The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1856-01-11

but abundant means of reciprocal injury and
Practically, it is immaterial whether ag-
gressive intrfrrcnce between the states, OF
deliberate refusal on the part OF any one oil
them TO comply with constitutional oblisa-
tons, arise from erroneous consieuoh OF
blind prejudice, whether II be perPetratea oy
direction or indirection. In either case, Is
full of threat and danger to the durability OF
the Union.
Placed in the Office of Chief Magistrate as
the executive agent of the whole country,
bound TO take care that the laws be ialthiul-
ly executed, and especially enjolned by The
Constitution to give information to Congress
on the STATE of toe Union, it would be palpa-
bic neglect Of duty on my part to pass over
a subject like this, which, beyond all 'hlngs
at the present time, virtually concerns Inc
individual and public security.
II has been matter Of painful regret 10 see
States conspicuous for their sevlces iniound-
ing this Republic and equally sharing It's ad-
vantages, disregard their constitutional obll-
cations to il. Although conscious OF Their
inability to heal admitted and palpable social
evils of their own, and which are completely
within their jurisdiction, they engage IN the
offensive and hopeless undertaking OF TO-
forming the domestic institutions OF other
States wholly beyond their control and
authority.
In the vain pursuit of ends,by them entirely
unnattainablc, and which they may not legally
attempt to compass, they peril the very ex.
istence of the Conulitntion, and all the count
less benefits which it has conferred. While
the people of the Southern States con!ine
their attention to their own affairs, not pre-
suming offciously to intermediate with the
social institutions of the Northern States, too
many of the inhabitants of the latter are
permanently Organized in associations to in
hct injury on the former, by wrongful acts,
which would be cause of war rs between
foreign powers, aud only fail to be such in our
system because perpetrated under cover ofthe
Union.
1t isimpossble to present this subject as
truth and the occasion requires, without no.
ticins the reiterated, but groundless allegation,
that the South has persistently asserted
claims and obtained advantages in the practi-
ca administration of the general government
to the prejudice Of the North, and in which
fine latter has acquiesced. That is, the States
which either promote or tolerate attacks on
the rights of persons and property in other
States, to disguise their own injustice, pretend
or imagine, and constantly aver, that they,
whose constitutional rights are thus system
atically assailed, are themselves aggressors.
At the present time, this imputed aggression,
resting, rs it does, only in the vague, dcclam-
atory charges of political agitators, resolves
itself into Misrepresentation or misinterpreta-
ton Of the principles and facts of the political
organization of the new Territories of the
United States. ,.- .
What is the voice of history! When the
ordinance which provided for the government
of the territory northwest of the river Ohio,
and for its eventual subdivision into new
States, was adopted in the Congress Of the
it is not TO be supposed, that
the question of future relative power, as be-
tween the States which retained and those
which did not retain u numerous colOred pop
ulation, escaped notice, or failed to be consid-
cred. And yet the concession Of that vast
territory to The interest and opinions of the
Northern States, territory now the seat Of
five among the largest members of the Union,
was, in great measure, the act of tho State
Virginia. ......
When Louisiana was acquired by the Uni
ted States, it was an acquisition not less to
the North than the South, for while it was
important to The country at the mouth Of the
Mississippi to become the emporium of the
country above it, 80 also it was even more
important to the whole Union to have that
emporium, and although the new province, by
reason of its imperfect settlement was re-
garded MS on the Gulf Of Mexico, yet in fact
It extended to the opposite boundaries of the
United States, with far greater breadth above
than below and was in territory, rs in every
thing else, equally mere deusion and preju-
dice, therefore, to speak of Louisiana rs an
acquisition in the special interest of the
South. ...... ..... ...
The patriotic and Just men who participa.
ted in that act, were influenced by motives
above all sectional jcalouses. 1t was in truth
the great event, which, by completing for us
the possession ofthe valley of the Mississippi,
with commercial access to the Gnlf nj MeXi.
60, impaired unity md strength 90 the whole
confederation, and attached together by in
dissolubTe tics East andWest, MS well US North
and South.
AS to FLORIDA. that was but the transfer BY
Spnin to the United States OF the territory on
the east side Of the Mississippi. in exchange
for the large territory which the United
States transferred to Spain on the west side
Of that river, as the entire diplomatic history
Of the transaction serves to demonstrate
Moreover, it was an acquisition demanded by
the commercial interests and the security OF
the whole Union.
In the meantime, the people of the United
States had grown up to proper consciousness
Of their strength, and in brief contest with
France, and in a second serious war with
Great Britain, they had shaken off all which
remained Of undue reverence for Europe. and
emerged from the atmosphere of those trans.
atlantic influences which surrounded the in.
FAINT Republic, and had begun to turn their
attention to the full and systematic develop.
ment of the internal resources of the Union.
Among the evanescent controversies of that
period, the most conspicuous was the question
Of regulation by Congress Of the social con.
dition of the future States to be founded in
the territory of Louisiana.
The ordinance for the government of the
territory northwest of the river Ohio, had
contained q provision which prohibited the
u,e of servile labor therein, subject to tho
condition of the extradition Of fugilives from
service due in any other part of the United
States. subsequently, to the adoption of tn,
Constitution, this provision ceased to remain
as law; for its operation as such was abso
lutely superseded by the Constitution. But
the recollection of the fact excited the zeal o
social propagandism in some sections of th,
confederation, and when social State thai
Of Missouri, came to be formed in the terrific
ry of Louisiana, a proposition was made {,
extend to the latter territory the restriction
originally applied to the country situated be
tween the rivers Ohio and Mississippi
| M.,at nnnni -. ..... H. L.