Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-01-05

1t has been matter Of Psitfal regret to see
States conspicuous for their SERVICES in found.
ing'the4 repdblie,y and equally sharing us ad.
vantages, disregard then constitutional obi.
cations to it. Aathough conscious of their
inability to heal adiaitted and palpable social
evils of their own, and which are completely
within their Jurisdiction, they engage in tile
offensive and hopeless undertaking Of reform.
ing the domestic Institutions of other States
wholly beyond their control and authority
In the vain puirsaitof ends, by them entirely
'unattainable, and which they may not legally
attempt to compass, they peril the very exis,
tenee of the constitutions, and all the count.
less benefits. which it has conferred. While
the people OF the Southern States eoafne their
attention to their own affairs, not presuming
officiously to intcrlneddle with tie social insti.
buttons of the Northern States, too many OF
the inhabitants of the latter are permanently
organized in associations to inflict injury on
the former, by wrongful acts, which would be
cause of war as between foreign powers, and
only fail to be such in our system, because
perpetrated under cover of the Union. "a.
Its impossible to present this subject as truth and the
occasion require, witlteat~ noticing the reiterated hut
gronudless allegation that the South has perSiStently as
serted claims and obtained advantages in the practical ad,
niinistration Of the general government, to the prejudice
of the North, and in which the latter has acquiesced.-
That is, the States, which either promote or tolerate at
tacks on the rights OF persons or property in other States,
to disguise their own injustice, pretend or imagine, and
constantly aver, that they, whose constitutional rights are
thus Systematically aSsailed, are themselves the aggreS-
sors. At the present time, this imputed aggression, rest
ing as it does only on the vague, declaniatOry charges of
political agitators, resolves itself into mi~apprehcnSion or
misinterpretation of the principles and facts of the politi-
cal organization of the new territories of the U. States.
What is the voice of history? When the ordinance
which provided for the government of the territory north
west of the Ohio river, and for it. eventual subdivision
into new States, was adopted in the Congress OF the Con
federation, it Is not to be supposed that the question of
future relative power a. between the States which retain
ed, and those which did not retain, a numerous colorcd
population, escaped notice, or failed to be considered -
And yet the concession of that vast territory to the inte-
rests and opinions OF the Northern States, 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 the South.
When Louisiana was acquired by the United States, il
was an acquisition not less to the North than to the South
for while it WAS important TO the country ut the mouth al
the river ississippito become the enip0rilfa ofthe coun-
try above il, 80 also was it even more important ~, the
whole Union to have that emporium ; and although the
proyince. fy reason of the imperfect Settlement vas
mainly regarded as ON the Cult of Mexico, yet in fact, it
TO the opposite boundaries OF the United States,
with far greater breadth ahove than below. and was in
as in everything else, equally, at least, an &C
cession to the Northern States. 1t is mere deIusion and
prejudice, 70 speak OF louisiana as an acquisition in the
The patriotic and Just men who participated in that act
were Influenced ny motives far above all sectional Jealous
les. II was In truth, the great event, which, by complct-
for us the possession of the Valley of the Mississippi.
with commercial access to the Gulf OF Mexico, impaired
unity and strength to the whole confederacy, and attached
by indisSolnblc ties the East and the West, a.
well az the North and the South.
As.to Florida, that was but the, transfer by Spain TO the
United States OF territory on the east side Of the river Mis-
sissippi IN exchange for large territory which the United
States transferred to Spain on the west side Of that river,
As the entire diplomatic history of the transaction serves
to demonstrate. Moreover, il was an acquisition demand
ed by the commercial interests and security of the whole
Union. e & AGA
In the meantime, the people of the. United States had
grown up to a proper CONSCIOUSNESS of their strength and
in 4 brief contest, With France, and in the second serious
war with Great Britain, they had shaken off all that re
manned of undne reverence for Europe, and emerged from
the atmosphere OF those transatlantic influences which
the infant republic, and had begun TO turn
their attention to the full and systematic development OF
the internal resources of the Union.
Among the e~yancscent controversies of that period, the
most conspicuous was the question of regulation by Con
gress of the social condition OF the future States to be
founded in the Territory of Louisiana. --,.-f,
The ordinance for the government OF the territory north
of the river OHIO had contained a provision, which
the nEe Of servile labor therein, subject tn the
of the extradition of fugitives from service due
in any other part OF the United States. Subsequently to
the adoption OF the Constitution, this provision ceased to
remain a. a law; for it, operation was sncit as 10 besHper-#
bed by the constitution. y But the recollection of the fact
excited the zeal of social 4ropagandism in some sections
uf the confederation, and when a second state, that Of
came to be formed in the territory of Louisiana,
was made to extend tothe latter territory the
TtStTtllbU UTiglIdlN dpHItcu W tfp UuItI SiLudttu DC
tween the rivers Ohio and Mississippi.
Most questionable a. was this proposition in all its con
relations, nevertheless it received the sanction
OF Congress, with sonic slight notifications OF line, tosave
the existing rights of the intended new state. 1t was re-
luctantly ac iuiesccd in by Southern States, rs a sacrifice
to the canxe Of peace and Of tile Union. not only of the
stipulated by the treaty of Louisiana, but of the
principle OF equality among the States guaranteed by the
c nstit ton. IL wa recei.eiby the Northern States with
angry and re<entfii condemnation and complaint because
did not concede all which they had e~xactingly demand
ed. Having passed through the forms of legislation, il
its place in the statute book standing open TO repeal,
like any other other act Of doubtful constitutionality sub
To I've pronounced null and void by the courts of law,
and possessing no possible efficacy to control the rights of
the States. which might thereafter he organized out of any
part Of the original territory OF Louisiana. Il Eaf
In all this, il any aggressions there were, any innoya-
upon precxisting rights, to which portion Of the Tn
ion are they justly chargeable?
This controversy passed away with the occasion, moth
ing surviving it save the dormant letter of the statute.
But. long atterwaFd, when, 10y the proposed accession
Of the republic of Texas, the United States were to take
their next step in territorial greatness, Il similar contin-
gency occurred, and became the occasion for ~systematized
attempts IL intervene in the domestic affairs of one sec
lion of the Union, in defiance of their rights a. State, and
Df the stipulations Of the constitution These attempts
assumed Il practical direction i'm the shape of perseyering
by some OF the Representatives in both Houses
If Congress to deprive the Southern States of the suppOS-
ID benefit of the provisions of the act authorizing the or
ganization of the State of. Missouri. r h-
But the good sense of the people and the vital force of
the constitution trinmphed over sectional prejudice and
The political errors of the day, and the State of Texas re-
turned to the Union a. she WAS, with social institutions
which her people had chosen for themselves, and with eX-
press agreement, by the re-annexing act. that she should
be susceptible of division into a plurality of States.
Whatever advantage the interests of the Southern states
Is such, gained by this, were far interior in results, "a
unfoldcd i'll the progress of time, to those which
lprang from previous concessions made by the South.
To every thoughtful friend of the Union-tO the true
of their country-to all who longed and labored tor
the full success of this great experiment of republican
institutional was cause of graduation that such an p
portumity had occurred to illustrate our advancing power
on this continent, and to furnish to the world additional
lSsurnncp nf the STRENGTH and stability of the constitution.
would wish to sec Florida still IA European colony?
would rejoice t hail Texas as Il lone star, instead of
in the galaxy of States Who does not appreciate
the incalculable benefits of the acquisition of Louisiana ?
And yet narrow views and sectional purposes would inev-
have excluded them all from the Union. FL. ..a.
But another struggle on the same point ensned when
victorious armies retained from Mexico, and it deyol-
we'd on Congress to provide for the territories aeqniredby
the treaty of Guadalupe HidalgD. The great relations of
the subject had now become distinct and clear to the per:
ception of the public mind, which appreciated the eyilsof
,aatianaI .urtrla,.eEsr IIIuun the nLlesfinl oil the admissinn