Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-12-04

lowship with the avowed and active enemies Of
The Constitution. Ardently attached 10 liberty
in the abstract they do not stop TO consider prac
tically how the Objects they would attain can be
accomplished. nor To- reflect that, even If the evil
were ms great ms they deem II, they have no rem
edy 10 apply. and that it can be aggravated nv
their violence md unconstitutional action. a
question which il one of the most difficult of all
The problems of social institution, political econ.
nmy and staiesmanship. they treat With unreas-
oning intemperance OF thought and language
Extremes heeet extremes. Violent attack from
the North finds its inevitable consequence in the
growth of rpirii and angry defiance at the South,
Thus in the progress of events we had reached
thai contamination. which the voice Of the peo-
pie has now pontedly rrbnked of the attempt
af n portion Il the States, by sectional organi-
zntion aud movement, TO usurp the control tho
Cover nment If the United States.
confidently believe that the great body Of
those. who ,ncensiderntely touk this fatal step,
uro sincerely attached 10 the Constitution and
the Union. They would, upon debera'on. shrink
with unaffected horror from any conscious act of
dir union or civil war. But they have entered
into The paih which leads nowhere, unless it be
Ia civil wnr md dsunion. and which has 9th
possible outlet. They have proceeded thus
far III that direction in consequence of the success
i've stages ot their progress having consisted OF
series Of secondary issues. each of which profess
sd In he confined within constitutional and peace
ful limits, hut which attempted directly what few
men willing to do direc,y;'hat is. to act ag-
gressivty ngninrt the constitutional rights OF the
onc.hnlf OF the thirty one States.
In the long series of nets and indirect nggres-
lions, the first was the strenuous agitation, by
citizens of the northern States. in Congress and
oul OF it. of the question Of negro emanci patton
in the southern States.
The second step in this path of evil consisted
Of aeta of the people Of the northern States, and
in several instances Of their governments, aimed
IL fncIita the escape Of persons held to service
in the Southern States. and to prevent their ex-
tradition when reclaimed according TO law and in
virtue of express provisions Of tie Constitution.
To promote this object. legislative ennctments
and ohc, means were adopted to take away or
defeat rights, which the Constitution solemnly
guaranteed In order TO nullfy the then exist
ing net of Congress concerning the cxtraditiOn
of fugilives from service. laws were enacted in
mnny States. foIbdding their officers, under the
s-verest penalties. 10 participate In the execu-
ton oi any act of Congress whatever. In this
wny that system of harmonious corporation be-
tween the authorities of the United States and Of
the several States for the maintenance of their
common institutions, which existed in the early
y.ars OF the Republic, was destroyed; conflicts
of jurisdiction came to be frequent; and Con-
gross found itself compelled, for the support Of
the Constitution. and the vindcaton of its pow
VI ~ tuc W "V" o'hocAo
charged with the execution of IFS acts. as il they
aud the officers of the States were the minister's
respectively, of foreign governments in a state Of
mutual hostility, rather than fellow magistrates
of n common country, peacefully subsisting un-
de, the protection of one well constituted Union.
Thus here, also. aggression was followed hy re-
action; and the attacks upon the Constitution at
Abs point did but serve to raise up new barriers
{, its defence aud security.
The third stage of this unhappy sectional con-
trnversy was in connection with the organlzathn n
of territorial governme Dts and the admission Of
new States into the Union. When it was pro-
posed to admit the State OF Maine, by separation
of territory from TINT of Massachusetts. and the
State of Missouri. formed ofa portion Of the ter
ritory ceded by France to the United States.
representatives in Congress objected to the ad-
mission Of the latter unless with conditions suit
ed To particular views Of public policy. The i'm
position Of such n condition was successfully re-
sisted. But, at the same period. the question
WAS presented of imposing restrictions upon the
residue of tho territory ceded by France. That
question WAS, for the time. disposed of by tho
adoption Of geographical line of limitation.
In this oonne xion it should not be- forgotten
TINT France. Of her own acco,d. resolved, for
considerations of the most far sighted sagacity.
To oede Louisiana TO the United States; and that
Accession was accepted hy the United States,
tho latter expressly engaged that 'tbe inhabi.
innts of the ceded territory sha bo inCoporated
in the Union ot the United States, and admitted
as soon n possible, according to the principles
of the Federal Constitution. To tho enjoyment Of
all the rights. advantages, and mmuni,.es of cit
2ens oi The United States; and in the meantime
they shall be- maintained and projected in the
free enjoyment of their liberty, property. and the
religion which they profess, that is to say,
while it remains in Il territorial condition. its in
habilans are maintained and protected in the free
enjoyment of their liberty and property, with
right then 10 pass into the condition of States on
footing of perfect equality with the original
States"
The enactment which established the restric-
tive geographical line, was acquiesced in rather
than approved by the States of the Union. 1t
stood ON the statute book. however, for a num-
brr of years; md the people of the respective
States aequiesced in tho re enactment of the
principle applied TO I he State of Texas; and it
was proposed To acquiesce in its further applica-
iion to the territory acquired by the United States
from Mexico. But this proposition was success
fully resisted by the representatives from the
Northern States, who, regardless OF The statute
hne, insisted upon applying restriction to the new
territory generally whether lying north or south
of IT, thereby repeating it as a legislative COM
promise, and, on the part Of the North, persis-
tenfy violating the compact 1t compact there
was.
Thcreupon this enactment ceased to have bind.
ing virure in any sense, whether as respects
the North or the South; and SO in efec@ it was
treated on the occasion of the admission of the
: ate of California and the organization Of the
ton.
Such was tho state of this question, when the
time arrived for the organization of the Terrific
RIGS of Kansas and Nebrask In the progress