American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1856-01-05

!. pleiely within their jsrisdic ton, they engage
in the offensive and hopeless undertaking of
reforming the domestic institutions Of other
States wholly beyond their control and an.
| thority. I'm the vain pursuit OF ends, by
| them entirely nnattainable, and which they
may not legally attemp, to compass. they
| peril the very existence OF the constitution,
and all the countless benefits which i, has
| conferred.
While the people of the Southern States
confine their attention to their own affairs,
not presuming officiously to intermeddle
| with the institutions OF the Northern States,
too many inha bitauts of the latter are PEI,
manently organized in associations to inilict
injury on the former, BY wrongful acts, which
| would be- cause OF war rs between foreign
| powers, and only fail to be such i'm our sys.
TEN, because perpetrated under cover OF the
| Union.
| II is impossible to present this subject as
| truth and the occasion require, without no.
tciug the reiterated, but groundIess allega-
ton iha, the South has persistently asserted
claims and obtained advantages in the prac. /
tical administration OF the general govern.
ment. 10 the prejudice of the North, and in
which the latter has acgniesced. That is,
| the States which either promote or tolerate
attacks Of the rights of persons and Of prop.
erty in other States to disguise their own in.
justice. pretend or imagine, and constantly
aver, that they, whose constitutional rights
are thus systematically assailed, are them
selves the aggressors AT the present time,
this imputed aggression, resting, "a i, does.
only in the vague, declamatory charges of
| political agtators, resolves itself into mis-
apprehension, or misnterpretation of the
| principles and facts Of the political organi-
| zation OF the new Territories of the United
| States.
What is the voice Of history! When the
ordinance, which provided for the govern.
! ment Of the territory northwest Of the river
| Ohio, and for its eventual subdivision into
new States, was adopted in the Congress Of
the confedera,ion il is not TO be supposed
that the question of future relative power,as
between the States whish retained and those
| which did not retain, numerous colored
population. escaped notice or failed to be
considered. And yet the concession Of that
vast territory 10 the interests 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 Sonth.
When Louisiana was acquired by the U.
States, it was an acquisition not less to the
North than to the South for while it was
important to the country at the mouth Of the
river Mississippi to become the emporium of
The country above il, SO also IT was even
more important to the whole Union to have
that emporium; and although the new prov.
ince, by reason Oh its imperfect settlement,
was maialy regarded as the Gnlf Of Mexico,
ye,, in fact, it extended to the opposite
boundaries of the United States with far
! greater breadth above than below, and was
in territory, as in everything else, equally at
least an accession 10 the Northern States
1t is mere delusion and prejudice. therefore.
to speak OF Louisiana as acquisition TO The
special interest of the South.
The patriotic and just men, who paricipa-
ted in that act Were influenced BY motives
above all sectional jealouses. 1t was in
truth the great event, which, by completing
for us the possession Of the valley Of the Mis-
sissippi, with commercial access 10 the Gulf
OF Mexico, impaired unity and strength to
The whole confederation, and attached to-
gether by indissolube Ties the East and the
West, as well as 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 Mississippi in ex-
change for large territory, which the United
States transferred TO SPAIN on the ives, side
OF that river, as the entire diplomatic history
OF the transaction serves 10 demonstrate
Moreover, it was an acquisition demanded
by the commercial interests and the security
OF the whole Union.
In the mean time the people Of the United
States had grown up 10 proper conscious
ness OF their strength, and in brief contest
with France, and in second serious war
with Great Britain, they had shaken off all
which remained Of undue reverence for Eu-
rope, and emerged from the atmosphere OF
those TRANSATLANTIC Influences which surroun-
ded The infant Republic, and had begun 10
turn their attention to the luil and sysemat-
&c developments of the internal resources of
thu Union
Among the evanescent controversies of
mat PERIOD, the most conspicuous was The
question Of regulation by Congress of The
social condition of the future States 10 be
founded in The territory Of Louisiana.
The ordinance for the government, of the
territory northwest OF the river Ohio had
ontained provision which prohibited the
use oil servile labor therein, subject to the
condition of the extraditiou of fugiives from
service due in any other part Of The United
States. Subsequently 10 the adoption of the
constitution this provision ceased to remain
as law Tor ITS operation as such was abSo.
lntely superseded by The constitution. Bot
the recollection Of the fac, excited the zeal
OF social propayandism in some sections of
Inc confederation; and when Second State,
mat OF Missouri, came TO he formed in the
territory OF Louisiana, proposition was made
TO extend to the latter territory the res,tic.
ton originally applied ID the country situa.
ted between the rivers Ohio & Mississippi.
Most questionable as was The proposition
mall IT'S constitutional relations, nevertheless
ii received the sanction OF Congress with
some slight notifications of line, TO save the
existing rights OF tho intended new State
|, was reluctantly acquiesced in By Southern
States as q sacrifice TO the cause Of peace &
OF The Union, not only of The rights siipulat.
cd by the treaty OF Louisiana, but Of the
principle OF equality amongs, The States qua
ranteed BY the constitution. 1t was received
by the Northern States with angry and re-.
sentfnl condemnation g. complaint, because
| ii did not concede Ill which they had ,yact