Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1856-01-05


the set power offaxatou Wa limit of COM
mon debnce and general welfare excluding apper
these purposes general welfare and common defence were
Afterwards defined by specific enumeration being mat
tiers only of correlation between the States themselves
between them and foreign which, because of
their and general nature could not be left the
separate control of each State ---
Of the circumstances of local condition. interest, and
rights in which portion of tho States constituting
great section of the Union differed from the and from
another section the most important the popularity Of
larger relative colored population in the southern than in
the northern States
population of this class held in subection existed in
nearly all the States but and of
serious in the South than the North on
count Of natural differences Of climate and production and
was foreseen that for the reasons while this popu
lson would diminish and later cease to exist
in some States might increase in others The peculiar
character and magnitude of this question of local rights,
not in material relations only but still social Ones
caused to enter into the special stpuatons of the cons
tuition.
Hence while the gen era government as we'll by the emu
merated powers granted by those enumerated
and therefore refused it. was forbidden to touch this
ter in the sense Of attack was placed under the
against eithe invasion domestic violence like all other
local interests of the several States Each State expressly
and citizen of each State became soemny bound
by his allegiance to the constitution that any person. held
not in consequence of any law regulation thereof be dis
charged from such survce labor but should be delivered
up on claim of the party to whom such service or labor
Thus, and thus only by the reciprocal guaranty of all
the rights of every State against interference the part of
another the present form of government established
by fathers transmitted to us; and by no other
means is possible for to exist If State to
respect the rights another and obtrsvely intermediates
with its local ineresis-if portion of the States
to impose their institution the Others refuse to full
fiji their obligations to them-we arc no longer united
friendly States, but distracted hostile ones with little
pacity left of common advantage but abundant means OF
reciprocal injury and mischief
Practically, it is immacria whether aggressive inter-
ference between the States deliberate refusal on the
part of of them 10 comply with constitutional obga-
whether it be pepetrled by direction Or indirection In
either case it is full ofhrea and danger to the durability
of the Cnion
CONSTITUTIONAL RELATIONS OF SLAVERY
Placed in the office Of Chief Magistrate the executive
agent of the whole country bound to take that the
laws be faithfully ted and especially enoned by the
Of the Union, it would be palpab!c neglect of duty
part to pass subject like this, which, beyond ali
things at the present time vitality concerns individual and
public security.
1t has been matter Of painful regret to States,
spcuous for their ser vices in founding this Republic and
equally sharing its advantages, disregard their constu-
tiona obligations to it. Although conscious Of their ina
by to heal admitted and papable social evils Of their
own and which are completely within their jurisdiction
they engage the offensive and hopeless undertaking Of
reforming the domestic institutions Of other States wholly
beyond their control and authority In the vain pursuit Of
ends by them entirely nnatainble, and which they may
not legally attempt to compass they peril the exist
Of the all the countless benefits which
has conferred While the people of the southern States
conne their attention their affairs presuming
oicinusy to ntermedde with the social institutions of the
permanently organized associations nct injury
on the former by wrongful acts which wonld be of
war as between foreign powers and only l to be such in
Union
is impossible to present this subject truth the
occasion require without noticing the reiterated but
groundess, allegation, that the South has persiseny
serted claims and obtained advantages in the practical ad
mnisration of the general government prejudice of
the States which either promote tolerate attacks the
rights Of persons and of property in other States to dis
thalrO InJnS
~ aver that they whose constitutional rights thus
temacaly assailed, themselves the aggressors At the
only in the vague decamatory charges political agita
tors resolves itself into misrepresentation or msntepeta
ton, Of the principles and facts of the political organization
of the Territories of the United States.
What is the voice of history? When the ordinance.
which provided for the Of the territory north
west of the river Ohio and for its eventual int"
States adopted in the Congress of the c0uedera
tion is not to be supposed that the question Of future
relative power between the States which retained and
those which did rca,n numerous colored population
escaped notice. failed be considered And yet the
that vast territory to the interests and opn
ions Of the northern States territory the of five
among the largest members OF the Union, was in great
the of the State Of Virginia and of the South
acquisition less the North than to the South
for while it important to the country at the mouth of
the river Mississippi to become the emporium of the
try above it, also more important the
whole Union to have that emporium and although the
mainly regarded the Gulf of Mexico, yet in fact it
extended the opposite boundaries of the United States
with far greater breadth above than below, and
rtoy III everything else equally at least an accession
to the northern States 1t is delusion and prejudice
therefore, to speak of Louisiana acquisition to the spe
cial interest of the South.
The patriotic and just men, who participated in that act
influenced by motives far above all sectional jealous
les truth the great event. which, by completing
for the Of the valley of the Mississippi with
commercial access to the Gulf Of Mexico, impaired unity
and strength the whole confederation and attached to-
geher by ndssoube ties in the East and the West as
well US the North and the South.
As Florida that but the transfer by Spain TO the
sss,pp in exchange for large territory which The United
States transferred 10 Spain the west side of that river
til. entire diplomatic history Of the serves
demonstrate Moreover, it acquisition dema nded
by the commercial interests and the security Of the whole
In the meantime, the people of the United States had
grown to proper of their strength and
in brief contest with France, and in second serious
with Great Britain they had shaken off all which remained
of undue for Europe aud emerged from the
mosphere of those transatlantic influences which surrOun
ded the infant Republic and had begun to turn their at
tention to the full and systematic development Of the inter-
nal resources of the Union.
Among the of that period the
most conspicuous WAS the question ut regulation by Con-
gess of the social condition of the future States to be Uun
ded in the territory of Louisiana
The ordinance for the of the territory north
west of the Ohio had contained provision, which
prohibited the of serve labor therein subject the
any other part Of the United States Subsequently to the
adoption OF the constitution this provision ceased remain
laws for its operation such absolutely superse
ded by the constitution But the recollection of the fact
excited the zeal of social in sections of
the confederation; and when second State, that of Mis-
souri, came to be formed in the territory Of Louisiana pro-
position made to extend to the latter territory the
strcton originally applied to the country situated between
the rivers Ohio and Mississippi.
Most questionable proposition in all its const
tutona relations nevertheless it received the sanction Of
Congress- with some slight Of line TO save the
existing rights Of the intended State. 1t -euc
family acquesced in by southern States sacrifice to the
peace and of the Union, not only of the rights
stipulated by the treaty of Louisiana but Of the principle
Of equality among the States guaranteed by the constitu
ton 1t received by the northern States with angry
and resentfu condemnation and complaint because it did
concede all which they had exceedingly demanded Hav
ing passed through the forms of legislation it took