Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-01-05

organized out of any part of the original territory
Of Louisiana.
In ali this, If any aggression there were. any
innovation upon the Prs-existing rights. to
which portions of the Union are they iustl,
chargeabe?
This controversy passed away with the &C.
casiOn, nothing surviving il save the dorment
letter Of the statute.
But, long afterwards, when, by the proposed
accession OF the Republic of Texas the United
States were to take their next step in territorial
greatness, similar contingency occurred, and
became the occasion for systematized attempts
10 interfere in the domestic affairs Of one sec
ton of the Union, in defiance of their rights
as States, and of the stipalations of the con
stitUtipn. These attempts assumed practical
direction, 10 the shape of persevering end av-
ors, by some of the representatives 10 both
houses Of Congress, to deprive the Southern
States of the supposed benefit of the prnvis.
ions of the act authorising the organization of
the State of Missouri.
The good sense of the people and the vital
force of the Constitution. triumphed over sec
tOnal prejudice and the Political errors of the
day, and the State of Texas returned to the
Union as she was with social institutions which
her people had chosen for themselves and with
express agreement to the remuneration set, that
she should be susceptible of subdivision into
plurality Of States.
Whatever advantage the interests of the
Southern States, such, gained by this were
far inferior in results they unioded in the
progress OF time, TO those which sprang from
previous concessions made by the South
To every thoughtful friend of the Uaion-
to the true lovers of their conntry-to all who
longed and labUred for the full success of this
great exper ment of republican institutions
ii was the cause 81 gra' ulation that such an
opportunity had occurred to illustrate orr ad-
vUncing power on this continent, and to furn-
ish TO the world additional assurance Of the
strength and stability Of the constitution
Tho would wish to see Florida still a Euro
pean colonyl Who would rejoice to hail Tex
as a lone star, instead of one IN the galaxy of
Staesl Who does not appreciate the incalcu-
liable benefits of the acquisition of louisiana
Aud yet narrow views and sectional purposes
would inevitably have excluded them all from
the Union.
But another struggle on the same point eusued,
when our victorious armies returned from Mexico,
and It deVoved on Congress 20 provide Tor the ter.
ritories acquired by the treaty Of Guadalupe Hdal
90. The great relations OF the subject had now
become distinct aud clear 70 the perception OF the
public MUD, which appreciated the evils of section.
al controversy upon the question Of the admission
OF States. la that crisis intense sulictude
perValed the nation. But the patriotic impulses OF
the popular heart, guided by the ddmOuitOry advice
Of the Father OF bis Country, rose superior to all
thsdlfiiculLes of the Incorporation Of new empire
into the Union. la the counsels of Congress there
was manifested extreme antagouism OF opinion
aud acI0u- between some Representatives who
sought by the abusive aud unconstitutional EMPLOY.
ment Of the legislative powers Of the government
to interfere in the condition Of the iuchOate States
aad 20 imposs their own social theories upon the
latter. aud other representatives,, who repealed the
interpO-itou OF the general government 10 this re
spect au1 IN intained the sell constituting rights Of
the States.
Vain defamation regarding the provisions Of
laws for the eXtradition of fugutives from ser
vice with casional episodes Of frantic effort to
obsruct their execution by riot and murder, con
tinued for 4 BRET time To agitate certain local.
ties. But the true principle OF leaving each
State and Territory to regulate its own lass Il.
labor according 10 its Owl sense Of right AMI Eek
D ,dicucy, had acquired fast hold of the public
iud gm mt to such a degree that by common CON
sent it was observed in the organization of the
Territory Of Washington.
la truth, the thing attempted wa 10 form
alone, &C ion Of the general government, while |
in realty il was the eudeayor, by abuse OF le- /
gislalive power, to force the ideas of internal /
policy, entertained in particular ST ties, upon
allied independent States. Once more the /,
The new Territories were organized without /
restrictions on the disputed point and were thus /
left 10 Judge in that particular for themselves: /
and the sense Of Constitutional faith proved Wig
Orous enough in Congress not only to accomplish .
this primary object but also the accidental and |
hardly less important one, Of SO amending the |
provisions of the statute for the eXtraditOn OF
fugitiVes from service, as to place that public
duty under the safe guard OF the general gov
eminent, and thus relieve il from obstacles raised
up by the legislation OF some OF the States.
Wien more recently, il become requisite b.
organize territories of Nehra ska and kankSas,
it was the natural aud legitimate, if not The
inevitable consequence of previous events and |
leyislation, that the same great and sound /
principle, which had already been applied To |
Utan and New Mexico, should be applied to |
them-that they should stand exempt from /
the restrictions proposed 10 the act relative to
the State of Missouri.
These restrictions we're in the estimation many thorght-
ful men, uul from the ginning unauthorized By the
contrary the treaty tpuations for the cesiuu
of ouisapa and i'm sru wit he EQUALITY Of the states
They had stripped Of gi moral authority by persist
efforts procare their indirect repeal to gh couradc
tory entctmen They Ia been pract caly abogated by
the tgatin attending he org nizatOn Of tab New MeN
cl aud washington II any vitality remained in them
would IA been taken away 10 eject by the terri or
Of the lat ougess Il manly and ingenious,
patriotic and jlt, 20 do his drec ~ and plainly
o. uossds future injury, but u pos be future benefit
AM the measure OF its repeal was the hna cousummation
and uletc recognition the princ lie, THAI portion 4
the United shall underta through assumption Of The
powers OF the general government dictate the social usti
tutiOus OF any her pot on.
The SEQ and ee,t Of the language % repeal not
ef doubt. IL declared in terms be TIL true in
Terror5 or state, nor to exclude u heeo, bu 10 leave
people thereof perfec l. Tree 20 form and regulate their
domestic n-tu ions IN their own way, subject only to the
Con .tit ton 81 tie niied states
he measure could not be wi TODD its nsr alone
II vas attacked with vol nee he aud deusive pre-
ia IL constituted breach OF Ia N Never was Oh &C.
too more ery o; subt ant, Just ion When.
bep-y imagined b. sensible men. that regClatve Or
dccarii statute whether enc cd en OF iory years ago.
4 Irreparabe that Z Congress above the tonsti
tIiony l. indeed there were in m cs any cause TO m
pute faith would attach % those only who have never
cea ed The time 4 the d The restrictive
provision the ent t 90 dcnOunce and con Tenn IL
who have constantly refused Inpee II b. nrcdfu sup
plemeutiry le lat on; VIII have spared eXertion de-
priy- Of al force; VIII have themselves Ia and az in
Al en- ted its repeal by the incompatible pro-
vision. pI who b. the inevitable reacouary eject Of their
cut on of the ne constitutional principle Of leaving the
m tier invoice the d ceun Of the People Of the respe
tive exi NJ or inc prnt stftes
Ia MOI pretended hat his pr.nc,ole any her Pre-
cudes the lossb ~ 81 evi IN ract disturbed pult
is abe 10 he by human PASSIONS NO T. N q gov
ernment is exempt from ncon' ece; bat in th case
exc Of reserved conferred in he orsani.
Eat Of 4 tory They are not to be chaigd 10 he
u ear beioro th1 itel genoc patriotism u the
Pile through 1he bio-bo1 thr pesosial, sien bat
rrest be p0Nef
n the itnis Of The Constitution to haxe another
str ggl is enrmrs ll present more acceptable Is
Of State sLoe CJnsu ut on clearly tmb aces
"a repair form 81 toNrIEuvn b aug excluded uiu
Union BIC m titutols lot 90 81
respects ooiH With The lda u what use aud rNpcd
cot ia other fe IA Oa sroLud mput tour
VI breach Of f,th * ust ocrs, aen val oomm'n'e IA
sg Nti1a qae,ti5G wub dabit-bir on o.
IA ezprrss between ne Independent sovereign oS
the united stater, ard Of ihr Rep bile 81 lrkfs Hs
well o. tn oiet and ,Qua soeEn ,omPacts, which as
sue The egua ity " all TIE Stafes.
Bat depOr3 be would be such oiato OF compact 10
tse aud ia al s direct consequrnc that the least
a. t.g. hsn. Al