Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1856-12-06

Tie
rularly so.sin view Of The f1ct that the argumenk
came from those who openly refused obedience TO
existing lawso the land, having the same popular
designation and quality as, compromise acts-nay,
more, who uneqpivocaily disregarded and condemn.
ed the most positive and obligatory injuhctons Of
the Constitution ITSELF and sought, by every means
within their reach, to deprive portion OF their fell
wcitizens Of the equal enjoyment of those rights
and privileges guaranteed ake,to all by the funda-
mental compact Of our Union. =. 9. : ~ g
This argument against the repeal of the statute
line in question, was accompanied by another of
congenial character, and equally with the former
destitute of foundation in reason and truth. It was
imputed that the measure originated in the concep
ton Of extending the limits of slave labor beyond
those previously assigned to it, and that such was
its natural well intended effect and these base
less assumptions were made in the northern States
the ground of unccasing assault upon constitutional
right.
The repeal in terms of a statute, which was alrea-
DIV obsolete, and also null for unconstitutionalty
could have no influence to obstruct or to promote
the propagation of conflicting views of political or
social institution When the act organizing the
Territories of Kansas and Nebraska passed, the
inherent effect upon that portion of the public do
main thus opened to legal settlement, was to admit
settlers from all the States of the Union alike, each
with his convictions public policy and private in
tercs there to found in their discretion, subject to
such limitations the Constitution and acts of Con-
admitted into the Union. 1t free field, open
alike to ALL whether the statute line of assumed re-
striction were repealed not That repeal did not
open to free competition of the diverse opinions and
domestic institutions field which, without such
peal would have been closed against them: it found
that field of competition already opened, in fact and
in law. All the repeal did to relieve the stat
ute-book of an Objectionable enactment, unconsttu-
tional in effect and injurious in terms TO large por-
ton of the States.
Is it the fact that in all the unsettled regions of
the United States if emigration be left free to act in
this respect for ITSELF without legal prohibitions on
either side, saveabor will spontaneously 90 every.
where in preference to free labor? Is it the fact,
that the peculiar domestic institutions of the south
ern States possess relatively much Of vigor that
wheresoever an avenue is freely open to all the
world they will penetrate to the exclusion of those
of the northern States? Is the fact that the form
or enjoy, compared with the latter such rresstibly
superior vitality, Independent Of climate. soil, and
all other accidental circumstances us to be able to
produce the supposed result in spite of the assumed
moral and natural obstacles to its accomplishment,
and of the more numerous population OF the north
ern States?
The argument of those, who advocate the enact
ment of new laws of restriction, ard condemn the
repeal of old ones, in effect AYERS that their par-
cular views of government have no selfcxtcndinS
or selfsuStain;ng power of their own, and will go
nowhere unless forced by act of Congress. And II
of coercion; if it venture to try the expert
ment Of leaving men to judge for themselves what
institutions will best suit them lift be not strained
up to perpetual legislative cxerton on this point
if Congress proceed thus to act in the very spirit OF
liberty, it is at once charged with aiming to extend
slave labor into all the Territories of the United
States.
Of course, these imputations on the Intentions oil
Congress in this respect conceived they were in
prejudice, and disseminated in passion are utterly
destitute Of any justification in the nature Of things
and contrary to all the fundamental doctrines and
principles of civil liberty and selfgovernment.
While therefore, in general, the people of the
northern States have never at any time, arrogated
for the federal government the power to interfere
directly with the domestic condition of persons in
the southern States, but the contrary have disa
vowed all such intentions, and have shrunk from
conspicuous utilization with those few who pursue
their fanatical objects avowedly through the con-
templated means Of revolutionary change of the gov.
eminent, and with acceptance of the necessary con-
Sequences civil and servile war-yet many cit.
have suffered themselves to be drawn into one
evanescent political issue Of agitation after another
appcrtainng to the same set of opinions and which
subsidized as rapidly as they arose, when it came to
be SEEM it uniformly did, that they were incom'
patible with the com2acts of the Constitution and
the existence Of the Union. Thus, when the acts
of some of the States to nulfy the existing extra
dton law imposed upon Congress the duty Of pass
to enter into party organization for its repeal but
that agitation speedily ceased by reason of the i'm
practicability Of its object So, when the statute
restriction upon the institutions Of new States by
geographical line, had been repealed, the country
was urged to demand its restoration, and that pro-
ject also died almost with its birth. Then followed
the cry of alarm from the North against imputed
southern encroachment; which cry sprang in reali
ty from the spirit Of revolutionary attack on the do
nestle institutions Of the South and, after troubled
existence of few months, has been rebuked by the
voice of patriotic people.
Of this last agitation, one ]amentablc feature was
that 1t was carried on at the im ediatc expense o.
the peace and happiness Of the people Of the Terri
tory of Kansas. That made the battlefield, moi
so much of opposing factions interests within
itself, of the conflicting passions of the whole
people of the United States. Revolutionary disord
er in Kansas had its origin in projects of nterven
ton, deliberately arranged by certain members o
that Congress- which enacted the law for the organi
zation Of the Territory. And when propagandis
colonization of Kansas had thus been undertaken ir
one section of the Union, for the systematic promo
ton of its peculiar views of policy, there ensued
matter of course, counter-action with opposite
views, in other sections of the Union.
In consequence of these and other incidents, many
acts of disorder is undeniable have been perpetra
ted in Kansas to the occasional interruption, rather
than the permanent suspension, of regular govern
ment. Aggressive and most reprehcnsible incur
sions into the Territory were undertaken, both il
the North and the South and entered it on its north
crn border by the way of Iowa, as well as on tn,
eastern by way of Missouri; and there has existed
within it state of instruction against the constitu
ted authorities not without countenance from ncon
siderate persons in each of the great sections of thu
Union But the difficulties in that Territory hav
been extravagantly exaggerated for purposes of po
tical agitation elsewhere. The number and grayit,
of the acts of violence have been magnifed partl!
by statements entirely untrue and partly by reiter
ated accounts of the same rumors or facts. Thu
the Territory has been seeminox filed with extrem