The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-01-11
VOLUME XlI.-NUMBER 2.

dies with its local interests, III portion oi
the States assume to impose their institu-
tions on the Others, or refuse 20 fulfil their
obligations 10 them 1--WE are no longer unit.
cd friendly States, but Distracted, hostile
ones, with little capacity left Of common ad-
vantage, but abundant means OF reciprocal
injury and mischief.
Practically, it is immaterial whether ag.
grersiye interference between the States, or
deliberate refusal ON the part Of any one Of
them to comply with constitutional oblig-
tions, arise from erroneous conviction or
blind prejudice, whether IL bc perpetnted
by direction or indirection. In either case,
il is full OF threat and Of danger to the dun-
bility of the Union.
CONSTITUTIONAL RELATIONS or SLAVERY.
Placed in the Office Of Chief Magistnte rs
the executive agent Of the whole country,
bound to take care that the laws be faith
fully executed, and specially enjoined by tho
Constitution TO give information to Congress
on the state of the Union, IL would be pal
pable neglect OF duty on my part to pass
over subject like this, which, beyond all
things at the present time, vitaly concerns
individual and public security.
lt has been matter of painful regret, to
see States, conspicuous for their services In
founding this Republic, and equally sharing
its advantages, disregard their constitution
al obligations to it. Although conscious Of
their inability 10 heal admitted and palpa-
BILE social evils Of their own, and which are
within their jurisdiction, 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,
they peril the very existence Of the coustitu-
ton, and all the countless benefits which il
has conferred. While the people Of tho
Southern States confne their attention 10
their own affairs, not prcsuming ofhciously
10 intcrmeddlc with the social institutions Of
the Northern States, too many OF the latter
are permanently organized in associations TO
inllict injury on the former, by wrongful
acts, which would bc cause of was rs be-
tween foreign powers, and only fail TO DO
such in our system, because pcrpetrated un-
der cover of the Union.
1t Is impossible to present this subject rs
truth and the occasion require, without no.
ticing the re-itenlted, but groundles allega.
ton, that the South has persistently asserted
claims and obtained Advantages in the prac
teal administration of the general govern
ment, to the prejudice Of the North, and in
which the latter has acquicsccd. That Is,
the States. which either promote or tolerate
attacks on the rights of persons and of prop
erty in other States, to disguise their own
pretend or imagine, and constant.
ly aver, that they, whose constitutional
rights are thus systematically assailcd, arc
the aggrcssors. At the present
time, this imputed aggression, resting, as It
does, only in the vague, declamatory charges
of political agitaton, resolves itself into
or misintcrprctation, OF
the principles and facts of the political or
of the new Territories Of the
United States.
What is the voice of history? When the
ordinance which provided for the govern
ment of the territory northwest of the river
Ohio. and for it, eventual subdivision into
new States, was adopted in the Congress Of
the Consideration, il is not to be supposed
that the question of future relative power, AZ
between the States which retained and those
which did not retain numerous col0red
escaped notice, or failed TO be
considered. And yet the concession Of that
vast territory TO the interests and opinions
of the Northern Statcs-a territory now the
seat of five among the largest members Of
the Union-was, in great measure, the
act of the State Of Virginia and Of tho
South.
When Louisiana was acquired by the I'M
tied States, 1t was an acquisition not LEES TO
the North than 10 the South for while it
was important to the country at the mouth
Of the river Mississippi to become the empo-
rum of the country above IL, no also IL was
even more important 10 the whole Union 10
have that emporium and although the new
province, by reason of its imperfect settle
ment, was mainly regarded as on the Gulf
Of Mexico, yet, in fact, il extended 10 tho
opposite boundaries of the United States,
with far greater breadth above than below.
and was in territory, ~ in everything else,
equally, ut least, an accession 10 the North
crn States. Ii is mere delusion and prcju-
dice. therefore, 10 speak Of Louisiana rs AN ac-
luisition in the special interest Of the South.
The patriotic and just men, who partici-
pated in that act, were influenced by motives
lar above all sectional jealousies. Ii was in
truth the great event, which, by completing
for us the possession of the valley Of the
with commercial access % the
Gulf of Mexico, impaired unity and strength
to the whole confederation, and attached
together by indissolublc ties the East and
West, rs well Ms the North and the South.
As tO Florida, that WIS but the transfer
by Spain TO the United States Of tcrritoryOn
the east side of the river Mississippi, in cx-
change for large territory, which the Unit
ID States transferred TO Spain on the west
side of that river, as the entire diplomatic
history of the transaction serves a. demon
,trate. Moreover, il was an acquisition de-
nandcd by the commercial interests and the
security Of the whole Union.
In the meantime, the people Of the I'm
ted States had grown up 10 a proper con-
ciousness of their strength, and in brief
,onte~t with France, and In second serious
war with Great Britain, they had shaken of
III which remained Of undue reverence for
europe, and emerged from the atmosphere
# those Tanatlantic influences which sur
oundcd the infant Republic, and had bc.
,un toturn their attention to the full and
ystematic Development Of the internal rc-
ourcos Of the Union.
Among the evanesccnt controversies OF that
,eriod. the most conspicuous was the ques-
ion of regulation by Congress Of the social
ondition Of future States TO be founded in
he territory Of Louisana.
The ordinance for the government OF tho
erritory northwest Of the river Ohio had
ontained provision, which prohibited the
Ise Of scryilc labor therein, subject to the
ondition Of the cxtndition Of fugitivcs
rom service due in any other part Of the
United States. Subsequently TO the adop-
ion of the Constitution, this provision
cased to remain as law for its operation
u such was absolutely superseded by the
Constitution. But the recollection Of the
act excited the zeal of social propagandism
n some sections Of the coniedention and
when a second State, that Of Missouri, came
% be formed in the territory Of Louisiana,
proposition was made 10 extend 20 the latter