American Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1855-1860, 1856-01-03

the whole, AZ d all its parts; but of utterly
excluding all capabiliiy of reciprocal sG-
erosion. Each solemnly bound itself 70
all the others, neither to undertake. nor
permit any encroachment upon, or inter-
meddling with another's reserved rights.
Wherei it was deemed expedient, partio.
ular rights of the States pere expressly
guaranteed by the constitution; but, in nj
things beside, these rights were guarded
by the limitation of the powers grant
ed, in the compact Of union. Thus. the
great power Of taxation was limited to pur.
poses %ofcommon defence and general well
fare, excluding objects appertaining TO the
local legislation of the several States; and
those purposes of general welfare and com.
mon Gtfense were afterwards defined bv
specific enumeration. as being matters on
ly OF correlation between the States Them
selves, or between them and foreign eov,
ernments, which, because Of their common
and general nature. could not be left to tho
separate control Of each State.
OF the circumstances of local condition.
interests and rights. in which a portion Of
the States, constituting one great section
of tho Union differed from the rest: and
from another section. the most important
was the peculiarly of larger relative GO.
loted population in the southern than in
the Northern States.
A population of this class, held in sub
lection, existed in nearly all ne States. but
was more numerous and Of more serious
concernment in the South than in the
North, on account Of natural differences Of
climate and production; and il was fofe-
seen that, for the same reasons, while this
population would diminish, and sooner. or
later, cease to exist in some States, il might
increase in others. The peculiar charac-
ter and magnitude of this question of local
rights. not in material relations only, but
still more in social ones. caused it TO enter
into the special stipulations Of the eonsti-
tuition.
Hence, while the general government as
well by the enumerated powers granted to
it, as by those not enumerated, and there
fore refused to it, was forbidden TO touch
this matter in the sense OF attaek or offence;
it was placed under tho general safeguard
of the Union, in the sense Of defiance a.
gainst either invasion or domestic violence,
like all other local interests Of the several
States. Each State expressly stipulated,
as we'll for itself as for each and all of its
citizens. and every citizen of each State be-
cause solcmnly bound by his allegiance to
the constitution, that any person, held to
service or labor in one State, escaping into
another. should not. in consequence Of any
law or regulation thereof, lie discharged
from such service or labor, but should b.
delivered up on claim of the party to whom
snch service or labor might be due by tie
laws Of Lis State.
Thus, and thus only, by the reciprocal
guaranty Of all the rights of every State
against interference on the part of another,
was the present form Of government estab-
lished by our fathers and transmitted 10 us;
and by no other means is it possible for It
to exist. Ii one State ceases to respect
the rights of another. and obtrusively III
tcrmeddlcs with lis local interests,-if y
portion Of tie States assume 10 impose their
institutions on Tie others, or refuse to full
fiji tleir obligations TO thcm,-we are no
longer united friendly States, but distract
cd, hostile ones, with l:tlle capacity left Of
common advantage, but abundant means
of reciprocal injury and mischief.
Practically, it is immatcrial whether
aggressive interference between the States,
or deliberate refusal on the part Of any
ore Of them to comply with constitutional
Obligations. arise from erroneous conviction
or blind prejudice, whether it be perpe-
trated by direction or indirection. In eth
er case. it is full OF threat and Of danger
to the durability Of the Union.
to>srIruTioNAL RELATIONS OF SLAVERY.
Placed in the oalcc Of Chief Magistrate as the execu-
tive agent of the whole country bound to take care that
the laws be faithfully executed, and especially eIj0ined
by the constitution to give information TO Congress OF,
lhs stuto-sfthe Union, ii would be ~palpable neglect OF
duty on my part to pass overs subject like this, which,
beyond all things at the present time, vitality concerns
individual III d public spcu ritz.
ltlias been matter of painful regret 10 see States con-
spicuous for Their services IN founding thisRepublic, and
equally sharing its advantage disregard their c~Onsiitu-
tiOnal obligations to il. Although conscious of their ina
bilitl TO heal ,admiited and pnlpablc social evils ofiheir
own and W hicha completely within theirjurisdirtion.
they engage IN the offensive and hopeless undertaking
Of r,iorinins the domestic Institutions of other StItes
wholly beyond their control and authority. In the vain
pursuit Of enCs by them entirely unnttainnble, aud
when they mnysnot legally attempt TO COMPASS, they
perfume very existence. oil the constitution, and all tho
countless benefits which II has conferred. While tina
people Oftho SOuthernStates conine their attention 10
tbeir own nhuirs not presume & obviously to intermcd-
die with the social Institutions of the Northern States,
too many of the inhabitants Ofthe latter are permanent
~ organized In associntionst TO intict injury on tho for
iner, by wrongful acts, which would be cause Ofwur as
between foreign powers, and only fail to be such In our
system, because perpetrated under cover of the Union
Ills impossible 10 presentthis subjectas truth and the
occasion require, without noticing the reiterated, but
gr0undless allegation, that the South hus persistently
asserted claims and obtsined advantages In the practi-
cal administration of the general government TO tho
prejudice ofthe North, and In which the latter has nc
quiesed. lhatis, the States, which either prmote or
tolerate attacks on the rigl is of persons and of proper
ty in other Stat s, to disguise their own injustice, pre-
tond or imagine, and constantly aver that they, whose
constitutional rights are thus Systematically assailed.
are themselves the aggress0rs. Atthe present time,
vague declametOry charges of political ~agitutors, re-
solves itself into misapprehension or miSinterpreta-
ton Of tho principles aud facts of the political organ
iZation "fthe new Territories of the United States.
What is tho voice of histor,r When the ordinance,
which provided for the govern ment of the territory
northwest ofthe river Ohio, and for It's eventual sub
divisions into new States, was adopted In the Congress
of the confederation. II Is not t. be supposed that tho
question OF failure relative power, as between tho
states which retained and those which did not retain n
numerous col"red population, escaped notice or failed
to bo considered. And yet The concession of that vast
territory t. the int rests and opinions of the northern
States, q territory tow the seat Of five among the laTg-
est members ofthe Union, was, In a great measure the
act OF the State of Virginia and Of the South.
When Louisiana was required by the United States,
twas an acquisition noLle TO the North than TO the
South, for while 1t was importantto the country at the
mouth of The river Mississippi to become the empo-
rum oftbe country above IL, so also II was even moro
importanttO the whole Union to have that emporium:
and although the new province, by reason of its Inn
perfect settlement was mainly regarded as on the Gulf
OF Mexico, yet, In fact, 1t extended to the opposite
boundaries of the United States, with far greater
breadth above than below, AID was in territory, as in
everything else equally al Least an accession to the
therefore, to speak of L0uisiata as acquisition In the
specialihterest of the South. = e