Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-12-10


the Constitution and the laws of moral author
ity, and to undermine the fabric of the Union
by appeals to passion and sectional prejudice,
by indoctrinstng its people with reciprocal
hatred, and educating them to stand face to
face as enemies, rather than shoulder to shoul-
der as friends.
1t is by the agency of such unwarrantable
interference, foreign and domestic, that the
minds of many, otherwise good citizens, have
been so infamed into the passionate condem-
nation of the domestic institutions of the SOU
thern States, as at length to pass insensibly to
almost equally passionate hostility towards
their fellOw-ctizens of those States, and thus
finally to fall into temporary fellowship with
the avowed and active enemies of the Consti-
tuition. Ardently attached to liberty in the
abstract, they do not stop TO consider practi-
cally how the objects they would attain can be
accomplished. nor to reflect, that, even If tho
evil were as great as they deem il, they have
no remedy to apply, and that it can be only
aggravated by their violence ard uuconstitu-
tional action. question, which is one of
the most difficult OF all the problems of social
institution political economy and statesman
ship, they treat with uBreasoning intemper-
ance of thought and language. Extremes be-
get extremes. Violent attack from the North
finds its inevitable consequence in the growth
of spirit of angry defiance at the South
Thus in the progress of events we had reach
people has now so pointedly rebuked of the
attempt, OF portion of the States, by sec
tioDal organization and movement, to usurp
the control of the government Of the nited
States.
Iconildently believe that the great body of
those, who inconsiderateiy took this fatal step
are sincerely attached to the Constitution and
the Union. They would upon deliberatiOn,
shrink with unaffected horror, from any consci-
pfA Il mi civ We Rut hnV Ia ~
entered into path, which leads nowhere, un-
less it be to civil war and disunion, and which
has no other outlet. They have proceeded
thus far in that direction. in consequence OF
the successive stages Of their progress having
consisted of series of secondary issues, each
Of which proiessed to be confined within con-
stitutional and peaceful limits, but which at
tempted indirectly what few men were willing
to do directly, that is, to act aSgressively
against the constitutional rights of nearly one
halt of the 81 States.
In the long series OF acts of indirect aggres-
sion, the first was the strenuous agitation, by
citizens Of the Northern States, in Congress
and out oft, of the question of negro emanci-
| patton in the Southern States.
The second step in this path of evil consist
! cd of acts of the people oftheN orthern States,
and in several instances of their governments.
| aimed to facilitate the escape of persons held
| to service in the Southern States, and to pre-
| vent their eXtradition when reclaimed accOr-
| ding to law and in virtue OF express provisions
of the Constitution. To promote this object,
| legislative enactments and other means were
| adopted to take away or defeat rights, which
| the Constitution solemnly guaranteed. In or
| der 10 nnlify the then existing act Of Congress
| concerning the extradition of fugitives from
| service, laws were enacted in many States for
bidding their officers, under the severest penal
| ties, to participate in the execution of any act
| Of q yVha n
| tenn of harmonious cooperation between tht
| authorities of the United States, and of the
| several States, for the maintenance of then
| common institutions, which existed in thi
early years of the Republic was destroyed
conflicts of jurisdiction came to be frequent
| and Congress found itself compelled, for the
| support of the Constitution, and the vindica
/ tion of its power, to authorize the appoint
| ment of new officers, charged with the eXecu
| tion of its acts as if they and the officers o.
the States were the ministers, respectively, o
foreign governments in 4 state OF mutual hos
tility, rather than fellow agistrates of a com
mon country, peacefully subsisting under the
| protection of one well constituted Union
! Thus, here, also, aggression was followed 10y
! reaction and the attacks upon the Constitu
| tion at this point did but serve to raise VI
new barriers for its defence and security.
| The third stage of this unhappy sectional con
troyersy in connexion with the organization
| of territorial governme ents, and the admission
| new States into the Union. When ii was proposed
to admit the State of Maine, by separation of ter
ritory from that of Massachusetts, and the State
| Missouri formed of portion OF the territory &C
dcd by France to the United States. representa-
tives in Congress objected to the admission of th
latter unless with conditions suited 10 partlcula
views of public policy: The imposition OF such
condition was successfully resisted. But at tn
same period, the question was presented OF Impo
sing restrictions upon the residue of the territor,
coded by France. That question wasfor the time
| disposed of by the adoption OF geoSraphlcai in
of limitation.
In this connection it should not be forgotten
that France of her accord resolved, for con
siderations of the most far-sighted sagacity t
cede Louisiana TO the United States. and that &C
cesson was accepted by the United States, the lat
ter expressly engaged that 1.-The inhabitants of tn
ceded territory shall be incorporated in the Uniol
of the United Stetes, and admitted as soon as pos
sible according to the principles of the Fedora
Constitution to the enjoyment of all the rights
advantages and imInunities of citizens of the Uni
ted States; and in the meantime they shall b
maintained and protected in the free enjoymen
of their iibsrty property and the religion whicl
they profess that is to say. while IL remains Il
n territorial cond iton. its inhabitants are main
tanned and protected in the free enjoyment of thei
liberty and property. with right then to pass in
TO the condition of States on footing OF pcrfec
equality with the original States.
The enactment, which established the restric
tive geographical line, was acquiescedin rathe
than approved by the States of the Union.
stood on the statute books, however, for numbe
of years, and the people of the respective State
acquiesced in the re-enactment of the principle a
applied 10 the State of Texas and it was propC
sed TO acquiesce in its further application TO tn
territory acquired by the United States from MeA
leo But this proposition was successfully resiste
by the representatives from the Northern State
who, regardless of the statute line, insisted upo
applying the restriction to the new territory ger
orally, whether lying north south of it, thereb
repeating it as "a legislative compromise, and o
the part of the North, pcrsistently violating tn
com pact, if compact there was Thereupon tn
enactment ceased to have binding virtue in an
sense, whether as respects the North the South