Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-01-03

Weight4n the common councils, they AHe" ~
was impossible unless they conceded 70 the
smaller ones authority to exercise at least a
negative influence on. all the measures OF the
Government, whether legislative or execu-
tive. through their equal representation IN the
Senate.
Indeed. the largest States themselves could
mot have failed to perceive that the same pow
or was equally necessarv to them for the Sc
eurity of their own domestic interests against
the aggregate force Of the general govern
ment.
In word, the original States went into
this permanent league on the agreed premises
of exerting their common strength for the de-
fence of the wLoie, and of all its parts, but OF
utterly excluding the capabiLty of reciprocal
aggression.
Zach solemnly bound itself to oil the Others
neither to undertake nor permit any encroach-
ment upon or intermeddling with, anothers
reserved rights.
Where it was deemed expedient, particular
rights Of the States were expressly guaranteed
BY the Constitution, but in all things besides
these rights were guaranteed by the limitation
of the powers granted, and by express resery-
alton of all lowers not granted in the compact
of Union.
Thus the great power of exaction was Inn
tied to purposes of common defence ana gem
eral welfare. excluding objects appertnning
to the local legislation of the several states,
and those purposes Of general welfare and
common defence were alter wards dehned by
specified enumeration as being matters only of
correlation between the States the nselyes, or
botwesn them and foreign governments, which,
because Of their common and general nature,
could not be left to the separate control OF
each State.
OF the circumstances of local condition, in
terest, and rights, in which portion OF the
States constituting one great section Of the
Union differed from the rest, and from another
section, the most important was the peculiar
lty Of larger relative colored population in
the Southern than in the Northern States.
A population Of this class held in subsection
existed in nearly all the States, but was more
numerous and of more serious Government
in the South. than in the North, on account of
natural differences Of climate and production,
and it was forseen that for the same reasons,
while this population would diminish, and
sooner or later cease to exist in some States,
it might increase in others
The peculiar chalaa ter and magnitude ofthis
question of local rights, not in material re.a-
tons only, but still more in social ones, caus.
ed it to enter into the special stpulati3us Of
the Constit ton; heace, as by those not
n mela ed, aid therefore refused to it, while
ths general government, as well by the emu
m grated powers granted 10 il, was forbidden
to touch this matter IN the sense of attack or
oflaise, it was placed under the general safe
guard of the Union, in the sense Of defense
against either invasion or domestic violence.
Like all other local interests of the several
States, each State ex pressly stipulated as well
ffeolf nh nd oil &c osf; Il
every citizen Of each Stale becoin solemnly
bound by his allegiance to the Constitution,
that any person held to service or labor in one
State escaping into another, should not, in
consequence Of any law or regulation thereof,
be discharged from such service or labor, bu!
should be delivered up on claim uflhe party to
whom such service or labor might be due, by
the laws Of lis State.
Thus, and thus only, by the reciprocal qua
ranty OF all the rights of every State against
interference on the part of another, was our
present form of government established by
our fathers, and transmitted to US, and by no
ether means is it possible for it to exist.
Ii one State ceases to respect the rights Of
another, and obtrusively intermediates with
its local interests-if portion of the States as
sumo to impose their institutions on the Others.
or refuse to fulfill their obligations to them
we are no longer united friendly States, but
distracted, hostile ones with little capacity left
of common advantage, but abundant means Of
reciprocal injury and mischief
Practically, it is lmmater al, whether ag-
gyessiye interference between the States, OF
q deliberate refusal on the part of any one Of
them to comply with Constitutional obliga-
tons, arise FROM erroneous conviction or blind
prejudice whether it be perpretrated directly
or indirecily. In either case, it is full Of
threat, aud is dangerous to the durability Of
Il e-Union.
CONSTITUTIONAL RELATIONS OF SLAVERY
Placed in the Office Of Chief Magistrate, as
the executive agent of the whole country, to
take care that the laws be faithfully executed,
aud specially enjolned By the Constitution to
give information to Congress on the state Of
the Union, it would be palpable neglect Of
duty in me to pass over a subject like this,
which beyond all things at the present time,
vitality concerns individual aud public secu-
riiy.
1t has been matter of painful regret to see
States, conspicuous for their services in found
ing this Republic, and equally sharing its adj
vautages, disregard their Constitutional ob-
gations TO it. although conscious of their ina
bility to heal admitted and palpabe social
evils of their own, and which are completely
Wltnih tneir Jurieuictlon,
They engage in the offensive and hopeless
undertaking Of reforming the domestic inst-
tutions of other States, wholly beyond their
control and authority, in the vain pursuit of
ends entirely unattainable, and which they
may not legally attempt TO compass. They
peril the very existence Of the Constitution,
and all the countless benefits which it has
conferred, while the people of the Southern
SfafQa thar - q
fairs.
Not presuming officiously to intermeddle
with the social institutions of the Northern
States, too many OF the inhabitants OF the
latter are permanently organized in assoeia-
tons to intiict injury on the former by wong
full acts, which would be cause of war be-
tween foreign powers, and only fail to be such
IN our system because perpetrsled under cover
OF the uAlon. Il is impossible 10 present this
subject as truth and the occasion require
without noticing the irritated but groundless
allegation that the South has persisiently as.
serted claims and obtained advantages in the
practical administration of the general gov.
eminent, 70 the prejudice of the North, and
IN which the latter has acquiesced. That is,
the States which either promote or tolerate at
tacks on the rights of persons and Of propeitv
in other States. pretend, or imagine, aud con-
stantly aver, TINT they whose constitutional
rights are thus systematically assailed, are
themselves the aggressors. At the present
time, this imputed aggression, resting as it
does only IN the vague declamatory charges Of
political agitators, resolves into misapprehen-
sion or misinterpretation Of the principles aud
facts Of the political organization OF the new
territories Of the United States.
What Is the voice of history When the or.
dinance which provided for the government