Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1856-01-11

Congress to deprive the Southern State
!. Of the supposed benefit of the provisions o
the act authorizing the organization of tn,
! State of Missouri
4 But the good sense of the people and vi
tai force of the constitution triumphed owe
sectional prejudice and the political error
of the day, and the State of Texas returned
to the Union as she was, with social institu
tions which her people had chosen for them
selves, and with express agreement, by the
re-annexing act that she should be suseepti
bic of subdivision into plurality of States
/ Whatever advantages the interests of the
Southern 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 by
the South.
To every thoughtful friend of the Union
to the true lovers of their country-to all
who longed and labored for the full success
of this great experiment in republican insti-
tutions-it was cause of graduation that
such an opportunity had occurred to illus
trate our advancing power on this continent,
and to furnish to the world additional as
surance of the strength and stability of the
constitution. Who would wish to see Flor
ida still an European colony? Who would
rejoice to hail Texas as lone star, instead
of one in the galaxy of States? Who does
not appreciate the incalcuable benefits of
the acquisition of Louisianal And vet mar
row views and sectional purposes would in
evitably have excluded them all from the
Union.
But another struggle on the same point
ensued, when our victorious armies returned
from Mexico, and ii devolved on Congress to
provide for the territories acquired by the
treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. The great
relations of the subject had now become dis
tinct and clear to the perception of the pub
lie mind, which appreciated the evils of sec
tional controversy upon the question of the
admission of new States. In that crisis in
tense solicitude pervaded the nation. But
the patriotic impulses of the popular heart,
guided by the admonitory advice of the
Father of his Country, rose superior to all
difficulties of the incorporation Of a new
empire into the Union. In the counsels
Of Congress there was manifested extreme
antagonism of opinion and action between
some representatives, who sought by the
abusive and unconstitutional employment
of the Legislative powers of the government
TO interfere in the condition of the inchoate
States, and to impose their own social the
ories upon the latter: and other representa-
lives, who repelled the interposition of the
general government in this respect, and
maintained the selfconstituting rights of
the States. In truth, the thing attempt
ed was, in form alone, action of the general
government, while in reality it was the en-
deavor, by abuse of legislative power, to
force the ideas of internal policy, entertain
ed in particular States, upon allied indie
pendent States. Once more the Constitu-
ton and the Union tnumphed signally.-
The new Territories were organized without
restrictions on the disputed point, and were
thus left to Judge in that particular for them
selves; and the sense of constitutional faith
proved vigorous enough in Congress not on
ly to accomplish this primary object, but al
so the incidental and hardly less important
one of so amending the provisions of the
statute for the extradition of fugitives from
service, as to place that public duty under
the safeguard of the general government,
and thus relieve it from obstacles raised up
by the legislation of some of the States.
Vain defamation regarding the provision
of the law for the extradition of fupitives
from service, with occasional episodes Of fran
tic effort to obstruct their execution by riot
and murder, continued, for brief time, to
agitate certain localities. But the true pr:n-
ciple of leaving each State and Territory to
regulate its own laws of labor according to
its own sense of right and expediency, had
acquired fast hold of the public Judgment,
to such degree, that, by common consent,
it was observed in the organization of the
Territory of Washington.
THE NEBRASKA BILL.
When, more recently, it became requisite
to organize the Territories of Nebraska and
Kansas, it was the natural and legitimate, if
not the inevitable, consequence of previous
events and legislation that the same great
and sound principle, which had already been
applied to Utah and New Mexico, should be
applied to them; that they should stand ex-
empt from the restrictions proposed in the
act relative to the State of Missouri.
The restrictions were, in the estimation of
many thoughtful men, null from the begin
ming, unauthorized by the constitution, con-
trary to the treaty stipulations for the cossion
Of Louisiana, and inconsistent with the
of the States.
They had been stripped of all moral au-
thority, by persistent efforts to procure their
indirect repeal through contradictory enact
mcnts. They have been practically abro-
gated by the legislation attending the or
ganization of Utah, New Mexico and Wash
ington. If any vitality remained in them,
it would have been taken away, in effect, by
the new territorial acts, in the form origin
ally proposed to the Senate at the first ses-
sion of the last Congress. Itwas manly and
ingenious, as well as patriotic andjust, to do
this directly and plainly, and thus relieve
the statute book of an act, which might be
ofpossible future injury, but of no possible
suture benefit; and the measure of its re-
peal was the final consumation and complete
of the principle, that no portion