The Cadiz Democratic sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1854-1864, 1856-01-09

the vbole Unfoo y l4la- aar
Ia the meantime. the people Of the Umied
States had grown up toa proper coneious-
ness OF their strength. and in brief war
with France. and IN second serious war
with Great Britain, they had shaken off all
which remained of undue reverence for Eu-
rope, and emerged from The atmosphere Of
Transatlantic influences which surrounded
the infant Republic. and had begun to lnrn
Their attention 10 the full and systematic de-
velOpment Of Tie internal RESOURCES of the
Union.
Il Among the evanescent conlroversies Of
THAT period. the most conspicuous was the
question Of regulation by Congress oi the
social condition of the future Slaies TO be
founded in the Territory of Louisiana.
The ordinance for The government oil The
TerriTory noITh wesT Of The river Ohio had
conTained provision, which prohibited The
use of servile labor Therein, subjecr Tc The
condiTion of The exrradition Of fugitives
from service due in any other part OF the
United States. Subsequently to the adop-I
rion Of the constitution, This provision ceas-
ed 10 remain as a law; for its operation ds
such was absolutely suspended by the con-
/ sIitution. But the recollection of the fact
excit ed the zeal of social prop agandism in
some sections of the conferatiOn; and when
a second State. tLat OF Missouri came to be
formed in the territory Of Louisiana, propo-
s;tion was made 10 exterd the later territory
the restriction originally applied to the
country situated between he rivers Ohio
and Mississippi.
! Most uhquestionabt as was this proposition in
all its constitutional relations, rlheess il re-
ceived the sanctilu of Congress, with some slight
notifications Of line to save the existing rights Of
| the intended new States, it w's Reluctantly ac.
quiesced in by the Southern States a sacrifice
to the cause of peace and Of the Union, not only OF
the rights stpuatedhy the treaty of Louisiana, but
OF the principle of equality among the States guar
anteed by the constitution. ltwas received by the
| Northern States with condemnation and complai
because it did not c0ncede all which they exacting'
| lv demanded Having passed through all the forms
of legislation, il took its place in The statute book,
stnndng open 70 repeal, like any other act ofdoubt.
| full constuonai;y, subject to be pronounced null
and void by the courseof law, ard possessing no
possible efficacy to control the rights OF the States
which might thereafter be organized out OF any
part Of territory Of Louisiana.
In oil this, it any aggression there were any nno.
vat ion ofpie e.existing rights, to which portion OF
the Union are they justly chorgeable'
/ This controversy passed away with the occasion,
statute,
But, long afterwards, when, by the proposed ac-
cession OF the Republic al Texas, the United States
were to take their next step territorial greatness
o similar contingency occurred, and became the
occasion for systematzsd attempts to intervene IN
the domestic aft irs OF section of the Union, IN
defiance Of their rights as States, and Of the slpu-
lntions of the constitution. These attempts assum
ed practical direction, in the shape OF evelng
endeavors by some OF the representatives, in both
houses OF Congress. to deprive the Southern States
OF the supposed benefit OF the proyis OF the act
authorizing the organization Of the State ot MiSsou
ri
But the good sense of the people, and the vital
force of the constitution, triumphed sectional
predludice and the political errors of the day, and
the State OF Texas returned to the Union as she
was, with soeia! institutions which her people had
enc en- tor themselves and with express agreement
by the re -annexing act, that she should be sucep
lible OF subdivis ion into plurality OF States.
!. Whatever advantage the interests OF tho South
ern States SUCH gained by this were lar interior
in us, they unolded in the progress OF time,
to those which sPrang tiom previous concessions
4 made by the South
To oevcry thoughtful friend of the Union.to the
lovers OF their country, all who onged and lahored
for the full success of the great experiment OF re-
publican instltu ons,It was cause OF graduation
that such opportunity had occurred 10 Illus strate
our advancing power on this continent and to tur-
nish to he w.rd additional assurance OF the strength
and stability of the constitutions Who would wish
to see Florida still European colony7 Who would
rejoice to hail Texas lone star instead of one in
the galaxy OF Statesl Who does not appreciate the
hcalcnable benefits OF the acquisition OF Louisiana
And yetnaTrow views and sectional purposes wonld
inevitably have excluded them all from the Union,
But another struggle on the same point ensued,
when our victorious armies entered Mexico, and it
devSved on Congress to provide for the territories
acquired by the treaty of Guadalupe Hidaigo The
great rel"ti ms Of the subject had now become dis
inct and clear to the perception OF the public mind,
which appreciated the evils Of sectional conrover
sy upon the question oil admission OF ew States =
In that crisis intense solictude prevaded the nation
But the patriotic imp ,ses of the popular heart gui
dcd by The admunitory advice OF the Father OF his
country, rose superior TO all difficulties OF the incor
r poration ot a new empire into the Union.
In hecouncils of Congress there was manifested
extreme antagonism OF opinion aud action between
some repres natives, who sought by the abusive
and unconstitutional employment ofthe Legislative
powers OF the government TO interfere in the condi
ton Of the inchoate States and to impose their own
socinl theories upon The latter; and other represent
tatives who repeedthe interposition OF the general
government IN This respect, and matntaine the
self constituting rights ofthc States. In truth the
thing attempted was in form alone, action of the
general government, while in reality it was the
endeavor by abuse ofegi'atiye power, to force the
ideas otinternal policy, entertained in particular
states, upon allied independent States. m@
0nce more the constitution and the Union tri.
uinphed signAy. The new Territories We're or.
ganized without restriction the disputed point
and were thus lett to judge in that ~naklic iar tor
tha seiy ant the sense Of constirilal faith
proved vigeioSsenod in Congess nofUdly to ac-
conplish this primary object, but also the incidental
and hardly less Important one; of so amending the
provisions OF tftHaatue Tor the extradition Of ugi
ves from ser, ice. to place the public duty under
the safeguard Of the generalgo and thus
relieve il from obstacles raised up by the @egisla-
tou in some OF the States
- Vain ecl-matton regarding the provisions of law
r sxtrndition offugi6vts from service, with occa.
siona episodes Of frantic effort to obstruct their ex
ecution by riot and mnr5er. continued, for brief
tune TO Fgitaie Ger ain localities. But the true prin
ciple of leavina Ach State and Territory :to regu-
late its naws OF labor according to its own sense
ofright and expectancy, had acquired fast hold Of
the p 'blio judgment, to such degree, that, by
common consent, it was observed in the organiza-
ton of the Territory OF Washington. 80
When, more recently, it became necessary to or.
ganize the Territories Of Nebraska and Kansas it
was the natural, and legitimate if not the inevta-
a bic, consequence ofpreyious events and eqislarion
, that the same great and sound principle which had
aread been applied TO Utah and New Mexico.
should he applied to them;--tnat they should stand
exempt from the restrictions proposed in the act
relative TO the State oil Missouri.
These restrictions were, in the estimation of many
thoughtful men, null from the beginning unauthor-
lied by the consttuti on contrary TO the treaty stip.
ulations for the cession OF Louisiana, and inconsist.
ent with the equality of the Ststes 5N
II They had been stripped OF all moral authority, by
persistent efforts to procure thhir indirect repeal
Q through contradictory enactmentsa They had been
M practically abrogated by the Legislation attending
! the organization OF Utah. New Mexico, and Wash.
ington If any vitality remained in 'hem, it would
have been taken away. in effect by the new Terri
torial acts, in the form, originally proposed to the
Senate at the first session Of the last Congress. Ii
was manly and Ingenious, well as patriotic and
just to do this cirecty and plainly. and thus relieve
the statute book Of an act which might be of posi-
BILE future injury but of no possible iuture benefit
= and the measure OF it's repeal was the final consu-
I malion and complete recognition Of the principle