Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1856-01-05

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denim il who have constantly refused IN oo,.
pleie il by needful supplementary lepisl,doa
who have spared no exertion TO depriye !, -
moral force who have ihemselye. a,,io ~,
again attempted It's repeal by the en,e,rnoc, -
Incompatible provisions and who. BY tho ;,,.
vnable reaciionary effect Of their own violence
on the subject, awakened the country 4, No..
cepton Of the true constitutional princ,,to =
leaving the matter involved to the dise,e,:., ~
the people Of the respective existing or ioe;r,
ent states.
1t is not pretended iha, this principle. or ,ov
other. prccludes the possibility Of evils In n,,.
iice, disturbed as political action is liable ~ 4.
by human passions. No form Of qo,o,B,o..,
is exempt from Inconvenience; be-, in ,h..,.a
they are the result Of the abuse. and No, ocL,
legitimate exercise, Of the powers tsa,,.J -
conferred in the organization Of lerri,o,v
They are not 10 be charged to the qrea, p,,n.;.
pic Of popular sovereignty on The cooir,,,
they disappear before the intelligence and M,
trioiism Of the people, exeriiur through M.
ballot.box their peaceful and silent but rre,i.-
iible power.
If the friends Of the constitution are TO have
another struggle, its enemies could hot p,e,s,,
more acceptable issue, than iha, of stare
whose constitution clearly embraces republi.
can "form Of government" being excluded
from the Union because its domestic institution,
may not in all respects comport with the ideas
Of what is wise and eSpedieoi entertained in
some other state. Fresh from gfogndless i'm
puiaiiuns Of breach Of faith against others, men
will commence the agitation of this new cues.
ton with indubiahe violation Of an express
compact between The independent sovereign
powers Of tic United States and Of the repub-
lie Of Texas, as well as Of the older aud equal
ly solemn conpacls, which assure The equality
Of all the states.
But, deplorable as would be such a violation
Of compact in itself, and in all its Jiiec, conse.
quenoes, tina, is the very least Of the evils in
volyed. When sectional agiaiors shall have
succeeded 10 forcing on this issue can their
pretensions fail TO be met by counter preieu-
sions Will not different states be compelled
respectively TO meet extremes with extremes
And if either extreme carry lis point, what is
that SO far forth but dissolution of the Union.
II a new state, formed from the territory Of the
uniled States, be absolutely excluded from ad-
mission therein, that fact Of itself constitutes
the disruption Of union between ii and the 9th
CT states. But the process Of dissolution could
not sop there. Would not sectional decs-
ion, producing such result by majority Of
votes, either northern or southern, Of necessity
drive out the oppressed and aggrIeyed mnori-
ty, and place in presence Of each other two IT.
reconeiably hostile considerations
II is necessary to speak thus plainly Of pro-
jecis, the offspring of that sectional sg',aica
now prevailing in some Of the states, which are
as impraciicable as they are unconstitutional
and which, il perseSered IN, must and will end
calamiiOnsly. Ii IS either disnnion and civil
war, or ii is mere angry, idle, aimless disturb
ance of public peace and tranquility. Disun'
ion for what II the passionate rage of ianali'
cism and parlizan spirit did not force the fac
upon our attention, it would be difficult 10 be
Z lieve that any considerable portion Of the leo
I pie Of this enlightened country could have 81
surrendered themselves TO fanalical devotion
10 ihd supposed interests Of the relatively few
/ Africans in the United States, as totally Il
abandon and disregard the interests of the TWEEN
yys millions 2G A@e q siai aid ida@ gJRsr
lional obligaiion-an and to engage in plans o
yindietive hostility against those who are asso
ciaied with them in the enjoyment of the com
mon heritage Of our national institutions.
Nor is ii hostility against their fellow citi
zens of one section Of the Union alone. Tn
interests, the honor, the duty, the peace an
the prosperity of the people of all sections ar
equally involved and imperilled in this question
And are patriotic men in any part of the unio
prepared, on such an issue, thus madly to insil
all the consequences of the forfeiture Of ihei
constitutional engagements II is impossible
The storm OF phreuzy and faction must ineviia
bly, dash itself in vain against the unshake
rock Of the constitution. shall never doul
it, know that the onion is stronger tho,
sand times than all the wild and chimeric;
schemes Of social change, which are generated
one after another, in the unstable minds Of vi:
ionary sophisis, and interested agiiaiors re
ly confidently on the patriotism of the people
on the dignity and sell-respect of the states, o
the wisdom Of Congress, and above all, on III
continued gracious favor Of Almighty God, t
maintain, against all enemies, whether at HON
OF abroad, the sanctiiy Of the constitution an
the integrity of the Union.
FRANKLIN PIERCE.
WASHINGTON, December 81. 1855.
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u-P Mr. John DARLING of Montpelier shot