government and
even the slaveholding interest, had already
converted into free States, and reasonably
menaced Congress and the Union with over
throw IL its demands were not conceded.
The free spirit Of the country was reused
TO indignation by these pretensions, and Tor
q time the whole nation rocked TO the TEN.
pest which they had created. Untoward
events aided tho wrong. The death Of the
President threw the whole power OF the Ad-
ministration into timid and faithless hands.
Party rcsentments and party ambitions in
terposed against the right. Great men,
leaders Of the people, from whom the better
days they had learned lessons OF principle
and patriotism, yielded 10 the howlings of
the storm, and sought shelter, in submission,
from its rage.
The slayeholding interest was again VIC
torious. California, with her free constitu-
ton was indeed admitted to the Union; but
New Mexico, with her constitution forbid
ding slavery within her borders, was denied
admission, and remanded TO the condition
Of territory; and while Congress refused
to enact positive prohibition OF slavery in
the territories Of New Mexico and Deseret,
il was provided that, when they should APP
ply for admission as States, they should
come in with or without slavery rs their in
habitants might decide. Additional con-
ccssious were made to the slave power; the
general government assumed the rccapture
of fugitive slaves, and passed laws for the
accomplishment Of that end, subyerive Mt
once Of State sovereignty, and of the estab-
lishcd safeguards Of civil freedom. Then
the country again had rest. Wearied with
its efforts, or content with their success, the
slaveholdng interest proclaimed a truce.
When Franklin Pierce, on the fourth CT
March, 1858, became President of the Uni
ted States, no controversy growing out of
slavery was aginting the country. Estab-
lished laws, some of them enacted with UNI
usual solemnity, and under circumstances
which made them of more than ordinary OBJ
legation, had fixed the character of all the
States, and ended the contest concerning the
territories. Sixteen States were Free States,
and fifteen were slave States. BY the Mis-
souri, Compromise Of 1920, slavery was for
ever prohibited from all the Louisiana ter
ritory lying north of the line of 80 deg. 80
min. while over that territory lying south
of that line, and over the territory Of New
Mexico and Descret, no such prohibition had
been extended.
The whole country rcpOsed upon this ar.
rangement. All sections and all interests,
whether approving it or not, seemed to ac-
ouicscc in Its terms. The slaveholding in
tercst, through all its organs, and especial
ly through the general government, pro-
claimed that this was final and irrepcala-
bic adjustment Of the struggle between FREE
dom and slavery for political power; that
il had been effected by mutual concessions
and in the spirit of compromise; and that
il should be rs enduring rs the Union, and
~ sacred as the Constitution itself. Both
POLITICAL parties gave it their sanction in
their National Conventions; the whole
country asscnted to It's validity and Prcsi-
dent Pierce, in his first Official message to
Congress, pledged himself to use all the
power of his position to prevent 1t from be-
ing disturbed.
But all the protestatious proved delusiyc,
and the acauiesccncc and contentment which
they produced afforded the opportunity, not
only for new aggressions on tho part of
slavery, but for the population of engage
mentS into which its agents had solemnly
entered. Less than year had elapsed be-
fore these pledges were broken, and the adj
yantagcs which they secured to freedom
withdrawn by the slayeholding power.
RErE,L or rrm MISSOURI COMPROMISE.
In the course Of time and the natural pro-
gress of population, that portion Of the
Louisiana territory lying west Of the Miss
issippi river, and north of the line Of 80
deg 30 min, came In be desired for oecu-
nation and ON the 9th Of May, 1855, an
act was passed erecting upon il the two ter
ritorics of Kansas and Nebraska, and or
ranizins governments for them both. From
this whole region the slayeholdins interest,
thirty-fOur years before, had agreed that
slavery and involuntary servitude, other
wise than in the punishment of crime,
should be forever prohibited" and had re-
ceiycd as the price Of this agreement, the
admh sion, Of Missouri, and subsequently
the admission Of Arkansas, into the Union.
By the Kansas and Nebraska bill this pro-
hibition was declared TO b. " imperative
and void" and the intent and meaning of
the hill was further declared 10 BE-, {" not to
lecislate slavery into any territory or State,
nor to exclude il therefrOm; but to leave
the people thereof free 10 form and regulate
their domestic institutions in their own way,
subject only to the constitution Of the Uni
ted States" Thus, without single petit
ton for such action from any quarter of the
Uuion, but against the earnest remonstrlncc
of thousands Of our citizens-against the
settled and profound convictions of the great
body of the people in every portion Of the
country, and in wanton disregard Of the OBJ
legations OF justice and good faith, the Mis-
souri, Compromise of 1920 was repealed, and
the seal which had guaranteed frcoiom to
that vast territory which the United States
had purchased from France was snatched
from the bond.
Oregon. Washington, New Mexico Deser-
eli, and the new state acquired from Texas
north OF So deg. 80 min, by compact, were
all opened up TO slavery, and those who
might first become the inhabitants thereof,
were authorized TO make laws for its estab-
lishment and pcrpetuation.
TIE INVASION OF KANSAS AND THE ACTION OF