Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-01-09

Outons nv OhiN " VIZ thShtSs cbrNhuACh
by the treaty of Louisiana, but of the
principle of quality among the States
guaranteed by the constitution. 1t was
received by the Northern States with an.
gra aud reseniful condemnat on and COM
plant. because it Gid not cuncede all
which they had ex iclingly demanded
Having passed through the forms of leg
%islaiion, it toek It's place in the statute
book, standing open to repeal. ike any
other act of doubtful constituiionality.
subject to be pronounced null and void
by the courts Of law. and possessing no
possible efficacy to control the rights OF
the States. which might thereafter be or
ganized out of any pant Of the original
territory Of Louisiana.
In all this. if any aggression there
were. any innovation upon processing
rights. to which portion of the Union are
they justly chargeable?
This controversy passed away with the
occasion, nothing surviving 1t save the
dormant letter of the statue.
But, long afterwards, when by the pro-
posed accession of the republic Of Texas,
the United States were 10 take their mex
step in territorial greatness. asimilar con
~tingency occurred. and became the occa-
sion for systema;ized allemp 5 to inter
vene in the domestic affairs Of one srciion
O the Union. in defiance of their rights
as States, and OF the siipHlations OF the
constitution. These attempts assumed a
practical direction. in the shape of perSe-
vering endeavors, by some of the repre-
reseutatives in both houses of Congress.
TO deprive the Southern States of the
supposed benefit of the provisions OF the
act authorizing the organization Of the
Stale of Missouri.
But the good sense Of line people. and
the vital force OF the constitution. ui
umphed over sectional prejudice End the
p%oliiicai 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. by the fe-an-
nexiny act. that she should be suscepti.
Bile Of subdivision into apluralily of
States.
Whatever advantage the interests of
the Suurhern States, as such. gained by
this were far Inferior in results as they
unfolded in the progress Of time, to those
which sprang from previous concessions
made TO the South.
To every thoughtful friend of the I'm
ion-to the true lovers of their country
to all who longed and labored for IT, e
full success of this great experiment of re-
publican inSIituiinns-it was cause of
graduation hat such an opportunity had
occ urrtd 10 illustrate our advancing pow
er on this conliuent. and 10 furnish 10 the
world additional assurance of the strength
and stability of the constitution. Who
would wish to see Florida still a Europe
an colony? Who would rejoice 10 see
Texas as a lone star. instead OF one in The
galaxy Of States? Who does not appre-
ciate the incalculable benefits Of the ac-
QUESTION OF Louisiana? And yet narrow
views and sectional purposes would inev-
itabIy have excluded them all from the
Union.
But another struggle ON The same point
cnsued, WHEN our victorious armies re-
turned from Mexico, and it devolved on
Congress TO provide for the territories &C
9uired by the treaty of Guadalup Hidal-
go. The great relations of the suhjrct
Lad now become distinct and clear TO the
perception of The pu bile mind. which ap-
preciated the evils OF sectional controver-
sy upon the question of the admission of
new States. In that crisis intense solici-
Jude peIvsded the nation. But The pat
riotic inn ul>es Of tie popular heart. gui-
dvd by The admonitory advice Of the Fa-
iher Of his Country, rose superior TO all
the difficulties of The incorporation of a
new empire into the Union. In tie coun-
sells of Congress there was manifested ex
trtme antagoni>m Of opinion and acIion
between some representatives, who SOU ht
by the abusive and unconstitutional en-
ployment Of the Legislative powers of the
government 10 Interfere in The condition
of The inchoate States. and to impose
IL cir own social theories upon the %l,tter;
and other representatives. who repealed
the ,interposIlion of the general govern
mtni in his respect. and mainta ned tn
self ccrs isuling rights VI tie Saes.
10 uuih, u thing atenp el was, Ia
form alune. aclion to lie general govern
ment. while in reality il was an endravor.
By abuse OF Legislative authority. 10 force
the ideas OF internal policy. entertained
in particular States. upon allied indrpeu-
dent States. Once more the %cunsliu ion
and the Union %rriumphed siguaily. rne
new Territories were organized without
restrictions on The disputed point, and
were thus left to Judge foI themselves;
and the sense of constitutional faith pro-
we'd vigorous enough in Congress not on
iy to accomplish this primary object. but
also the Incidental and hardly less i'm
portant n of so amending the provi>-
ions OF the statute for the exIradiiion of
(usitiYes from service. as 10 place that
public duty under The safeguard of the
general government, and thus relieve it
from obstacles raised up by the legisla-
ton of some Of the States.
Vain defamation regarding the pro-
visions of law for the ~exIradirion Of fugi-
lives from service. with occasional cpl.
sodes of frantic effort 10 obstruct their ex-
ecution by riot and murder. continued.
for a brief lime to agitate certain local.
ties. But the true principle, Of leaving
each State and Territory TO regulate its
own laws of labor according to its own
sense of right and ~expediency, had ac-
quired fast hold of the public judgment
to such a degree that. by common con-
sent. it was observed in the org InizIiion
of the Territory of Washington.
When. more recently. it became requi-
site to organize the Territories of Nebras-
ka and Kansas, it was the natural and le-
ultimate, if not the inevitable, conse-
quence Of previous events and Legislation,
that the same great and sound principle.
which had already been applied to Utah
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