Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-10-10

must combat IL upon i,s home ground
We are in a minority, and union oi
southern sentiment will not itself avail
to accomplish the double purpose of main
tanning our rights and preserving the
Union. This great battle for the Consti-
tuition must be fought in the non-slayehol-
ding States. This grave issue must be
fairly and boldly met before the Northern
public, and their judgement won to the
cause of conservative and constitutional
principles. The only power which We
can find on that arena able and willing to
do battle for us in the Democratic party.
That party now, as upon former occasions
when our equal rights have been sssailed.
affords the South the only material sup
port which it obtains in the non-slavehol-
ding States.
We, are aware that Northern men can
not think and feel as we do on the subject
of slavery. It is an institution which,
from their position and the circumstances
which surround them, they cannot duly
appreciate or fully understand. But we
have right to expect that all true friends
Of the Union, whatever may be their pre-
ferences and prejudioes. will unite in vim
dicating the equal rights of the States as
the only basis on which the Confederacy
can stand. We believe that the Demo-
cratic party in the North, regarding ri
gid adherence to the federal compac: as
the fundamental principle of their politi-
cal faith, are ready. without evasion or
reservation, to breast the storm Of fanati-
cism, and to preserve the Constitution in.
violate in its letter and spirit. On that
party We confidently rely for cordial and
efficient cooperation in the maintenance
Of those guaranteed rights which all 9TH
er parties in the North, reckless of conse-
quences, are striving to destroy.
The annexation of Texas. the passage
Of the Fugitive Slave Law, and the estab-
lishmeut Of Territorial governments. have
afforded the occasions when the most pas.
sionate and vigorous assaults have been
made on the rights of the slaye-holding
States. On each OF these occasions the
power of the Democratic organization has
been rallied to the support Of Justice. and
the Constitution. A large majority Of
the Democratic members of Congress
from the non -slaveholding States voted
for the annexation of Texas, for the Flu
gitive Slave Law, and for the Kansas.
Nebraska act. Not solitary Northern
opponent of the Democratic party voted
for the first or the last Of these measures;
and out OF the seventy-three Whig mem
bers of the House of Representatives from
that part of the Union, only three could
be induced to give their support to the
Fugitive Slave Law. A Northern Wing
President, (Mr. Fillmore, after the pas.
sage OF the bill through Congress. pledg.
ed against the exercise of the Presiden>
tial veto on questions of expediency, re.
quired an argument on its constit.ttionatity.
from his Attorney General, before he af>
fixed to it his signature. The Democrat
10 party now, as upon the other two oc-
casions. unaided. encounters the storm Of
Northern prejudice. and manfully upholds
before the non on-slaveholding public the
constitutional rights Of the South.
II the principle Of non-intervention by
Congress on the subject Of slavery in The
formation Of Territorial governments was
not incorporated in the permanent policy
of the Government by the Compromise ot
1850. the South suffered disastrous defeat
in the great struggle which was termipa-
ted by that Compromise. The non-slave-
holding majority refused to execute the
Missouri Compromise, and divide by the
line Of So deg 80 min. the territory ac>
quired from Mexico by the common blood
and treasure California having been ad-
mitted into the Union as q State. with an
anti>slavery Constitution, framed without
any legal sanction, the South was practi.
cally excluded from all participation in
the rich and extensive acquisitions Of Mex
lean territory. Her only compensation
wasIwhat was regarded as an authoritative
recognition Of the principle Of non.iuter>
vention in the acts establishing govern
ments for the Territories Of Utah and
New Mexico. II that recognition was te
be confined in It's application only to those
Territories into which the introduction
was physical impossibility. then indeed
was the Compromise Of 1850 bitter
mockery. If the principle was recognized
as fairly applicable to all the Territories
Of the United States when government
should be organized for them. the honor
and the equality of the slaveholdinG
States was preserved from sacrifice.
The North had repudiated Che Nilsson
ri Compromise when It oouficted will
their prejudices and their interests. Th'
occasion of instituting government 70
some new Territory was to determine
whether they would execute the neE
Compromise Of 1850 In any better faith
That occasion was presented when tn
Kansas ebraska bill was introduced in
to the Congress of the United States
The startling fact was then disclosed
that, outside Of the Democratic party i
the non>slaveholding States, NO single in
| diyidual could be found who was Wi!Iin
to let us receive the benefit Of our pal
of the hard terms to which we bad sub
mitted IN the Compromise of 1850. Fo'