The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1856-12-10

place hostile governments, driven at once
and inevitably into mutual devastation and
iatrcdal carnage, Transforming the now
peaceful and ieliclt0us brotherhood into vast
permanent camp Of armed men like rival
monarchies of Europe and Asia. Well
knowing that such, and such only, are the
means and the consequences of their plans
aud purposes, they endeavor to prepare the
people Of the United States for civil war by
doing every thing in their power to deprive
the Constitution and the laws of moral au-
;hority, and to undermine the fabric of the
Union by appeals to passion and sectional
prejudice, by indoctrinating its people with
reciprocal hatred, and by educating them to
stand face TO face as enemies, rather than
shoulder to shoulder as friends.
II IS by the agency Of such unwarrantable
interference, foreign and domestic, that the
minds Of many, otherwise good citizens, have
been so infiamed into the passionate condem-
nation OF the domestic institutions 0f the
Southern States, as at length to pass insensi-
bly, to almost equally passionate hostility to-
wards their fellow citizens Of those States,
aud thus finally to fall into temporary fellow
ship with the avowed and active enemies OF
the Constitution. Ardently attached to Ii.
berty in the abstract, they do not stop to con
slider practically how the objects they would
attain can be accomplished, nor to reflect
that, even if the evil were as great as they
deem it, they have no remedy to apply, and
that il can be only aggravated by their vio>
ence and unconstltutionalact Aquesti0n,
which is one Of the most difficult oil all the
problems Of social institution, political econ.
omy aud craftsmanship, they treat with un-
reasoning intemperance Of thought and Ian
guage. Extremes beget extremes. Violent
attacks from the North finds its inevitable
consequence in the growth Of spirit of angry
defiance at the South. Thus in the progress
Of events we had reached that tconsummation,
pointedy rebuked, Of the attempt Of portion
of the States, by sectional organization and
movement, TO usurp the control of the govern
ment Of tie United States.
confidently believe that the great body Of
, those who inconsiderately took this fatal step,
are sincerely attached to the Constitution and
the Union. They would, upon deliberatiun,
shrink with unaffected horror from any con-
seiOus act Of dlsunion or civil war. But they
have entered into path which leads nowhere,
unless il be to civil war and disunion, and
which has no other possible outlet. They
have proceeded thus far in that direction IN
consequence of the successive stages OF their
progress having consisted in series Of Sc
cnndary issues, each OF which proiessed to be
confined within constitutional aud peaceful
limits. but which attempted indirectly what
few men were willing to do directly, that is,
to act aggressiyely against the constitutional
rights ol nearly one half Of the thlrty-one
States.
In the long series of acts of indirect ag-
gression, the first was the strenuous aglta-
ton, BY citizens of the Northern States, in
Congress and out of it, of the question Of
negro emancipation in the southern States.
The second step in this path of evil con-
sisted Of acts Of the people Of the northern
States, and in several instances of THEN
governments, aimed to facilitate the escape
Of persons held to service in the southern
States, and TO prevent their extraditiOn when
reclaimed according to law and in virtue oi
express provisions Of the Constitution. L,
promote this object, legislative enactment:
and other means were adopted TO take away
or defeat rights which the Constitution
solemnly guaranteed. In order to nullif,
The then existing Of Congress concerning
the extradition Of fagitises from service
laws were enacted in many States, tOrblddin.
their officers, under the seyerest penalties
TO participate in the execution of any act Q
Congress whatever. In this way that system
of harmonious cooperation between the au
thoritics Of the United States, and Of th'
several States, for the maintenance Of thei
common institutions, which existed in I'll,
early years Of the Republic, was dastroyed
conflicts Of jurisdiction came to be fire.
quent and Congress found itself compelled
for the support Of the Constitution, and th,
yindication Of its power, to authorize Iii,
appointment Of n.w officers charged viii
the execution Of its acts, as il they and th,
officers Of the States were the ministers, &c
speetiyely, OF foreign governments IN stat
of mutual hostility, rather than fellow magis
trates Of a common country, peacefully sub
J sisting under the protection Of one wei
constituted Union. Thus here, also, aggrcs
sion was followed by reaction; and th
attacks upon the Constitution at this pOln
did but serve 10 raise up new barriers for IT
defence and security.
The third stage Of this unhappy sectiona
! controversy was in connection with the or
ganization Of territorial governments, an,
, the admission Of new States into the Union
When il was proposed TO admit the State o
Maine, BY separation Of territory from tha
I Of Massachusetts,, and the State Of Missouri
! formed of portion Of the territory Ccded b
. France to the United States, representative
I in Congress objected TO the admission Of th
!, latter, unless with conditions suited to par
! ticular views Of public policy. The imposi
| ton Of such condition was successful
, resisted. But, at the same period, III
{ question was presented Of imposing restriC
{ tions upon the residue Of the territory ccdc
I BY France. That question was, for the tim,
J, disposed Of By the adoption Of geographic
: line Of limitation.