Eastern times., 1856-01-03

1ne Pecullar character ana MAGNITUDE
this question of local rights, not in materialf
relations only but still more III social ones,
caused it to enter into the special stpulahons
OF the constitution, hence while the general
government, as well BY the enumerated pow
ers granted to it, as by those not enumerated,
and therefore refused to it, was forbidden to
touch this matter in the sense of attack or of
fence 1t was placed under the general safe
guard ofthe Union in the sense ofthe defence
against either invasion or domestic violence
like all other local interests of the several
states, each state expressly stipulated well
for itself as for each and all of its citizens,
and every citizen, If each state became
solemnly bound by his allegiance to the
constitution that any person held to SER
vice or labor in one state, escaping into anoth-
er, should not in consequence of any law or
regulation thereof, be discharged from such
service or labor, but should be delivered up
on claim OF the party to whom such service or
labor might be due, by the lawsof his state
Thus and thus only, by the reciprocal guaran-
~ Of all the rights of every state against inter-
ference on the part of another, was, at pres
ent form OF government, established BY oar
fathers, and transmitted to us, and by no other
means is it possible for it to exist. If one
state ceases TO respect the rights of another,
and Obtrusively intermeddles with its local In
terests: il portion Of the states assume to
impose their institutions on the Others or re-
fuse TO fulfil their obligations to them, we are
no longer united. friendly states, but distracted
hostile ones, with little capacity left of COM
mon advantage, but abundant means OF reci-
procal injury and mischief.
1t is practically aggressive interference be-
tween the states, or deliberate refusal on the
part of any one of them, to comply with con-
stitutional obligations arising from erroneous
conviction or blind prejudice, whether it be
perpetrated directly or indirectly in either
case il is full Of threat, and is dangerous to the
durability Of the Union.
CONSTITUTIONAL RELATIONS OF SLAVERY.
Placed in the Office of chief magistrate, as
the executive agent of the whole country, to
take care tha: the laws lie faithfully executed,
and specially enjoined by the constitution, to
give information TO Congress on the state of
the Union, it would be palpable neglect Of du-
ty in me if were to pass over subject like
this, which, beyond all things at the present
time, vitality concerns individual and public
security. 1t has been matter Of painful regret
to see states, conspicuous for their services in
founding this republic, and equally sharing its
advantages, disregard their constitutional obi
cations. Although conscious Of their inability
to heal admitted and palpabe social evils of
their own, and which are completely within
their jurisdiction. they engage IN the offensive
and hopeless undertaking of reforming the do
nestle institutions of other states, wholly be-
yond their control and authority, in the VAN
pursuit Of ends entirely unattanable and
which they may not legally attempt to compass
they peril the very existence Of the constitu-
ton az d all the countless benefits which it has
conferred, while the people OF the southern
states confine their attention to their own al
fairs.
Not presumins offciously to intermeddIe
with the social institutions of the northern
states, too many of the inhabitants of the
latter are permanently organized in associa-
tions to inhict injury on the former by wrong
full acts, which would be cause of war between
foreign powers, and only fail to be such in our
5, stem because perpetrated under cover of the
Union. 1t is imposs Bile to present this subject
as truth and the occasion require without no.
ticing the irritated but groundless allegation
that the south has persistently asserted claims
and ob'ained advantages in the practical ad-
ministration of the general government, TO the
prejudice OF the north, and in which the latter
has acquiesced. That's, the states which eth
er promote or tolerate attacks on the rights Of
persons and of property in other states, TO dis
guise their own injustice, pretend or imagine
and constansly aver that they whose consiitu-
tiCnal rights are thus Systematically as>ailed,
are themselves the agg essors. AT the present
time this imputed aggression, resting as it does
only in the vague declamatory charges Of po-
litcal agitators, resolves itself into misappre-
hension or ministerpretation Of the principles
and facts of the political organization of the
new territories of the United States.
What is the voice of history when the ordi-
nance which provided for the government Of
the territory northwest of the river Ohio, and
for its eventual subdivision into new states was
adopted in the congress of the confederation
1t is not TO be supposed that the question Of
future relative power as between the states
which retained and those which did rot retain
ITS colored population, has escaped notice or
failed to be considered. And yet the conces-
son of that vast territory TO the Interests and
| opinions OF the northern states, territory now
the sea, OF five among the largest members of
| the Union, was IN a great measure the act of
the state Of Virginia and Of the south When
Louisiana was acquired by the United States it
was an acquisition not less to the north than to
the south For while it was important to the
country at the mouth of the nver Mississippi
to become the emporium Of the country above
it, SO also 1t was even more important to the
wlo!e Union 10 have that emporium; and, al
thou-h the new province, by reason Of its i'm
perfect settlement, was mainly regarded as on
the Gulf Of Mexico, yet in fact it extended to
the opposite boundaries of the United. States
with far greater breadth above than below, and
was in territory in everything else equally at
least an accession to the northern states. 1t is
mere delusion and prejudice, therefore, to
speak of Louisiana as an acquisition in the
special interest of the south. The patriotic
and just men who participated in that were in
fuenced bv motives fer above all sectional jeal-
ousy.
1t was in the south the great event by complet-
ing for us the cession Of the valley OF the Miss.
with commercial access to Gulf Of Mexico, which
impaired unity and strength TO the whole con-
federation, and attached together by indissolu-
Bile ties the east aud west as well as the north
and the south. As 10 Florida, that was but the
transfer by Spain to the United States of ter
ritory on the east side of the river Mississippi
in exchange for large territory which the
United States had transferred to Spain, on the
west side OF that river, as the entire diplomatic
history of the transaction serves to demon
strafe. Moreover it was an acquisition de-
manded by the commercial interests and the
spcnrity ot the whole TTnion In tho moan