The Nevada Democrat., 1856-10-08
The Danrer of D,sunion.

The United States has run its race as Republic. Its
Democracy rpening into anarchy the fruits OF which
will inevitably be desposm Of some sort or otherCdnd
dian Journal
This paragraph, says the Buffalo Courier, is hav-
ing great newspaper run. 1t is endorsed by
some Of the papers, and denounced by others
a libel on this country. 1t is not strange that
such an opinion should be honestly entertained
by an editor who derives his knowledge of the
condition of affairs from extreme partisan jour-
mails, and who assumes that their tone fairly
expresses the sentiments of the mass of the peo-
pie of this country. 1t is source of satisfaction
to those who look with suspicion upon demo-
cratic institutions, and who regard republic
as an innovation upon monarchy and problem
of doubtful solution, that this Union is convuls-
ed with internal dissensions, and that party
that openly places the motto "Disunion" on
their banners has sprung into existence. They
very properly regard a movement for disuniOn
as the step preliminary to despotism, and chuckle
over it as proof positive that the experiment
of self-goyernment is destined to be a failure.
This is not the least among the evils attendant
upon the organization of a sectional party in
the north For the time being it destroys the
moral influence of the nation abroad, and affords
despots an excuse to speak lightly of the 60
vernment that has for almost four score years
been the exponent of the will of free and in-
telligent people.
1t is not to be denied that we are, as nation,
somewhat demoralized. The opportunity which
our institutions offer to unprincipled and ambi-
tious men to excite and mislead the popular
mind has not been unimproved, and as a result
we have the temporary agtations whose work
ing are seen in Kansas and California, and to O
lesser extent, in the fanaticism which is daily
developed in Fremont demonstrations in the
Free States But those who affect to discover
in these spasmodic convulsons and disgraceful
riots the seeds of revolution, mistake the temp.
er of the American people. They are rather the
evidences of temporary alteration induced
by circumstances. They do not indicate di.
sease in the body politic but only the moment
airy ascendency of bad men and corrupt influen'
ces, which created for the hour, misapprehen'
sion of right. The mass of the people are un'
contaminated, and arc as deeply as ever inn
pressed with the value of this Union, and the
superiority of our system of government Lei
the issue be squarely made on the question Of
the preservation Of the Republic, even at the
sacrifice of individual opinions of policy and
justice, and an overwhelming verdict would be
rendered for the Federal Union at all hazards.
The only danger of disunion is to be found in
the tendency of our people to seize upon single
isolated principle, and, in the feryor of excite
ment, to rush to extremes in its advocacy The
only security III this danger is in disseminating
among the people correct views of the nature of
this government, and the relative position of
Federal and State powers. The National Gov
ernment has simply the authority delegated to
it by the State Governments, and limited by the
Constitution, and any attempt to exceed this au-
thorty is so far step towards despotism. The
really vital question in the present campaign is
whether the Federal Government has the power
under the Constitution, to prohibit slavery ir
organized or unorganized Territory, which is
the common property of the confederation o.
States. The Democracy claim that it has nc
such clcarly-defined powers, and that at al
events it is contrary to the spirit of the origi
Regarding this as a doubtful power, they con
strue it against the General government, ant
concede it to the people in each locality.
In opposition to this theory stand the Blacl
Republicans who assert that the power to pro
hibit slavery inheres in Congress and that il
shall be exercised to stop the extension of slavery
under all circumstances They are determined
to press this point to the "bloOdy issue" and to
dissolve the Union rather than to yield it. For
this reason the term "disunionists" is properly
applied to them, and the odum Of it must be
borne by them. Should they obtain the contro
of government and carry into effect the meas
ures they propose, the spirit of the Constitution
would be violated and disunion would be the in
evitable result.
If those who are the victims of monomania OF
the extension of slavery would but consider tina
new questions in a government like ours arr
not to be settled according to the dicta of an,
class of men, but according to the spirit of th(
original compact between the States, the posi-
ton of the democracy would be sanctioned b.
every man who wishes for the perpetuity Of thi
Union. If this great principle be kept in mind
there is yet glorious future in which the Re
public may "run its course" But" as ha
been we'll said "if false principles of constitu
tonal Interpretation are to prevail, and either
the State or Federal governments permanently
transgress, on the rights of the other, then in
deed the disasters will come, for then the bal
ance of the Constitution will be destroyed"