Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-01-11
RsP SUMMARY TAE lATGsF PORgen ANo OomGsc

States. Subsequently to the adoption
Of the constitution. this provision
cehsed to remain as a law: for It's ope
ration as such was absolutely superce
ded by the constitution. But the re
| collection Of the fact excited the yea
Of social propagsndism in some sec
tons Of the confederation; and. wher
a social State. that Of Missouri
came to be formed in the territory o
louisiana. proposition was made te
| extend TO the latter territory the re-
striction originally applied to the
country situated between the river.
Ohio and Mississippi.
Most questionable was this PROPOSE
tion in, alIits constitutional relations,
nevertheless it received the sanction
Of Congress, with some slight modif.
cations of line. to save the existing
rights of the intended new State. Il
was reluctantly acquiesced in by
Southern States as a sacrifice to the
cause Of peace and of the Union, not
onlv ~ tbs y;abts s,;,,lat.d no the
treaty Of Lousisna bsr ~ the nr;nc;..
pie Of equality among the States guar
received bv the Nortbern States with
angry and resentful condemnation and
complaint, because II did not conccde
all which they had exactly demanded.
Having nsssed throuob the forms of
legislation Il took e. Mace IN The
statute book standing omen 10 repeal
| like anv osher act ofdoubtful consiitu-
tionaIityy. subject to be pronounced
null and void by the courts Of law
and uossess;no el,,eaev 10 con,roI tbe
rights of the States. which mioh,
thereafter be organized out of the orig
|inal territory Of Louisiana.
In all this. IL any aggression there
kwcre. anv innoyation'unon pre.exist;ny
rights. 10 which nort;on ~ the JIn;on
are they Justly charreable?
This controversy passed away with
the occasion. notbino SURVIVING Il
save the dormant letter Of the statute
But, long afterwards. when by the
proposed accession Of the Republ;o Of
Texas, the United States were TO take
their next stem in territorial greatness
a similar contingency occurred and
became Che occasion for svstemat;xed
attempts 20 interfere In the domestic
affairs of one section Of the Union. in
defiance Of their rights as States. and
Of the stipulations Of the constitution.
These attempts assumed q practical
direction. In the shane of ncrseyering
endeavors. by some Of the re presenta'
tives. In both houses Of Congress. 10
denr;ve ,ba sou,hero s,s,as ~ ~.
supposed benefit Of the provisions Of
tho act authorizing the organization Of
the the State Of Missouri :
hut. The rood scnse Of tho ueonls.
and the vital force of the constitution
triumphed over sectional nrejudiea
and tks politlcal errors Of The dav
anil tho state Of Tesas retu,ned ~ *
Union aa shs was. will soeial i,s,;,a.
TONS which her people had chosen eor
themselves. and with .express agres.
ment. bv the rc.anncxing act. that sLs
should be susceptible Of division into
n plurality Of states.
Whatever advantage the interes,s Of
The southern States. a. such. gained
bv this. were far interior In res,,lts. M
they unfold In the progress Of sine 70
those which spranv from proyloun
eoncesaion made bv tls south
10 every thouehtful friend Of the
union,--,o tho true lovers of THAR
eountry--to all who lonped and labor.
cd for the full success OF this great OK.
pertinent Of republican instiiulIona--.
Il was cause Of gratulation that sueh
an opportunity had occurred 10 illus.
tsats our advancing mower ON dis
continent. and 70 furnish TO tho world
additional assurance Of the strength
and stability Of the constitution, Who
would wish 10 SEQ Florida still n Euro.
psan colony Who would roioice 10
hail Texasa lone star. instead 81 one
Of the GALAXY Of siatesg Who does
not appreciate the Incnlculable benefits
Of the acquisition Of Louisiana? And
yet narrow views aud sectional purpos-
" would inevitably have excluded them
all from the Union.
But another struggle on the same
point ensued. when our victorious ar.
mics returned from Mexico. and IL de.
yolved on Congress to provide for the
territories acquired by tho treaty Of
Guadalupe Hidalgo. The great rela.
tons Of tho subject had now become
distinct and clear TO tho perception Of
the public mind which appreciated the
evils OF sectional controversy upon the
question IL the admission of new
States. In that crisis intense solici,
tudc pcrvaded the nation. But the
patriotic impulses Of the popular heart
guided by the admonitory advice Of
the Father ofhis Country. rose super.
Tor to oil the difficulties Of he inscor.
poralion Of new empire into the Union
| In the counseIs Of Congress there wa,
manifested extreme antagonism q,