The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1856-01-16

! 1t was The natural and legitimate, II mol The ine-
vIisble, consequence Of previous events and leg
isatnn, that the same great and sound principle,
which had already been applied 10 Utah anu
New Mexico, should be applied 10 lem;--that
they should stand exempt from The restrictions
proposed il The acl relative 10 The Stale Of Mis-
souri,.
These restrictions were, in the estimation oil
many thoughtful men, null from The beginning,
unaulhoiizeJ BY the constitution. contrary 10
the treaty slipulalions Cor The accession Of Lousl,
ana, and inconsistent with the equality oil the
States.
They had been stripped of all moral au!ho-
riiy, by persistent efforts to procure their indl-
rect lep, al through contradictory enacunenis.
They had been practically abrogaied by The leg
isIaliOn attending The organization of Utah, New
Mexico, and Washington. II any Vitality re-
named in them, II would have been taken away
IN effect. BY HE new territorial nets. in The form
originally proposed To the Senate al the frs,
session OF The last Congress. II was manly and
mgenunus, as well as patriotic and just, 10 DO
This directly and plainly, and Inns relieve the
statute book Of an act which might be Of possi-
BILE future injury, but oi no possible future be,
UtiN dtlu lIt urNsutC WI I'VE iCptdt was nN
final contamination and complete recognition
Of The principle, thal no portion Of the u. States
shall undertake, through assumption Of The pow
ers of The general government, 10 dictate the so>
cial institutions ol any other portion.
The scope and effect Of the language Of re-
peal we're not lel,in doubt. Il was declared, in
terms. 10 re :" the true intent and meaning Of
this act not 10 legisla,e slavery in,o any Tern,
tory or State, nor TO exclude il lhen from, hnl
10 leave the people thereof perfectly free 20 form
and regulate their domestic Institutions in their
own way. subject only 10 The constitution Of The
United States"
The measure could moi be wihstood upon il
merits alone. |, was attacked wuh violence on
The false or delusive prelexi lha. il constituted
4 breach Of lai.ii. Never was objection more
uuerly destitute of substantial justification.
When before was il imagined by sensible men
thai regulaiive or decaraliye sialnle, whether
enacted len or foriy years ago. IL irrepealabe--
that an act Of Congress IS abuve the c0nslltu- |
lion, IT, indeed. there were in The facts any ranse
to impue bad faith, il would attach TO those on
" who have never ceased from tile time Of The
enactment ol the restrictive provision 10 u pre-
sent day, 10 denounce and TO condemn IL; who
have constantly refused 10 complete il by need
ful supplementary Legislation; who have spared
no cxerlion 10 deprive il nf moral fo:ce aho
have themselves again and again attempted lis
repeal BY the enacnr n, ol Incompatible provi.
sions and vino, by tie inevitable reaciionary
effect Of iheir own violence on the subject. a.
constitutional principle 81 Leaving the maiier IN
Il r. a. a..
speclive existing or Incipeni States.
II is not pretended that this principle, or
any other, prce!udes the possibility Of evils
in practice, disturbed as political action is
liable to be by human passions. No from Of
government is exempt IRON Inconvenience;
but IN this case they are the result of the a.
buse, and not of the legitimate exercise Of the
powers reserved or conferred in the organiza-
ton of Territory. They are not to be
charged to the great principle of popular
sovereignty; on the contrary, they disappear
before tie intelligence and patriotism Of The
people. exerting through the ballot-box their
peaceful and silent but irresistible power.
IL the friends Oi the constitution are 10 have
another struggle, it, enemies could not pre-.
sent more acceptable issue Than that Of
State, whose constitution clearly embraces
"a republican form Of government" beins
excluded irom the Union because It's domestic
institutions may not 10 all respects compUrt
with the ideas Of what is wise and expedIent
entertained IN sumo other State. Fresh from
grOundless impulaiiuns OF breach Of faith
against others, men will commence the agi-
tstion Of this new question with indubtable
violation Of an express compact between the
independent sovereign powers Of the United
States and of the republic Of Texas, as well
a. of The older and equally solemn compacts
which assure the equality Of all the States.
But, deplorable as would be such viola
ton Of compact in itself, and in Ill its direct
consequences, that IS the very least of the
evils involved. When sectional agitators
shall have succeeded 10 forcing on this issue,
can their pretensions lail TO be met By counter
pretcnsipns! Will not different States be
compelled respectively 10 meet extremes
its punt, what Is that 80 far forth but disso.
Luton Of the union; IL new State, formed
from the territory Of the Uni'ed States; be
absolutely excluded from admission therein,
that fact Of itsalf constitutes the disruption Of
union between il aud the other States. But
the process Of dissolution could not stop
;hcIe. Would not sectional decision pro-
ducing such result BY majority Of votes.
either northern or southern, Of necessity drive
nut the oppressed and aggrie, ed minority, and
place in presence Of each other two irrecon.
cilabIe hostile considerations:
Il is necessary TO speak thus plainly Of
projects, tie offspring Of that sectional agita.
ton now prevailing, 10 some Of the States,
which are as impracticable rs they are IN
constitutional, and which, II per.eyered IN,
must and will end clamitously. II is either
disunion and civil war, or it is mere angry,
idle, aimlcss disturbance of public peace and
.trznuuility