Demoine courier., 1856-01-10
lore bsnefs; and the measure Of its future

social Territorial Consultations OF any
other portions. the scope aud effect Of Tie
language Of repeal was n o left in doubt.
II was declared ia terms 10 be The true
inien. and meaning Of this act no, to leg
Tisla,s slavery into any State or Territory,
no 10 exclude il therefrom, but TO leave
The people thereof perfectly free to form
and regulate their domestic institution,
in their " way. subjec, only 10 tht
Constitution Of the United States. The
measure could not be wiihs,ood on its
merits alone. II was attacked with VIC.
<1ence on the false or delusiye pre,ex t
shas il constituted a breach of faph.-
..Neser was objection 30 utterly destitute
Uf substantial justi6saiion. When be
Tore wss il imagined By sensible men
that q regulaMve or declarauve statute,
whether enacted Ten or fifty years AGO,
, isrepeaIable-ths, an &C, Of Congress
las above the Constitution! II, indeed.
there 10 in the aci any cause 10 imagine
~. il would attach 10 those only who
have never ceased. from the time Of the
Enactment oil The restrictive provision, 10
denounce and condemn il, and who have
constantly refused to complete nbv need
fui supplementary legisIanon--who have
spared nc legislation to deprive i. of mo-
raj lorce-who have again and again at
tempted it, repeal by the enac'men. Of
incompatible provisions, and who, bv
thc n evitable reactionary esec. of their
avn violence on the subject, awakened
The county TO q true constitutional prin-
ciplc of leaving the matter involved to
the discretion Of the people Of tho re,
speciive existing or incipien. States. IL
! - aot pretended that this principle, or
any other, prrc!udes the possibility Of
evils in practice undis,urbet, az political
action Is unable 10 be. br hnn,an pas.
s,ons NJ form al governmon, is ey
empt from inconvenience. They are
The result, Of abuse, aud no, Of the legni
mate exercise Of powers conferred in the
legitimate organic ,lion of the Territory.
they are no, to be changed by The great
principle Of popular sovereignty. On
che contrary. they disappear before the
Nn~,slligenee and patriotism Of the people,
presenting. through the ballot box. their
peaceful bu, silent. irresistible powell
slf the friends Of the Constitution are to
have another struggle. lis enemies could
Tnot present q u.ofe acceptable issue than
ihan that oil . State whose constitution
! . mhrscrs = republican form Of govern
msnt being excluded fiom the Unlon be
u is domestic Institutions do not
eomport with the ideas entertained in
some other Stale. Fresh from ground
lee, i'm puia,ions OF a breach of faith a
.xainsl The others, men will commence
The agitation of this new question with
siois'i n Of an express compact beiw cen
the mjep. ndenl sovereign powers Of The
Uniled States and the Republic Of Texas.
AZ veil as The other md equally solemn
compacts which assure tie equality OF
Ill the States. But deplora able as would
he such q violation Of compact in itself,
and in all is direct consequences, that
>. the Z least Of the evils involved
\ When sectional agitations shall have
..ucceecri in forcing on The issue, can
their %prelensions fail 10 he met by coun-
prc,ensions. VIII not d.Ieren,
S,ates be compelled to meet extremes
with extremes! And il either extreme
carries its point, WHAT is tina, so far forth
but dissolution of the Union? III new
Slate, formed from a Territory of tnu u.
States, ba absolutely excluded Con ad-
2 omission therein, that fact III itself cons,i-
1 ,a,es the di,ruption OF the Union between
il and o.hcr States /; bet the process OF
/ dissolution could no, siap there. Would
mol, . sectionsl decision, producing such
rssul, BY q majority Of votes. either
l nor.hern or southern. Of necessity drive
The oppressed and agr.eved minority 10
desperation. and place them in presence
.f each other, lrreconcilably hostile ION
declarations! Il Is no, necessary 70 speak
thu, plainly OF projects The offspring of
that sectional sgisatioH now prevailing in
some Of The States, which are as impr,c
slcable as thew ara unconstitutional, and
uhich. if persevercd in, must end Gala.
,ai.ousiy. II il either disunion OF civil
war, or il is mere angry, idle, anery.
s;mless disturbance Of public peace and
tranquility. Dbunion for wha'? n The
passionate rage OF fana,icism aud partl
xru.hi2 did no, force the fact upon our
attention i, would be- difficult TO believe
tia, my considerable portion o! the PEG
lie Of ,iis enlightened country could
i:are,s so surrendered ,hem.elves TO fina-
teal deviation to The supposed interests OF
,hc relatively few Africans III the United
states, 40 totally 10 abandon and dlsre
gard the interests Of the twenty-five mil
lions Of Americans, to trampls under
foo, the ~iujuncsions Of constitutional and
moral obligations. 10 engage in vindiciive
hostility sgains, those who were associ-
a.ed with them in the enjoy men. Of the
sommon heritage Of our national institu-
siens. Nor is il hostility agains: our
isllow-citizens Of one section Of the I'm
ion alone. The inlerss,s, the honor, the
duty. Tho peace and prosperity Of all sec
lions are equally involved and impesilled
in the question. And are patriotic men
in every part ti the Union prepared in
such an issue thus, madly TO invite all
,he consequences of the forfeiture oil