The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1856-01-25

7tionS on the others, or refuse 10 iulilii taelT
9ligationS to them-we are no longer unlted
,iendly States, but distracted, hostile ones with
tile capacity lett of common advantage, bat a.
Andant means OF reciprocal INJURY and nls-
hief.
Practically, it is immateria whether aggres-
I've interference between the States, or deIlber-
te refusal on The part OF any one OF them TO |
omply with constitutional obligations, arise
rom erroneous ccnvietion or blind prejudice,
whether il be perpetrated by direction OF lndl-
ection. La either case, it is full OF threat and
i danger to the durability ofthe Union
Placed in the office OF Chiei Magistrate as The
executive agent OF the whole country. boundto
axe care that the laws be faithfully executed,
md especially enjolned by the Constitution to
rive information TO Congress on the state OF the
Union, it would be papabe neg lect OF duty on
1,y part to pass over subject like this, whIch,
beyond all things at the present tine, vitality
concerns individual and public security.
Ii has been matter OF painful regret to see
States, conspicuous for thelf services in found
ag this Republic, and equally sharing It's adj
disregard their constitutional ooliga-
apns 10 II. Although conscious OF their ma
Ifiiry to heal admitted and palpable social evils
I5 thelr Own, and which are completely within
Ineir jurisdiction, they engage IN the offensive
= hopeless undertaking OF reforming The do
,estic institutions OF other States wholly beyond
feir control and authority. ln the VAIN pur-
st of ends, by them entirely unattanabe,
4bd which tt,Y may not legally aaemp; to
wlnpass, they peril The very existence OF the
e aistituton, and all the countless benefits
Ithich il has conferred. While the people Of
the southern States conine their attention 10
their own affairs, not Presumng ofliclousiy to
inteEneddle with the social institutions OF the
northern States, too many Of The inhabitants OF
the latter are permanlIy organized in associa-
tlons to inllicl injury on the former, by wrong
iul acts, which would be cause of war as be-
tween foreign powers, and only fail to be such
in our system, because perPtlrated under cover
oftbe Union.
II is impossible to present this subject as truth
and the occasion require, without noticing the
reiterated, but grouudless, allegation, that the
South has presistenily assert claims and obtain
ed advantages in the pratTicT administration o
the general governmvlt, to the prejudice Of the
North, and in whic8 the latter has acquiesced
That is, the States, which either promote or tol
crate attacks on the rights OF persons and 0
property 10 other States, TO disguise their owl
fnjustice, pretend or imagine, and constantly
thus syStFmaiicalIy assailed, are themselves nj
aggresSors. At the present time, this impnte-
aggression, resting as it does, only in the vagu
drcanatory charges Of political agitators, re
solves Itself into mi>apprehen>on, or misinter
pretation, Of the principles and facts of the po
litical organization Of the new Territories Of tn
United States.
What is the voice of history When tn
ordinance, which provided for the government
/ OF the territory northwest Of the river Ohio, AM
/ for It's eventual subdivision into new States
was adopted in the Congress of the confrdera
ton, il IS not 10 be supposed that the question G
future relative power, as between the State
which retained, and those which did not retain
numerous colored population, escaped notice
or failed to be considered. And yet the con
crsSion oithat vast territory to the Interest
and opinions ofthe northern States, terrltor
now the seat of FIVE among the largest uembel
OF The Union, was, in great measure, the at
otthe State OF Virginia and the South.
When Louisiana was acquired by the Unite
States, 1t was an acquisition not less 10 tn
North than 10 the South for while it was in
portant to the country at the mouth Of the rive
Mississippi TO become the emporium Of the couF
trq above il, so also it was even more importar
10 the whole Union to havethat emporium; an
although the new province, by reason OF It's in
perfect settlement, was mainly regarded as O
the Gulf Of Mexico, yet, in fact, it extended
the opposite boundaries Of the United State
with far greater breadth above than below, al
was in territory, as IN everything else, equall
at least an accession to the northern States.
is mere defusIon and prejudice, therefore,
speak of Louisiana as acquisition in the specl
interest OF the South.
The patriotic and just men who participate
in that act were influenced by motives far abo'
all sectional jpaousies. 1t was in truth II
great event, which, by completing for US tt
possession of thu valley Of the Mississippi, wit
commercial access to the Gulf OF Mexico, in
parted unity and strength TO the whole conte,
Grafton, and attached together by indissolnb
ties the East and the West, as well as the Mort
and the South.
As to Florida, that was but The transfer
Spain 10 the United States of territory on II
east side ofthe river Mississippi, in exchange Il
large territory, which the United States tran
frrrpd to Spain on the west side of that rive
as the entire diplomatic history Of the transa
ton serves to demonstrate. Moreover, it W
an acquisition demanded by the commercial il
terests and the security of the whole Union.
In the meantime the people Of the Unit,
States had growE up to proper consciousne
of their strength, aud in brief contest wi
: France, and in second serious war with Gre
Britain, they had shaken off all which remaln'
5 Of undue reverence for Europe, and enrrg'
from the atmosphere Of those TRANSATLANTIC i
: nuvnces which surrounded the infant repubh
and had begun to turn their attention 10 the fl
and systematic development OF the internal r
sources OF the Union.
!. A rcnnrr The ,avannscent ConiEnXersles Of lib