The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1856-12-13
.bl'l
| ~

aud know nothing journal we extract the following
review of that portion of the Presidents Message.
which treats upon the grca; issue that was raised in
the last canvass.
Abiding to the result of the late Prcsden-
tial election, the Executive takes the position
that it has asserted the constitutional equality
of the States, each and all, as components of
the Union; and that by it the country has
cmphaticaly condemned the idea of organic
ing therein mere geographical parties, and of
marshalng towards each other the different
parts Of the country, North or South, East or
West
So far as this has been accomplished there
can be no difference of opinion in favor of this
result among all friends and upholders of the
Union
The decided condemnation with which the
President speaks Of scctonalsm, and especially
Of that which is based upon the subject Of sa.
very, will find consonant response in the
minds of M such whatever may he their diff
fcrences of opinion upon other points of poli.
cal distinction. He has traced with sufficient
accuracy the growth of the sectional party Of
the North, from its feeble origin, in the agita-
ton Of the futile idea Of negro emancipation,
to the position it assumed in the late struggle
for the Presidency. That position is very III
cdly and ably Analysed, aud its true character
very clearly exposed The President, il will
We seen, takes the tenahc ground that the
Missouri compromise like any other act Of
Congress- was not invested with pcrpe,nity
nor entitled to the respect of solemn COM
pact. lie holds that the North resisted the
application Of the principle involved in it, in
insisting upon restricting the extension Of sla-
very in the new territory acquired south of
the Missouri compromise line, and he logically
argues from this that if it had no obligatory
force at the North Of course it could not have
at the South, inasmuch as all such compacts
must be mutual, aud Of reciprocal Obligation
But he goes further ard demonstrates the
constitutional power of Congress TO repeal the
statute in question, and their equal power TO
rrcognizc Kansas, with or without the institu.
ION as a part of its policy lie gives nm ac.
ur;c history Of the mode in which agitation,
T. political effect, aud to influence the pend.
.g contest for the Presidency was originated
M kept up, and states that nothing of this
llracter now remains to disturb the general
ace Of the Union This assurance, with such
uthcntic sanction, will, Of course, lie received
with JOY by all friends Of good order aud Of
HE law, who will fclicitatc themselves upon
the conviction that every well disposed inhnb
lant Of Kansas il now enabled once more to
devote himself, in peace, TO those pursuits Of
prosperous industry, for the prosecution OF
which he undertook to participate in the set.
Element Of that territory
Tie President vindicatrs the legislation OF
Congress with regard TO Kansas, and assert.
the opinion that Congress could not have act
"a otherwise than they did act without doing
violence TO that great principle Of our instiin.
tons the mprcScribabc right Of equality ap
pertaining TO the several States. lie pays q
compliment to the evil and military officers o
the Territory for the manner in which the,
have performed the duties imposed upon them
and expresses the confident trust that now
when the peaceful condition Of Kansas afford
opportunity for calm reflection and wise lcgis
ation, the Legislative Assembly Of the Terri
tory, or Congress, will see that no act shall II
main on its statute book, violatiyc of the pri
ciplcs of the constitution, If there be any such
and will take all other necessary steps to ST
cure to its people the unolstrnctcd enioymcn
of all the constitutional rights and privilege
Of citizens Of the United States
We have reviewed, with this particularly
that portion Of the message relating to kal
sas affairs, as being, undoubtedly the mos
specially important part of the document, i
the estimation Of the country. The remainde
of the document is occupied with the uslli
miscellaneous topics treated Of in the annn'
communications of the Executive to Congress