The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1856-09-12

abolition OF slavery by Congress. TrpacheroGs
/ attempts 10 deprive the South Other undoubted
rights 10 manage her own affairs, have been
Econstantly made. The trainers of the Coustitu-
ton declared in its preamble, that one Of their
/ great objects in adopting it was 'sto insure do
+ mesic tranquility" But the "domesic tran
guilty" Of The South has been constantly and
cruelty assaed by Northern abolitionitsis, who
Knew very we'll that they had no business what
ever with the matter.
! majority Of the old States made the negroes
free without opposition from abroad. That it
was wise for the North 10 do SO all are agreed .
that ii was just and proper in the South 10 make
no complaint is equally true. Now let us see
whether the South has gained any advantages or
( committed any aggressons with reference TO the
new States.
Maine and Vermont were admitted as free
States, and nobody asked them to put slavery
into their constitutions. This was matter Of
course, and so treated all around
But with reference to the Western States,
their exemption from slavery was not a matter
Of course. The South might have prevented it if
she had seen proper. The whole Of the terri
tory north and West of the Ohio, and east Of
Mississippi, belonged to the State Of Virginia.
She owHcdthe land, and had power to control
the settlement of every acre. What did she
do She magnanmously gave up rot only her
political jurisdiction, but also her proprietary
right 10 The Federal Government, allowing the
voters Of the North to settle its destiny and all
its proceeds 10 60 into the general Golfers. Con-
neclcut had spurious claim 10 part of ia
claim PRECISELY like tha, which she st Up to
part Of Pennsylvania, and which was decided
/, D,.k L l. "a II
serve, was conceded 10 hes-shp kept It, sold
it, and Put the proceeds into her own treasury.
Virginia did not protest even when the Ordi-
nance ot 1877 was passed. aboiiShing Slavery
within the territory. which she had thus grnpr-
ouSly given away. Was there any aggression
N all this II there was "encroachment" on
either side, who committed it If there was
unwISe concession, from whom did il come?
The Territory ofLousiana, including what is
now Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kan
sas, aud the uEoccupied wilderness beyond, WAS
purchased from France in 1903. Il was all
slave territory. We took it with French law
upon it ltgaiizing slavery. it could rot be
made free without repeating that law. Msson-
II had been led long before by persons who
owned slaves aud who mad held them there up
on the faith OF that law. They were not dis
turhed during her whole existence as an organ
ized territory. When she proposed TO come in
to the Mon State, her people. in the eX-
eFcise OF as plain right as any people ever pos
SeSsrd, madr a Constitution for themselves, in
which, with almost entire unaonfitv, they re-
CCgRZed The rights otthe Shareholders 10 retain
the property acquired under previous laws
Then arose the widest wells Of ianaic<n.-
Large masses of people IN the North, and espe-
cjaI!y IN New England, led on and excited by
the ln1ammatory appeals Of the leaders. grew
almost frantic with rage. The sole cause Of
this outcry was that the people Of Missouri had
made their own constitution 10 suit their own
views, and had not permitted il 10 be made fox
them By an,slavery mrn residing in the north
ern States. This was the head and front oftheir
offending. Nothing else was charged against
them. Yet every Southern member of Con-
grrSs who expressed the opinion that Missouri
had right 10 make her own constitution was
called an aGgrrs>or, slave driver, aud tyraul,
while every Northern man who aSsenied to the
same simple proposition was denounced aud
abused as a coward, a doughlace, and rrcreant
to the rights OF his own section. SO fiercelv
did this storm Of calumny blow that the whole
government rocked aud retltd to it. There
seemed TO way to avoid a civil war bat 10 com
promise. And such acomPromisr! It consist
ed in an agreement that Missouri might exercise
her undonlled right, and have her own consti-
tuition II Congress would abolish the law legal
izing slavery in all Of the territory outside of
that State and lying north Of certain line
That Congress had any power to do this is now
almost universally doub!rd, and by large ma
orliy OF the people it is totally denied that sa-
very can be forced, either in or out Of terrific
ry, by The legislation Of the general government
Thus by mere Canor and abuse the North GOT
an Unconstitutional advantage, in return for
yielding 10 Southern State privilege which
no fair man can deny was plainly her own
But even this did not satisfy the abolitioniSS.-
Thre continued 10 Insult the South for not Civ
ing up everything, and vented their abuse and
Siandrrous rpIihrlS vigorously as ever upon
the North hrcauSr it had not insisted on more.
Was this Northern or Southern aggression?
In 1880, this cry Of Southern aggression on
Northern rights again rose to a pitch which
seemed to put the Union IN extreme danger
Again lhe trouble was allayFd by compromise.
The nature. character and terms Of the Com
promise Viii show how much aggression bad
been committed then. There were five mpa-
sures included in it. |. The admission Of Cal
ifornia as free State. .. The territorial or
ganizaton of New Mexico on the principle Of
n0h-interyention, which it was known would
exclude slavery. 3. The purchase of a large
portion Of Texas, taking it away from the iurs-
dictlon Of slave State. q. The abolition of
the slave trade in The District of Columbia, 5.
The fugitive slave law. The first four Of these
measures were anti-slavery, and were demand
ed by the North. The fifth one the fugitive
jau.( ,rae concacSiOD not fo fh, South
bot to the Constitution. ii was required by lis
LII