The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-09-09

on the present condition of political affairs and
to state precisely the issue before The people in
the existing controversy. As we differ in toto
from many of the views and principles enunciat-
ed by the Tribune in the article to which we refer
as we think that many Of them are entirely erro-
neous, and might, if assumedso be correct have
! dangerous tendency-we proceed to state sue
| cinctly our views of the whcle question now be-
| fore the American public.
| We believe, in the first place, that the Tribune
| is wrong in charging the repeal of the Missouri
compromise as the origin Of the disturbances in
| Kansas, and of the evils which now menace the
whole country growing thereout. We have fire.
quently taken occasion to say that there was no
hing wrong or Objectionable in the Kansas-Ne-
braska bill per Sc.
The evil has grown not.out OF the bill ITSELF
but out of the violation Of its provisions Under
the constitution Congress has full authority over
he Territories, and consequently can either Of
i itself determine the laws and institutions under
which Territory may exist, or can delegate that
| power to the inhabitants and citizens thereof
In either case-whether thepower is directly exer-
cised by Congress or is delegatedto and exercised
by the honest bona tide setters-the spirit and in
tent OF the constitution are clearly observed and
| carried out If Congress think. proper to declare
] under what rules and regulations Territory is
to be governed until such time as it is prepared
/ to throw off its Territorial character and assume
that of State, it is cons.itutonally justified in
| doing 50, and there can be no valid objection
thereto because the people Of all the States from
| cd in Congress. Neither, on the other hand,
can there be any valid objection to Congress de-
legating its power in the premises to the actual
inhabitants Of the Territory, if it think proper,
as a matter Of policy, and 10 avoid irritating des
cussions ard sectional agitations in that body,
| 10 do
There was, therefore, no violation Of good
faith or Of sound policy in the passage OF the
| Kansas Nebraska bill and the abrogaton Of the
Missouri compromise line. That law was strictly
in accordance with the constitution, and lit had
| been faithfully executed, would probably have
proved itself to be matter Of sound and discreet
| policy. As far as its passage is concerned we
| entertain views differing widely from those put
! forward by our cotemporary-the Tribme-and
L
And, as a necessary consequence Of the view
which we take Of it, we entirely disapprove OF
the system of etcrnally assailing the Southern
States and people for the existence within their
limits Of the institution OF slavery.
As separate and independent soyereignties the
people Of the Northern States have no mere right
TO assai the Southern portion Of this republic and
to libel It's people for the institution Of slavery
and for the evils resulting from that system Of
labor, than the latter have to insult the Northern
States and tasls. them with the number OF Peyer
y stricken indigilaals who crowd our poorhouses.
and of the miserable felons and criminals who fill
our prisons and penitentiaries. All social sys
tens that ever existed among men have their pc
culiar advantages and dsadyantages-their own
good ard evil results-and il is sheer folly for the
advocates OF one system to be eternally harping
on the evils of the other, when their own is sub
ject to as unfavorabe criticism. There must
always be large allowance made for differences
in race and culture, in climate and soil. great
portion OF the land in the Southern States could
not he cultivated nor could the resources
of the South be at sll developed, un-
der any other system OF labor than
that which they now pursue. That fact
alone, verified as It is by the history Of enamel;
patcd Jamaica, should forever silence political |
aeontonists; and those who are abolitionists |
through mistaken views Of philanthropy, should |
rccollcct that the negroes Of the South have a.
tainod to higher degree Of civilization and |
Christianity than they have reached in any other
region of the globe, or than they ever could |
hope to reach If left TO themselves. They have |
under the system of labor in the South, made |
more progress in point Of physical comfort, and |
have approached nearer our ideas Of morality |
and advancement. than they ever have done in |
the thirty centuries within which we have n |
record OF that race. In their native Africa or |
elsewhere |
Nor is it--as some OF our cotcmporares |
the TiiJunc among them, contend-the system |
Of slave labor which causes the backward |
tendency Of Virginia and other Southern States |
in the race Of material growth and advancement |
That condition springs from other causes II is |
owing to the Incidence and earclcssness of the |
proprietors OF the soil and TO their want OF thai
agricultural science and energy which prevail 50 |
~ TIT ANtihs lbf Va Il
independence at the South are generally poli |
ticians. Those who at the North have property |
and wealth, are men who acquired il by their !
own industry; they arc usually men Of business |
and eschew The dirty walks Of politics But even
this brings its corresponding evil-for the race |
Of Northern politicians is principally composed OF |
briefcss lawyers. adventures, and schemers Of all
kinds; and it is singular fact in our political |
history, that the pursuit of the mere practical |
politics of the day-the spoils system a. Marcy |
calls it-debases, degrades and demoralizes those
who. either at the North or South. follow the
trade as an exclusive profession We repeat that
II is the absence OF good agricultural system
and want OF energy. and not the institution Of