Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-01-05

! guircd fast hold of the Traidie Judgment, to such a degree,
that, by eanRlan consent, IL Was observed III the organi-
TVHsn in,nrh recently, It became ~reTftisftc Il. organize
the Territories of Nebraska and Kansas, twas the hatu-
raj and legitimate, IL not the Inevitable consequences OF
previous events and legislation, that tire same great and
sound principle, which had already beehs applied to Utah
and New Mexico, should be- applied to them that they
should stand exempt fronfthe restrictions proposed in the
act relative to the State OF Missouri. 4lbs&
G These restrictions were, in the estimation OF many
Thoughtful men, null from the beginning, unauthorized By
the constitution contrary to the treaty stipulatlons for the
cesSion of Louisiana, and inconsistent with the equality of
the States.
They had been stripped of all moral authority, by per
Sistent efforts 10 procure their indirect repeal through
contradictory enactments. They had been practically alb
rogatcd by the legislation attending the organization of
Utah. New Mexico and Washington. n any vitality re-
manned in them, il would hlyc been taken away, incffcct,
by the new territorial acts, in the form originally propos-
ed to the Senate at the first session Of the last Congress.
It was manly and Ingenious, "a well as patriotic and just,
TO do this directly AMI plainly and thus relieve the statnte
book ofar act, which might he of possible future injury,
but of no possible future benciit ; and the measure OF its
repeal was the final contamination and complete recogni-
tion of the principle, that no portion of the United States
shall undertake, through assumption of the powers of the
general government, to dictate the social Institutions of
any other portion.
The scope and effect of the language of repeal were not
left In doubt. 1t was declared, In terms to be " the true
intent and meaning Of this act not tn iegslate slavery in
to any Territory or State, nor To exclude it theretrom, but
to leave the people thereof perfectly free to form and re-
guiate Their domestic institutions in their own way, sub
ject only to the constitution IF the United States"
The measure could not be wittstood upon its merits
alone. IL was attacked With whence, on the false or de-
lusive pretext that 1t constituted a breach of faith. Never
WAS objection more utterly destitute of substantial justii-
cation. When, before, was it imagined by sensible men,
that Il regulatiye or dcclarativc statute, whether enacted
ten or forty years ago, is irrepcaIable-tha an act of Con
gress Is above the constitution! ID, indeed, there were in
the facts any cause 10 impute bad faith, it would attach to
those only, who have never ceased, from the time of the
enactment of the restrictive provision TO the present day,
to denounce and to condemn it who have constantly re-
fused to complete il by needfui supplementary legislation
who have spared no exertion to deprive it of moral force,
who have themselves again and anaiu attp1nntpd uS ranpal
by the enactment of Incompatible provisions and who by
the inevitable reactionary effect of their own violence on
the subject, awakened. the country to perception of the
true constitutional principle. OF leaving the matter involv-
ed to the discretion Of the people of the respective exist
ing or incipient States. .H#t@# |T -H
10 is not pretended that this principle, or any other, pre-
cltIdcs the possibility of evils in practice, disturbed "a po
litical action is liable to lie 10y human passions. No form
Of government is exempt from Inconvenience but in this
case they are the result of the abuse, and not of the legiti-
mate exercise, of the powers reserved or conferred in the
organization of Territory. They are not to he charged
to the great principle of popular sovereignty on the con
trary, they disappear before the Intelligence and patriot
ism Of the people, exerting through the ballot box their
peaceful and silent but irresistible power.
If the friends of the constitution are to have another
struggle, its eneInie&coaid not present. d more acceptable
issue, than that, of i State, whose constitution clearly EN-
braces I" a republican form of government )" being exciud-
ed from the Union because it, domestic institutions may
not in all respects cdrnport with the ideas of what Is wise
and e~Xpedient entertained in some other State. Fresh
from ~groundiess imputations of breach of faith against
others, men win commence the agitation of this new qucs-
ton with indubital,le violation of an express compact be
tween the independent sovereign powers of the United
States and OF the republic of Texas, as we'll az of the old
err and equally solemn compacts, which assure the equai-
ty Of all the States,
But. de,iioratle as would be snch a violation of compact
in itself, and i'll all its direct consequences, that Is the We
ry least of the evils involved. When sectional agitators
shall have succeeded in forcing on this issue, can their
prctensions fail to be met by counter pretcnSions? VIII
not different States be compelled respectively to meet eX-
trcmes with extremes ? And If either extreme carry its
point. what is that 50 far forth but dissolution of the Tn
ION! lfa new State, formed from the territory of the
United States, be absolutely excluded from admission
therein, that fact Of itself constitutes the disruption of I'M
ion between it and the other States. But the process of
dissolution could not stop there. Would not n sectional
decision, producing such result by q majority Of votes,
either Northern or Southern, of necessity drive out the OPP
pressed and a%ggrieyed minority, and place in presence OF
each other two irreconcilcaldy hostile considerations?
1t is necessary to speak thus plainly of projects, the off
spring OF that sectional agitation now prevailing in some
OF the States, which are as impracticahfe as they are I'M
constitutional, and Which, if perseyeed in, must and will
end caiamitou>ly. 1t is either disunion and civil war. or
it is mere angry, idle, aimIess disturbance of public peace
aud tranquility. Disunion for what If the passionate
rage OF fanaticiSm and partisan spirit did not force the
fact mon our attention, il would he difficult to believe that
any considerable portion of the people of this enlightened
country could have so surrendered themselves to a finati
cal devotion to the supposed interests of the relatively few
Africans in the United States, as totally to abandon and
disregard the interests of the twenty-five millions of Anne
ricans-to trannple under foot the injunctions of moral and
constitutional 0bligatinns-and to engage i'm plans of vim
dietive hostility against those who are associated with
them in the enjoyment OF the common heritage of our ma
tional Institutions. aa..t
Nor is it hostility against their follow-citizcns of one
section of the Union alone. The interests, the duty, the
honor, the peace, and the prosperity of the people of all
sections are equally involved and imperilled in this ques
ton, And are patriotic men, in amy part of the Union,
prepared, on such issue, thus madly to invite al the con
sequences of the Forfeiture Of their constitutional engage
inehts? 1t is impossible. The storm of phrenzy and tao
tiOn must inevitably dash itself in vain against the unsha-
ken rock of the constitution. ] shall never doubt it. /
know that the Union is stronger a thousand times than all
the wild and chiincrical schemes Of social change, which
are generated, one after another, in the minds of riSiona-
r SophfstS and interested ~a@itttorS. rely confidently OH
the patriotism OF the people, on the dignity and selfres-
pect of the States, on the wisdom of Congress, and above
all, on the continued gracious favor of Almighty God, to
maintain, against all enemies. whether at home or abroad.
the Sanctity OF the constitution and the integrity of the
Union. PIERCE.
WASfIINGT0s, December 81, 1855.
ToWanda Market Wholesale Prices.