The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1856-07-16
NUMBER J; /, I 2'V6f.

L ~N-''eNS ~
scenery which it affords are extreme. Our
territory abuts upon the two main oceans
OF the globe; its northern parts approach
the regions OF severe cold, while its southern
lie within the heated tropics But instead
OF any part of the country having broken
OFT from us, additions to it have been re-
peatedly made in peaceful and proper
manner without convulsion and by consent
OF all who have been attached TO us. he
provinces of Rome came by conquest and
were held by force, and all other govern
ments over extended territory have been
founded in Violence, injustice and ambition.
| Ours is the first instance of great extension
by peaceful and voluntary means. And ii
differs from others also, in this, that all its
parts remain united not by compulsion but
of choice 5a
All wealth is the product of labor, and
the great wealth of our country, created in
a short period from its settlement, indicates
industry, skill and perseverance, in the peo.
pie. A greater amount Of labor by an equal
number has never been performed else
where III all history. Attendant upon this
fact OF industry has been an enterprisinp
and inventive spirit which has given wings
to production and hurried us on vet more
rapidly in our race. But we have both ser.
vile and free labor. The former extends
through fifteen States, the latter in the re-
mainder; and it is upon this fact, or rather
upon questions growing out of it, that the
attempt is now being made to organize po
( litical parties. Greatly is it TO be desired
that it should fail ignomniously and finally,
| for it is full of danger and evil and without
redeeming feature.
Political parties have always existed in
free States and have existed with us from
our first attempts in constitutional govern.
ment. They are probably inseparable from
| free institutions, and, at all events, may be
expected to continue amongst us. But his
tory teaches us that by their corruptiops and
violence many good governments have been
everthrowD and patriotic.hopes blasted and
destroyed. With us they have never here
tofore seriously menaced our national exist
ence or welfare. But if they should come
to correspond exactly with geographical di-
visions of the country, the case would be
widely different. But without proceeding
further in this line of remark, let us INQUIRE
what particular leading feature in our svs.
tenn distinguishes it from most others and
constitutes it's peculiar excellence. The an.
swer in short is, lis allowance of local gouern.
fns la<oI -
township, county, borough, city and state,
manage respectively their own affairs in
their own way and at their own pleasure
No officials from abroad are put upon them
to dictate TO, or oppress them. No costly
and corrupt government from adistant point,
lays upon them its heavy hand to oppress
or to plunder them. The life of the govern
ment instead Of locating itself at central
point is in all parts, and with equal vigor in
all parts. State governments are largely
curbed and limited by constitutions, and
the powers of the national government are
cautiously and sparingly dealt out to it in an
instrument which indicates throughout
fear that extensive powers would be abused.
The people hold in their own hands large
powers which they have never Granted, re.
tain extensive control over government state
or national, and through the various munich
pal organizations or bodies in each State se-
cure the transaction of such business as per-
tains to each locality The division and
subdivisions of political power, the retention
of popular control over all government es-
tablishments, and the reservation by the
people in their own hands of all powers not
strictly necessary TO government purposes,
are the features of our system that have
caused its success, and if maintain
ed will insure its continuance. Our
boundaries may be extended from one
ocean to the other, as they have been, and
from the great northern lakes to Mexico,
without danger because along with the ex-
tension and with The course of settlement
there goes the principle of local government
for all local concerns. And this is the prin-
ciple of the Nebraska bill 1t is strictly,
logically in accordance with our system, and
therefore through good and through evil re-
port is 10 be defended and maintained. No
misconception or clamor, no seduction of
interest, no invocation to peace, must cause
its abandonment. By its enactment, what
ever may be said to the contrary, we stand
by the old landmarks of principle and win.
dicate our American system from palpa-
BILE and pernicious error. . .,
A mistake was made in 1920, in the as
sumption and exercise by Congress of leg
islative power over unsettled territories,
and it arose in this manuer Missouri ap-
piled for admission as a State with every
reasonable claim to admission under that
clause of the constitution which provides
for the admission of new States without
other condition than that their constitutions
shall be republican. Resistance was how
ever made to her admission and slavery
agitation begun which was disposed of by
provision prohibiting slavery in territory
'cesf OF the proposed State. This asscarce-
ly an act of Legislation, for it had no practical
effect and in fact never has operated for
single moment upon any human being. It
was congressional declaration looking alone
to the future and dependant for its effectup-