The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-01-11

stitutional principle, of leaving the matter
involved to the discretion of the people OF
the respective existing or incipient States.
IL is not pretended that this principle, or
any other, precludes the possibility OF evils
in practice, DISTURBED as political action Is
liable TO be by human passions. No form
of government is exempt from inconyenien-
cos; but in this case they are the result OF
the abuse, and not Of the legitimate exercise
of the powers reserved or conferred in the
organization Of Territory. They are not
to be charged to the great principle ofpopu-
lar sovereignty on the contrary, they dis
appear before the intelligence and patriot
ism of the people, exerting through the bal
lot-box their peaceful and silent, but ire
sistiblc power.
II the friends Of the Constitution are to
have another struggle, it, enemies could not
present more acceptable issue, than that
Of State whose constitution clearly EN-.
braces u republican form of government, y
being excluded from the Union because its
domestic institutions may not in all respects
cOmport with the ideas Of what is wise and
expedient entertained in some other State
Fresh from groundless imputations ofbreach
OF faith against Others, men will commence
the agitation of this new question with In
dubitable violation of an expp~s compact
between the independent sovereign powers
of the United States and of the Republic of
Texas, as we'll rs Of the older and equally
solemn compacts, which assure the equality
Of all the States.
But, deplonble us would he such viola
ton of compact in itself, and in all its di-
rect consequences, that is the very least Of
the evils involved. When sectional agita-
tons shall have succcedcd in forcing ON this
issue, can their prctensions Gail to be met
with counter prctensiOns ? Will not differ
ent States he compelled respectively to meet
extremes with extremes? And, If either
extreme carry It's point, what is that 50 far
forth but dissolution of the Union? Ii n
new State, formed from the territory of the
United States, be absolutely excluded from
admission therein, that fact of itself consti-
tutcs the disruption Ofunion between il and
the other States. But the process of DISC
luton could not stop there. Would not a
sectional decision, producing such result by
II majority ofvotcs, either northern or south
crn, of necessity drive out the oppressed and
aggrieyed minority, and place in presence of
each other, two irreconcilably hostile con-
ftdertiOns ?
Ii il necessary to speak thus plainly of
projects, the offspring Of that sectional agi-
tation now prevailing in some of the States,
which are rs impracticble as they are un-
constitutional, and which if pcrsevcred in,
must and will end calamitously. IL is either
"A .s,.I
idle, aimless disturbance Ofpublic peace and
tranquility. DiSunion for what? If the
passionate rage of hnaticiSm and partizan
spirit did not force the fact upon our attcn-
ton, il would be difficult to believe that any
considerable portion of the people of this
enlightened country could have 80 surrender
cd themselves to a ianaticll devotion to the
supposed interests Of the relatively few AZ.
ricIns in the United States, rs totally to
abandon and disregard the interests of the
twenty-five millions of Amcricans,-to tram
pie under foot the iniunctiOns of moral and
constitutional obli@tion,-a to engage in
plans Of indicative hostility against those
who are associated with them in the enjoy
ment of the common heritage ofour nation
al institutions.
Nor is IL hostility against their fellOw-cit-
liens Of one section of the Union alone
The interests, the honor, the duty, the peace,
and the prosperity of the people Of all sec
tions are equally involved and imperillod in
this question. And arc patriotic men in
any part Of the Union prepared, on such an
issue, thus madly TO invite all the cOnsc-
qucnces of the forfeiture of their constitu-
tiOnal engagements? II is impossible. The
storm OF phrcnzy and faction must newt
ably dash itself in vain against the unshak-
ON rock of the Constitution. shall never
doubt il. know that the Union is strong
or, u thousand times, than all'the wild and
chimerical schemes of social change which
are generated, one after another, in the un-
stable minds Of visionary sophiSts and inter-
ested agitatoH. rely confidently on the
patriotism Of the people, ON the dignity and
Self-respect of the States, ON the wisdom Of
Congress, and, above all, on the continued
gracious favor Of Almighty God, to main
tain, against all enemies, whether ut home
or abroad, the slnctity of the Constitution
and the integrity of the Union.
FRANKLIN PIERCE.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 81, 1855.