The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1856-03-27

in this any thing III more liagraut contradiction
to the principles OF Republican Freedom. u
more dangerous to the public Liberties. than
in the system practiced by the slaveholdlg
interest represented IN the General Govern
ment.
/ Bat third opportunity was close al hand.
and Slavery made third struggle for the ex-
tension OF It's domain and the enlargement OF
its power.
The annexation Of Texas involved us 10 war
with Mexico. The war was waged on our
part with sigor, skill, and success. L resulted
IN the cession to the United States Of New
Mexico, California, and Deseret vast terri
tories over which was extended by Mexican
law prohibition Of slavery. The sIavehol-
ders demanded access to them all--resisted tus
admission of California and New Mexico
which the energy Of freemen. outstripping in
its activity the Government. and even the
s!aveholding interest, had already converted
into Free States, and treaSJuably Eaenaced
Congress and the Union with overthrow il lis
demands were not conceded. HE free spirit
Of the country was reused to Indignation by
these petensiors and for !. time the whole La
ton rocked to the tempest which they had
created UnloWard events aided the wrong.
The death Of the President threw the whole
power of the Admin stra.ion into tinlid and
=
ambilisns interposad agains: the right. Great
men, leaders Of the people, from whom in bet.
Ter days the people had learned lessons OF
principle and patriotism, yielded to the howl
ings Of the storm and sought shelter in sub
mission. from its rage. The slayeholding in
tereSt was again victorious Ca!Iiorn.a. with
her free constitution, was indeed admitted 10
the Union ba; New Mexico. with her eonsti-
tuition forbidding slavery within her borders,
was denied admission and rem&nded to the
condition OF Ierrtory:-and while Congress
refused to enact positive prohibition Of
slavery in the Territory of New Mexico and
Deseret it was provided that when they
should apply for admission as States, they
should come in with or without slavery their
inhabitants might decide. Additional con
cessionS were made to the Slave Power:--tEt
General Government; assumed the reoapture Of
fugitive slaves and passed laws for the accom-
phshment Of that end >u5yer,;ye AT once Of
State sovereignty. and o. tbs established safe
guard, of civil Tree lon. Then the country
again had rest. Ncarted with Is efforts. or
content with their success, the slaFeAoldlng
nteres. proclaimed tT0ca,
y hen FranGiin Pierce Oh the y u of March,
1853, became President Of the Z. SAFES 10
controversy growing out o! >laNery was a-l
tating the country. EstabA>iei law. >ofne
of them enacted with unasua! sqennjay and
under circumstanaea which made them q. an
ab&4a,!s T. hz2 5ved :. = charaesr~e el
al the Stases and ended tn contest c9utet...:.3
The Territories. Sixteen S,al-a NGeg0 Free
States, and fifteen States were slave S.ates.-
By .he Missouri Compromise Il 1890, slavery
was forever prohibited iTom all tie Louisiana
Territory lying north Of that hre Of SO deg
80 min, while over a; Iern-uTJ ,ylug south
of that liae, and over she Territories OF New
Mexico aad Deseret, such rJhibl.ioa had
been extended The whole country reposed
upon ghis arrangement All sections end all
interests. whether approving it or not. seemed
to acquesce in its terms The slaVeholding
interest, through all It's organs, and especially
throu gh the General Government. proclaimed
that this was a final and irreFealabie ADJUST
ment Of the struggle between Freedom and
Slavery for political power:-that 1t had been
effected by mutual concessions and III the
spirit of ompronise:-snd that Il should be
IS enduring as the Union AM sacred as
the Constitution i.self Both political parties
gave it their sanction in their National Conven-
tions:-the whole country asseated - It's va
Hdity; and President Pierce, in his frs. official
message TO Congress. pledged himself TO use
all the power of his position to prevent il froEa
bein, disturbed.
/ But all these protesation proved del1sive.
aud the acQuiescence and contentment which
they produced afforded the opportunity not
only for new agrressions on the part Of slavery,
but for the rep4dia.ion OF engagements into
which It's agents had solemuly entered. Less
than year had elapsed before these pledges
were broken. and the advantages which they
secured to Freedom Withdrawn By the slave
holding power.
REPEAL OF THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE.
In the course OF time and the natural pro
gress Of population. tha: portion Of tie Louisi-
ana Territory. lying west Of tie Mississippi
River ard north Of the line Of So deg. 50
min. came to be desired for occupation; and
on the 2ith Of Nav. 1854, an act was passed
erecting upon it the two Territories of Kansas
and Nebraska, and Organizing sgFernments
for them both. From ;his whole region the
slayeholding interest thirty four years before
had agreed that Slavery and involuntary
servituds, otherwise than in the punishmea;
Of crime, should De forever prohibited" and
had received. IS the price Of this agreement.
the admission of Missouri, and subsequently,
the admission Of Arkansas, into the [ aion.
By the Kansas and Nebraska bill. this prohi-
bition was declared to be 'inoDeratire and co.'s
and the intent and meaning OF the bil. was
further declared 10 be, mot to legislate Slavery
into auY Territory or State, ror 10 ezclHIe Il
t1erefro.a, bat 70 leave the people thereof per-
ieetly free to form aud regulate thei: domestic
institutions in their own way. subject only TO
the Constitution Of the United States" Thus,
without a single petition for such action from
any quarter Of the Union, but against the earn
est renonstranceS Of thousands OF our citizens
az 5Sinst the settled and profound convictions
of the great body OF ths people in every por-
ton of The country. and IN wanton disregard
OF the obligs,lons OF justice srd of good ts.sh
the Missouri COMPROMISE Of 1870 Vas repeal
ed aad the seal which had guaranteed Free